Range Publishes Public Health Evaluation of Ambient Air Nearby to a Shale Gas Well Site (Augustine Well Site)
Cecil Twp., Washington County
July 2019 – December 2021
Through conversations with community members and nearby residents, we decided to voluntarily launch our Ambient Air Monitoring Program throughout the development and production of the Augustine Well Site in Cecil Twp., Washington County. This commitment to transparent data began with the long-term ambient air monitoring study at the Yonker well site, which is near the Fort Cherry schools, in 2019 and has continued to this comprehensive two-and-a-half-year monitoring project.
Similarly to the Yonker Public Health Evaluation of Ambient Air Near a Shale Gas Well Site and School Campus, Range engaged third party experts from Gradient to provide an independent analysis of the data from July 2019 through December 2021. While the interactive data from this project has been available on our website since we launched the program, we know it is important for community members to evaluate this long-term data in a format that captures all phases of a shale gas well site and beyond.
The independent analysis determined the data “does not indicate that Augustine well pad air emissions contributed to elevated increases in long-term average concentrations of potential health concern for either particulate matter (PM2.5) or the measured volatile organic compound (VOC) species.”
Key Findings:
- 81% and 64% of measurement days for both monitors show results were below corresponding PM2.5 concentrations at the PADEP monitoring site.
- Averages from over two years of data for measured BTEX species were all below health-based air comparison values, indicating an absence of chronic health concerns, including elevated risk of cancer.
- All measured VOC species were typically below health-based air comparison values and are thus not expected to pose chronic health concerns.
All measurements are being collected using equipment and procedures in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency methods. Third-party consultants have placed six monitors around the well site, and they are collecting the data which is being sent to their certified lab for analysis. The data then undergoes a quality check process.
This web page will serve as a host to the interactive data, which will be updated on a regular basis, so please continue to check back here for new data and information.
Update: We have completed our latest data collection, and the full, interactive data is available below.