$fracked gas power plants and ground ozone$

$fracked gas power plants and ground ozone$

This has had enormously positive public health implications.ĮPA describes SO2 as being “ of greatest concern” with regard to health, due in large part to the fact that it combines with other pollutants to form deadly PM2.5 and can trigger asthma attacks. That said, SO2 emissions have decreased dramatically in the United States thanks largely to the 81 percent increase in natural gas use for power generation since 2005 - going from representing 18 percent of the total electricity generation to 33 percent.

$fracked gas power plants and ground ozone$

The report shows that SO2 emissions have declined 81 percent since 2005.Īs EPA describes, “The largest source of SO2 in the atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial facilities.”

$fracked gas power plants and ground ozone$

Here is a closer look at how the EPA report further confirms the shale gas revolution is reducing air pollution. GDP has increased more than 20 percent since 2005, which is roughly the same time that the shale gas revolution began. SO2 and NOx emissions also lead to PM2.5 formation, which means that increased natural gas use can be partially credited for reducing particulate matter pollution as well. This can be traced directly to the fact that clean-burning natural gas -which has been made affordable and abundant by advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology - emits virtually no SO2 and far less NOx than other traditional fuels. Most notably, EPA data show that emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) - widely viewed as the most harmful air pollutants - have collectively declined 55 percent since 2005.

$fracked gas power plants and ground ozone$

Fracked gas power plants and ground ozone