Potential Human Health Effects Associated with Unconventional Oil and Gas Development

Abstract

PDS 64: Health impact assessment and environmental justice, Johan Friso Foyer, Floor 1, August 26, 2019, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Background: Unconventional oil and natural gas development (UOGD) has expanded rapidly in the last decade. Accompanying this expansion is a growing body of scientific literature about its potential for exposure and health effects. We present a review of the relevant epidemiologic literature and offer a research path forward to resolve questions that remain. Methods: The Health Effects Institute’s (HEI) Energy Research Committee (the Committee), consisting of multidisciplinary experts from across the U.S., along with HEI staff critically reviewed analytical epidemiology studies published between January 2000 and December 2018 with an objective of exploring relationships between environmental exposures originating directly from UOGD in the United States and human health outcomes. The Committee systematically assessed strengths and limitations of each study and the overall body of literature by health outcome. The Committee developed a set of research needs following its assessment. Results: The twenty-five epidemiology studies reported associations between surrogate measures of UOGD exposure and perinatal, respiratory, and cardiovascular outcomes, cancer, and various symptoms. Studies employed different study designs and reported inconsistent findings. The passage of only a few years since the rapid growth of UOGD marks an early phase of exploratory research; thus, the Committee notes that investigators typically made thoughtful use of available data to re-construct potential UOGD exposures and assess health outcomes. The Committee recommends further study to improve on methodologic limitations noted in its review, in particular, careful control of confounding and improved exposure assessment approaches that include enhanced characterization of spatial and temporal variability and measurements of chemical and non-chemical agents originating from UOGD. Conclusions: To better characterize potential UOGD-related exposures, a main limitation identified in the body of epidemiology studies, the Committee conducted a review of the exposure literature related to UOGD. Results from both literature reviews have informed planning efforts for population-level exposure research.