Latino Communities at Risk: The Impact of Air Pollution from the Oil and Gas Industry
Published: September 2016File Size: 2,692 KB
The oil and gas industry dumps 9 million tons of methane and toxic pollutants like benzene into our air each year. Methane is a greenhouse gas 87 times more potent than carbon dioxide at driving climate change and the oil and gas industry is now the largest source of methane in the U.S. But methane is just one harmful air pollutant from the oil and gas industry. As we recently demonstrated in the “Fossil Fumes” report, many of these toxic pollutants are linked to increased risk of cancer and respiratory disorders in dozens of counties that exceed U.S. EPA’s level of concern. These pollutants from the oil and gas supply chain also contribute to the ozone smog pollution that blankets the U.S. in the warmer months. Our recent “Gasping for Breath” report found that ozone smog from oil and gas industry pollution is associated with 750,000 summertime asthma attacks in children and 500,000 missed school days. Among adults, this pollution results in 2,000 asthma related emergency room visits and 600 hospital admissions and 1.5 million reduced activity days.
This report sheds light on the health impacts of air pollutants from the oil and gas industry that specifically threaten the health of Latino communities living near oil and gas facilities and in areas far from oil and gas production.
Many Latino communities face serious health risks caused by air pollution. What’s more, higher poverty levels and relatively lower rates of health insurance increase these health threats from air pollution translating into a bigger health burden on Latino communities. This report for the first time quantifies the elevated health risk that millions of Latinos face due to pollution from oil and gas facilities. Specifically, the report finds that:
• More than 1.81 million Latinos live within a half mile of existing oil and gas facilities and the number is growing every year.
• As a result, many Latino communities face an elevated risk of cancer due to air toxics emissions from oil and gas development: Nearly 1.78 million Latinos live in counties that face a cancer risk above EPA’s level of concern from toxics emitted by oil and gas facilities.
• The air in many Latino communities violates air quality standards for ozone smog: As a result of ozone increases due to oil and gas emissions during the summer ozone season, Latino communities are burdened by 153,000 childhood asthma attacks and 112,000 lost school days each year.
• Rates of asthma are relatively high in Latino communities.
• Many Latinos are particularly burdened with health impacts from this air pollution due to high levels of poverty and relatively low rates of health insurance coverage.
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