breezy point hearing 1-2016
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Air Quality Around Frac Sand Facilities
Breezy Point Sand Mine ProposalEthan Fuhrman, Jacob Kentnich, Pang Houa Xiong Yang, Hannah Renee Brown, Maryanne Cowart, Ruijian Liang,
John Awad, Jonathan Dahlen, and Crispin Pierce PhD
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Frac sand mining and processing generate PM (particulate matter) including silica through blasting, loading, and hauling; processing activities such as crushing; and transporting frac sand and “waste sand.”
Image: upstreamonline.com
Photo: Vaughn Nagahashi
Human Health Concerns
• Airborne pollutants (PM10 and PM2.5)• Waterborne pollutants• Noise pollution • Light pollution • Wetland loss that affects local water quality.• Truck traffic that affects road safety.• Greenhouse gas generation that increases
climate change.
Health Impact
• Increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing, asthma
• Development of chronic bronchitis• Dysrhythmia• Nonfatal heart attacks• Premature death in people with heart or lung disease• Lung cancer• Silicosis• Kidney, autoimmune diseases
Particle Size is Important
Image: Modified from http://www.riverpartners.org
Not to scale. PM2.5 is 1/30 the width of a human hair.
PM2.5 is in the Air for 10-15 DaysResidence Time in the Atmosphere (Jaenicke, 1978)
1 mm ~ 15 days
Husar 2003
MSHA Findings
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) monitoring of EOG Resources, Chippewa Falls, WI.
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
Exceedances of Occupational Limits
0
0.0005
0.001
0.0015
0.002
0.0025
0.003
SiO
2 Co
ncen
trati
on (m
g/m
3)
47%
32%
21%
OSHA PEL 0.098 mg/m3
NIOSH REL 0.050 mg/m3
MSHA NIOSH
Industry Data in Wisconsin
EPA found levels <3 ug/m3 in major cities (EPA/600/R95/115) .
Industry Data in Minnesota
EPA Annual Standard
PM10 Levels Are at the Limit Set by WHO and the State of California
DNR Regulation
• Uses EPA AERMOD computer model to predict increase in air levels of pollutants.– Amount of sand processed per day– Unit emission rates for different kinds of stacks– Pollution control equipment (e.g., baghouses)
• PM10 monitoring “required” but often waived.• “Fugitive dust control plan” for emissions not
from a stack.
Sources: Dryers and dryer areas 1 and 2, and Product Silos
University of Iowa Environmental Health Sciences
Sources: Dryers and dryer areas 1 and 2, Product Silos, Rail Loadout, Truck Receiving Station, Conveyers and Stackers Surge Piles, and Haul Road
University of Iowa Environmental Health Sciences
Direct-reading Levels of PM2.5
• Measured at EOG, Superior Silica Sands (New Auburn, Auburn), Fairmount mine (Menomonie), and Hi-Crush (Bridge Creek).
• Levels were 1.7-22 micrograms/m3 higher than concurrent DNR regional levels and often higher than the EPA standard.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
9
4.5
19.5
0
13.10
6.20
41.30
6.90
DNR Eau Claire PM 2.5 (ug/m3)DustTrak PM 2.5 (ug/m3)
PM 2
.5 (u
g/m
3)
12/17/12 EOG No wind
or activity.
12/28/12SSS Slight wind, frequent truck
activity, snowing.
1/3/13EOG Slight
wind, regular truck & train
activity.
1/9/13Fairmount
Strong wind, low truck activity.
EPA Annual PM 2.5 Standard
Direct-Reading Measurements in Wisconsin
24-Hour Filter Samples
• Have also shown elevation of PM2.5 around sand plants, compared to DNR regional levels and often higher than the EPA standard.
Filter-Based Measurements
EPA Average Standard
ENPH Researchers install instruments at Bloomer, WI air sampling site.
EPA-Certified Samplers PM10
10/30/2
014
11/7/2014
1/20/2
015
1/30/2
015
2/13/2
015
3/6/2
015
3/13/2
015
3/31/2
015
4/16/2
015
5/8/2
015
6/5/2
015
7/17/2
015
7/23/2
015
7/29/2015
8/4/2
015
8/16/2015
8/28/2015
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50PM10 Values in Bloomer/Cook's Valley WI
PM10
Micr
ogra
ms/
m3
150 EPA Second-Highest Annual Standard
World Health Organization Average Standard
EPA-Certified Samplers PM2.5
10/30/2
014
11/7/2
014
1/20/2
015
1/30/2
015
2/13/2
015
3/6/2
015
3/13/2
015
3/31/2
015
4/16/2
015
5/8/2
015
6/5/2
015
7/17/2
015
7/23/2
015
7/29/2
015
8/4/2
015
8/16/2
015
8/28/2
015
9/3/2
0150
5
10
15
20
25
30
35PM2.5 Values in Bloomer/Cook's Valley WI vs. Regional DNR Values
Micro
DNR
PM2.
5 M
icrog
ram
s/m
3
EPA “Worst case” (98th %ile) Standard
EPA Average Standard
Preliminary EPA Instrument PM2.5 Levels in New Auburn, WI
1 2 3 40
5
10
15
20
25
30
Sample Days
EPA Average Standard
SUMMARY
• Frac sand mining, processing, and transportation increase fine dust particle levels (PM2.5, which include crystalline silica) in the air.
• These particles are known to cause cardiovascular disease, lung disease and lung cancer.
• Our measurements have found higher levels around sand plants, compared to regional levels, often above the EPA standard.
• Monitoring of local PM2.5 and silica is essential to protect public health.
Questions?• Crispin Pierce, PhD• Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-Eau
Claire• 715-836-5589• piercech@uwec.edu• http://
www.uwec.edu/Watershed/enph/silica/index.htm
Additional Resources Our research page: http://www.uwec.edu/watershed/enph/silica/
FracTracker Site with maps of activities in each state: http://www.fractracker.org/ Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Map of monitoring data: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Mines/ISMMap.html Wisconsin DNR Description of industrial sand mining in the state: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Mines/Sand.html “Wisconsin Watch” investigative reporting page on frac mining: http://wisconsinwatch.org/series/frac-sand/ “Concerned Chippewa Citizens” Community group opposed to frac mining: https://wisair.wordpress.com/ Video clip of processing activities posted by a mining company in Augusta, WI:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzO5_-wANgc#t=520 Wisconsin Public Radio story on our work:
http://www.wpr.org/high-levels-super-fine-dust-are-detected-around-wisconsin-frac-sand-mines?utm_content=buffer8947f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Aerial drone video clip of the Town of Howard frac sand mine: http://youtu.be/qwuj7yLq99s Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Page on frac sand mining in the state:
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/air/air-quality-and-pollutants/air-pollutants/silica-sand-mining/index.html
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