PROJECT  SUMMARY          

  The  current  energy  system  in  the  United  States  relies  on  finite  resources  that  are  the  major  cause  of  climate  change  and  a  key  source  of  global  conflict.    A  sustainable  energy  system  –  one  that  uses  renewable,  low-­‐‑carbon,  affordable,  and  local  energy  sources  –  may  be  decades  away.    Natural  gas  is  seen  as  the  “bridge  fuel”  to  a  more  sustainable  energy  system  because  natural  gas  combustion  emits  smaller  amounts  of  greenhouse  gases  than  coal  combustion.    However,  conflicts  have  arisen  between  accelerated  natural  gas  development  and  water  and  air  resources  protection.    These  conflicts  are  becoming  acute  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  region,  which  has  always  played  an  important  role  in  the  energy  system  of  the  United  States.  

Most  of  the  recent  growth  in  natural  gas  production  is  the  result  of  extracting  gas  from  “unconventional”  sources  (coal-­‐‑bed  methane,  shale  gas,  tight  gas)  with  the  techniques  of  horizontal  drilling  and  hydraulic  fracturing.    Hydraulic  fracturing  requires  large  volumes  of  water  that  are  chemically  amended  and  injected  to  increase  the  permeability  of  the  gas-­‐‑bearing  formations.    The  fracturing  fluid  left  in  ground  and  the  fracturing  fluid  that  returns  to  the  surface  (flowback),  along  with  produced  water,  present  risks  to  ground  and  surface  waters.    Natural  gas  extraction  results  in  atmospheric  emissions,  particularly  the  release  of  greenhouse  gases,  oxides  of  nitrogen,  and  volatile  organic  compounds  tied  to  the  generation  of  ozone.    These  stresses  on  local  water  and  air  resources  must  be  weighed  against  the  benefits  of  natural  gas  production  for  the  nation  and  the  public  must  be  provided  with  reliable  information  to  make  decisions  about  energy  sources  and  resource  protection.  

This  proposed  Sustainability  Research  Network  (SRN)  addresses  the  conflict  between  natural  gas  extraction  and  water  and  air  resources  protection  with  the  development  of  a  social-­‐‑ecological  system  framework  with  which  to  assess  the  conflict  and  to  identify  needs  for  scientific  information.    Scientific  investigations  will  be  conducted  to  assess  and  mitigate  the  problems.    Outreach  and  education  efforts  will  focus  on  citizen  science,  public  involvement,  and  awareness  of  the  science  and  policy  issues.  

 The  intellectual  merits  of  this  SRN  proposal  include  (1)  examination  of  the  effects  of  natural  

gas  development  on  water  and  air  resources  by  analyzing  trade-­‐‑offs  between  local,  regional,  and  national  costs  and  benefits  in  environmental,  social,  and  economic  domains  (social-­‐‑ecological  systems);  (2)  review  of  industry  practices  for  hydraulic  fracturing,  well  drilling  and  casing,  and  gas  collection  infrastructure  for  best  management  practices  recommendations  (natural  gas  infrastructure);  (3)  investigation  of  the  hydrologic  processes  that  determine  impacts  of  natural  gas  extraction  on  groundwater  withdrawal  and  contaminant  transport  in  drinking  water  aquifers  and  surface  waters  (water  quantity);  (4)  characterization  of  the  potential  risks  of  fracturing  fluid  migrating  to  drinking  water  aquifers,  the  injection  or  discharge  of    

   

 

   

flowback  and  produced  water,  and  the  mitigation  of  these  risks  by  treatment  of  the  flowback  and  produced  waters  (water  quality);  (5)  improved  spatial  and  temporal  monitoring  of  air  pollutants  by  a  combination  of  high-­‐‑resolution  mobile  sampling  and  the  use  of  personal  air  monitors  as  an  example  of  “citizen  science”  feeding  data  to  air  quality  models  that  assess  the  local,  regional,  and  national  implications  of  natural  gas  development  (air  quality);  and  (6)  quantitative  and  qualitative  assessment  of  the  health  risks,  both  chemical  and  non-­‐‑chemical,  associated  with  water  and  air  exposure.  

 The  broader  impacts  of  the  proposal  include  improved  public  understanding  of  the  effects  

of  natural  gas  development  on  water  and  air  resources  and  better  decision-­‐‑making  regarding  the  local  effects  and  regional  and  national  benefits  of  natural  gas  development.    The  broader  impacts  will  be  achieved  through  extensive  education  and  outreach  activities:  (1)  dissemination  of  best  management  practices  in  collaboration  with  all  stakeholders,  (2)  innovative  and  diverse  communication  about  scientists  and  scientific  activity  that  will  reach  a  broad  portion  of  the  public,  (3)  collaboration  with  Indian  tribes  and  other  under-­‐‑represented  groups  disproportionately  affected  by  natural  gas  development,  (4)  educational  efforts  aimed  at  providing  appreciation  for  the  science-­‐‑policy  interface  at  the  university  and  K-­‐‑12  levels,  and  (5)  engagement  of  the  public  through  citizen  science,  workshops,  and  scenario  planning.