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Assessing Noise Pollution and Air Quality Impacts from a Natural Gas Compressor Station

Wellsburg, West Virginia

Featured image for the project, Assessing Noise Pollution and Air Quality Impacts from a Natural Gas Compressor Station

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

In 2021, a natural gas compressor station was installed next to the Bealls Ridge community in Wellsburg, WVSince that time, the community has been impacted by constant noise and uncertainty surrounding their air quality. The community plans to measure and monitor the noise pollution and air quality in order to assess and document impacts. The collected data will assist the community in their efforts working for mitigation measures to be implemented. 

Description

About the Community and the Project

The community is located in the Bealls Ridge neighborhood of Wellsburg, WV, an unincorporated area of the northern panhandle of West Virginia. About two years ago a natural gas compressor station was put in about ½ mile from their street; there are some neighbors 600 ft from the station. The station is owned by Williams/Appalachia Midstream. Noise from the station is constant.  It has been measured using cell phone apps on the order of 55 db at several neighborhood homes. The community is also concerned about hazardous chemicals such as VOCs emitted from the station. There have been incidents of failures in the thermal oxidizer. Air quality incidents are self-certified and reported by the company, with no independent verification. Community leaders have made numerous efforts to raise these issues with local, state, and federal, but have not been able to affect any noticeable change. A partial sound wall was constructed, which did very little to decrease neighborhood noise. The Community is working with Thriving Earth Exchange to assess and document the impacts of the compressor station.  

The community would like to document noise created by the compressor station over a long time frame at several locations in the neighborhood. The community would also like to monitor the air for VOCs (including benzene) over a long time period.   

This project would involve the assistance of university personnel with experience using sound monitoring equipment and air sampling equipment to create a record of data for the Bealls Ridge neighborhood.  

The data will be shared with local and state elected officials, as well as the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) and the federal EPA with the hope of influencing the creation of more stringent noise regulations at compressor sites, and in turn lead to safer compressor site selection.  A report  will be created that will be submitted to elected officials, as well as state and federal agencies.  

The Community will benefit by a.) having the quiet of the neighborhood restored and b.) having a record of the air quality documented in real-time. Compressor noise affects sleep, which in turn can cause stress, leading to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular damage. Several compounds emitted by compressor stations (VOCs, including benzene) are known and suspected human carcinogens. 

Timeline and Milestones

We anticipate the project will take 6-12 months, starting as soon as possible.  

Project Team

Community Leads

Regina Lindsey-Lynch grew up in Brooke County, West Virginia. She holds a BS in Agriculture and an MA in Science Education from West Virginia University, along with biology education certification. She taught biology, genetics, plant science, and microbiology in West Virginia and Webster Groves, Missouri for 37 years before retiring.  

Edward Lynch grew up in St Louis, Missouri. He holds a BS in Chemistry from St Louis University. He is a graduate of St. Louis University School of Medicine, with a specialization in internal medicine. He practiced medicine for 37 years in the St Louis area and the upper Ohio River Valley before retiring.  

Missi Canterbury grew up in Kanawha County, in a small community 15 minutes north of Charleston, WV. She retired from West Virginia Housing Development Fund after serving 20 years as a Contract Administrator for HUD’s Section 8 Housing Program. Her family relocated to the Northern Panhandle of WV. 

Community Science Fellow

Sean Bryan grew up in Colorado, Missouri, and Ohio. He works as a Geosciences Instructor at Colorado State University, where he teaches courses on introductory geology, Earth sciences for educators, and diversity and inclusion in natural resources. His academic training is in geology, paleoclimatology, and paleoceanography. He earned a B.A. in Geology from Carleton College, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder.  

Scientist Wanted

We are seeking two scientific partners to provide technical advice and analysis on the two priorities of this project: noise monitoring and air quality analysis. Together with the community leaders, the scientists will design and carry out plans to monitor noise pollution and air quality in and near homes in the community. Each scientist will produce a report with findings, which the community leaders can share with policy makers. Ideally, the scientists will be able to visit the community and conduct analyses during the summer/fall of 2023. The community leaders welcome student engagement on the project. 

Desired Skills and Qualifications   

Noise Pollution Specialist:  

  • Experience with noise monitoring 
  • Understanding of noise impacts on health 
  • The scientist should be able to visit the community in-person 
  • Experience and/or interest in community-based science 
  • Experience and/or interest in using science to influence policy and regulations 
  • Strong listening and collaboration skills 

Air Quality Specialist: 

  • Experience with air quality analysis, particularly measurement of VOCs 
  • The scientist should be able to visit the community in-person 
  • Experience and/or interest in community-based science 
  • Experience and/or interest in using science to influence policy and regulations 
  • Strong listening and collaboration skills 

  

Thriving Earth Exchange asks all scientific partners to work with the community to help define a project with concrete local impact to which they can contribute as pro-bono volunteers and collaborators. This work can also position the scientists and communities to seek additional funding, together, for the next stage. 

 

Interested in volunteering as a scientist? Apply now!