Baseline studies for Highland?

Posted 8/21/12

The townspeople of the Town of Highland and the Sullivan County Legislature are to be lauded for their efforts to push for a study of the potential health impacts of the proposed Highland compressor …

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Baseline studies for Highland?

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The townspeople of the Town of Highland and the Sullivan County Legislature are to be lauded for their efforts to push for a study of the potential health impacts of the proposed Highland compressor station. Any addition to our body of knowledge about the impacts of natural gas infrastructure in a world in which natural gas is being promoted—mistakenly, in our view—as part of the solution to our energy needs rather than as part of the problem, is a step in the right direction. But we need to be clear about what we are hoping to accomplish with such a study, and what cannot be accomplished.

We sent an email to Millennium Pipeline representative Michelle Hook asking the following questions:

“1. Could the proposed health study come up with any findings that would in any way alter Millennium’s plans for constructing a compressor station in the Town of Highland, e.g. using electric rather than gas motors? If so, can you specify what kind of findings it would take to produce such a change?

“2. Could the proposed health study come up with any findings that would cause you not to build the compressor station on that site at all?”

Her answer:

“Millennium cannot and will not speculate on its possible reaction to the outcome of a yet-to-be completed health study. However, based on the high quality of gas in our pipeline and the strict EPA emissions limitations that interstate pipelines must adhere to, Millennium is confident that our compressors do not pose a health risk to the communities in which we are located.”

Every study done on the health impacts of compressor stations and other natural gas infrastructure is of value in raising awareness of these problems, constructing a case against natural gas that will, over time, result in changing public perceptions, shifting policies and ultimately leading to natural gas being phased out along with all the other fossil fuels. But from the above response, it seems highly unlikely that the health study proposed for Highland is going to have any impact on whether a compressor station will be built there, or how it is built.

However, we think something concrete might be accomplished if a study is done that includes baseline measures of the state of health of residents in the affected area, possibly combined with baseline measures of current ambient methane levels, such as Damascus Citizens for Sustainability has already done at a variety of locations in our region (see e.g. www.damascuscitizensfor sustainability.org/2014/12/hancock-ny-methane-base line-completed), in the vicinity of the compressor site. A baseline of sound levels, especially low-frequency sound levels, which have also been shown to cause health problems, might also be in order.

What such baselines would do is establish a body of data that could be used to establish cause and effect in court, should there be any adverse affects to human health and environment following the construction of a compressor station. One of the single biggest factors inhibiting the ability of those who have suffered from natural gas development to obtain remediation has been the inability to establish cause and effect due to industry arguments that the conditions complained about were pre-existing. Baseline studies would at least help to close off that loophole.

In addition to establishing a health baseline, baseline measurements of ambient methane concentrations could be useful because methane makes up about 90% of natural gas. Thus, it serves as a good proxy for the presence of the various toxic compounds also found in natural gas, such as benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX), nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds.

If we have a baseline with which we can compare methane concentrations after the construction of the compressor station with concentrations prior to construction, and if the health of residents in the affected area deteriorates significantly at the same time methane concentrations increase, that could help scientists (and lawyers) connect the dots between compressor station operations and any bad health outcomes.

Obviously, the ideal goal would be to forestall any damage a compressor station might inflict on the health of the residents of the Town of Highland, and if there’s a way to reach that goal, we would support it. In the meantime, if we can optimize the chances that remediation can be obtained if harm does occur, that’s worth pursuing. And there’s one more thing to consider: by providing data that increases the probability that any lawsuits claiming health damages against the company could succeed, baseline studies would increase Millennium’s potential legal liabilities. That could change Millennium’s risk/reward calculations about the safest, healthiest and most cost-effective way to build its facility.

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