Microsoft Word Marcellus Radon doc



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radon

NY Baseline

Table 3. Approximate NY Range for Marcellus gas





4.2

100

151

858.6

2576

pCi/l of radon in gas at wellhead



1500

400

500

400

400

miles from wellhead to customer

11

11

11

11

11

mr/hr typical speed of gas in pipeline

5.68

1.52

1.89

1.52

1.52

days transit time in pipeline

0.3576

0.76

0.7089

0.758528828

0.758528828

fraction of Rn-222 remaining after transit time

1.50192

75.85

107.0439

651.27

1953.97

pCi/l in natural gas delivered to customer

7111

4053

7111

4053

4053

Dilution factor

0.000211211

0.019

0.015053284

0.161

0.482

pCi/l lifetime exposure level in living space

1.23E-06

9.94E-05

8.75E-05

8.54E-04

2.56E-03

Lifetime risk (excess deaths per capita)













21

1183

1465

10160

30484

Excess deaths per 11.9 million residents

<1{.27)

17

20

145

435

Excess deaths per year per 11.9 million residents













Johnson, p. 14 for

NYC distribution lines*



Numerical

Similation LowEnd values



Gogolak pp.5-

26 Devonian shales*



Numerical Simulation High-End Values

Numerical

Simulation HighEnd Values



Basis for Radon Concentration

Radon in Natural from Marcellus Shale



Page 12

Marvin Resnikoff, Ph.D.



RWMA

porosity 10%, porosity 10%,

*based on 16.76 emanation 10%, emanation 30 %, million residents

radium 30 pCi/g radium 30 pCi/g




Mitigation of Impacts


Because radon is an inert gas radon cannot be chemically removed from the natural gas stream. But since radon has a 3.8 day half-life, the radioactive gas potentially could be stored for a sufficient period of time to allow the radon to decay to safe levels. In order to adequately protect residents of New York State, the material could be stored at wellhead locations for several months. If the gas was stored for two months, there would be a significant diminution of the hazard. Over this time period, the hazardous radioactive gas, radon, will decay by a factor 100,000.

From Gogolak, the estimated cost is on the order of $10 billion to develop sufficient pressurized storage in tanks. Some lag storage will be required in any case, since use of natural gas will not be uniform. The estimated costs for mitigating the environmental impact of radon is beyond the scope of this report.


Conclusion


The potential environmental and public health impact of radon in natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation is enormous. This paper has calculated the number of lung cancers in New York State as ranging between 1,182 and 30,448. This calculation is based on reasonable assumptions for a gas well in the Marcellus Shale, including the concentration of radon at the wellheads, the transit time between wellheads and homes, the dilution expected in a typical household, and reasonable risk factors drawn from studies by the US Environmental Protection Agency.




Radon in Natural from Marcellus Shale



Page 13

Marvin Resnikoff, Ph.D.



RWMA

In its 1400-page Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation has devoted one sentence to the issue of radon.. The sentence states “Radon gas, which under most circumstances is the main health concern from NORM [Normally Occurring Radioactive Materials], is produced by the decay of radium-226, which occurs in the uranium-238 decay chain.”

Clearly, this one sentence does not constitute an adequate or thorough analysis of the potentially serious risks associated with the impacts of transporting radon-contaminated natural gas into the apartments and homes of New York State residents. The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is obviously insufficient as written. It has completely ignored the problems associated with radon and the Marcellus Shale formation.

The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement must be withdrawn and it must be substantially revised so as to discuss the important environmental impacts and public health concerns of the radon problem. Until the radon risk has been appropriately studied and assessed, the Department of Environmental Conservation should not award any drilling permits in the Marcellus Shale formation in New York State. As a first and crucial step the DEC must make certain that radon at the wellheads from the Marcellus Shale formation in presently operating wells is measured. Tests must be conducted by independent experts and agencies. Such tests also must be scientifically rigorous in their design and be conducted with full transparency to assure public confidence in the validity of the testing.

There are strong economic interests supporting the development of Marcellus Shale gas. The potential for significant generation of jobs through the development of this resource is a real and important factor. Doubtless these economic factors will weigh on policy makers in Albany and potentially influence decisions regarding whether the Department of Environmental Conservation will move forward to adequately address the concerns raised in this paper.

The long-term environmental risks and public health concerns of radon in Marcellus Shale natural gas formations are far too serious to be ignored. The potential impacts of radon must not be swept under the rug. Nor should these impacts be sacrificed to shortterm, economic policies or to unrealistic and/or inaccurate assessments of the benefits of natural gas development in New York State.



The long-term safety and health of New Yorkers is at stake, as is the health of New York State’s extraordinary natural environment.


Radon in Natural from Marcellus Shale



Page 14

Marvin Resnikoff, Ph.D.



RWMA




1 Myrick, T. E., et al. 1981. State Background Radiation Levels: Results of Measurements Taken During 1975-1979, ORNL/TM-7343, Oak Ridge, Tenn.. 6 Johnson, Op cit.

2 Johnson,R.H. et al, “Assessment of Potential Radiological Health Effects from Radon in Natural Gas,” Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-520-73-004, November 1973.

3 Gogolak, C.V., “Review of 222 Rn in Natural Gas Produced from Unconventional Sources,” Department of Energy, DOE/EML-385, November 1980

4 Rdsgeis, p. 6-206.

5 Rdsgeis (2011), p, 4-29.

6 Smith-Heavenrich S., 2010

7 Hoppie, B.W. et al, 1994

8 Donnez, 2007 p.33

9 Myrik 1983

10 Leventhal, 1981

11 http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/46288.html

12 http://geology.com/articles/marcellus-shale.shtml

13 CoPhysics 2010

14 See discussion in the Health Physics web site, http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q6747.html.

15 Environmental Protection Agency, Exposure Factors Handbook, EPA/600/P-95/002Fa, August 1997.

16 Ibid, p. 26-

17 EPA, “EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes,” EPA-402-R-03-003 (June 2003).

18 DOE, Energy Information Administration, Table HC1.8

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