Browsing by Subject "Pennsylvania"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Open Access A Spatiotemporal Exploration of Water Consumption Changes Resulting from the Coal-to-Gas Transition in Pennsylvania(2016-11-19) Patterson, Lauren; Jordaan, Sarah; Diaz Anadon, LauraDuring the early stages of Pennsylvania’s coal-to-gas transition, extraction and generation of coal and natural gas contributed to a yearly 2.6–8.4% increase in the state’s water consumption. Although some areas experienced no change in water consumption, others experienced large decreases or increases. Consumption variations depended on available natural gas resources and pre-existing power-generating infrastructure. This analysis estimates monthly water consumption associated with fuel extraction and power generation within Pennsylvania watersheds between 2009 and 2012. It also provides the first comprehensive representation of changing water consumption patterns associated with the state’s coal-to-gas transition at the sub-basin level. The analysis shows that water consumption for natural gas energy extraction and production increased throughout the period, while for coal extraction and production it decreased. Water use for natural gas generation increased 67%, particularly in the Philadelphia and Pittsburg areas; water use for hydraulic fracturing increased nine fold in southwest and northeast Pennsylvania. By contrast, water use for coal extraction and production decreased 13%. In some areas, increased water consumption resulting from hydraulic fracturing was offset by decreased water consumption for power generation as plants switched from coal to natural gas. Additionally, an interactive map and chart highlighting the changes has been developed. These findings indicate the importance of considering the implications of energy production and generation choices in the context of both energy extraction and production sectors and of doing so at smaller-than-state-level scale. An updated version of this publication is featured in the Journal of Cleaner Production.Item Open Access Addressing Financial Sustainability of Drinking Water Systems with Declining Populations: Lessons from Pennsylvania(2020-10-01) Bash, Rachel; Grimshaw, Walker; Horan, Kat; Stanmyer, Ruby; Warren, Simon; Patterson, LaurenMany cities across the United States have declined in population over recent decades, creating numerous challenges to providing safe drinking water to their residents. Such “shrinking cities” are particularly prevalent in the Northeast and upper Midwest, (i.e., the “Rust Belt”) where globalization of the economy, particularly manufacturing, has shifted employment opportunities away from these once vital centers of the American economy. Drinking water systems serving cities with declining populations face the challenge of maintaining adequate service on smaller revenues. Fewer, poorer residents are left to pay for repairing and rebuilding infrastructure that was designed to support larger populations and commercial industries. As this infrastructure ages, increases in water rates to finance the necessary maintenance of these outsized systems may become unaffordable for many customers. Proper upkeep of a city’s water infrastructure is critical to public health yet requires considerable funding that can be difficult to secure. The compounding nature of these challenges can lead to unsustainable and unaffordable water systems. This report focuses on the challenges facing water utilities in areas where population has declined in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A total of 16 water systems were broadly analyzed, with in-depth analyses of four municipal water systems in the cities of Altoona, Chester, Johnstown, and Reading. These four cases highlight some of the overall trends and complications faced by shrinking cities. Challenges to the utilities are explored and each system is quantified based on a set of financial indicators, credit rating assessments, rates and affordability metrics, borrowing behavior, and drinking water violations to fully capture current performance. An analysis of the incentives and impediments of current policies and agencies in place to assist water utilities in the financing of their endeavors is also included, as well as recommended policy modifications to better address water system challenges.Item Open Access Communication and education about asthma in rural and urban schools.(Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association, 2006-07) Hillemeier, Marianne M; Gusic, Maryellen; Bai, YuObjective
To assess the quality of communication and education about asthma in Pennsylvania public schools.Methods
Survey of a stratified random sample of school nurses in rural and urban Pennsylvania public schools (n = 996) concerning communication with school nurses about asthma by physicians and parents, nurses' perceived obstacles to asthma management at school, and utilization of and need for education about asthma.Results
A total of 757 surveys were received (response rate 76%). Thirty-nine percent of school nurses rated their communication with physicians about asthma as either poor or very poor. Urban nurses were significantly more likely to report poor/very poor physician communication (P = .09). Fifty-two percent of the nurses overall (43% rural, 56% urban) also cited lack of communication with parents as an important obstacle to asthma management. Forty-nine percent of school nurses (43% rural, 52% urban) reported attending an asthma education program during the previous year, and 75% (83% rural, 71% urban) expressed interest in additional education. Education about asthma was provided for classroom teachers in 54% of schools (56% rural, 54% urban) and provided for students in 58% of schools (54% rural, 60% urban).Conclusions
These findings document need for improvement in communication about children's asthma between school nurses and physicians. Although communication appears better in rural relative to urban schools, it is a salient issue in both settings. Study findings also indicate the need for expanded professional education opportunities for school nurses and improved access to appropriate curricular materials for school staff, parents, and students.Item Open Access Communication practices in physician decision-making for an unstable critically ill patient with end-stage cancer.(J Palliat Med, 2010-08) Mohan, Deepika; Alexander, Stewart C; Garrigues, Sarah K; Arnold, Robert M; Barnato, Amber EBACKGROUND: Shared decision-making has become the standard of care for most medical treatments. However, little is known about physician communication practices in the decision making for unstable critically ill patients with known end-stage disease. OBJECTIVE: To describe communication practices of physicians making treatment decisions for unstable critically ill patients with end-stage cancer, using the framework of shared decision-making. DESIGN: Analysis of audiotaped encounters between physicians and a standardized patient, in a high-fidelity simulation scenario, to identify best practice communication behaviors. The simulation depicted a 78-year-old man with metastatic gastric cancer, life-threatening hypoxia, and stable preferences to avoid intensive care unit (ICU) admission and intubation. Blinded coders assessed the encounters for verbal communication behaviors associated with handling emotions and discussion of end-of-life goals. We calculated a score for skill at handling emotions (0-6) and at discussing end of life goals (0-16). SUBJECTS: Twenty-seven hospital-based physicians. RESULTS: Independent variables included physician demographics and communication behaviors. We used treatment decisions (ICU admission and initiation of palliation) as a proxy for accurate identification of patient preferences. Eight physicians admitted the patient to the ICU, and 16 initiated palliation. Physicians varied, but on average demonstrated low skill at handling emotions (mean, 0.7) and moderate skill at discussing end-of-life goals (mean, 7.4). We found that skill at discussing end-of-life goals was associated with initiation of palliation (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to analyze the decision making of physicians managing unstable critically ill patients with end-stage cancer using the framework of shared decision-making.Item Open Access Conservation potential of barn owls (Tyto alba) in Pennsylvania(2010-04-30T20:12:23Z) Burtner, AliciaThough once prolific, the barn owl (Tyto alba) is now considered vulnerable in Pennsylvania and vulnerable-to-critically imperiled in all surrounding states. Barn owls are charismatic animals. They are wide-ranging generalists, so they are seldom the target of species-specific conservation efforts. Barn owls thrive in open habitats, so their North American extent expanded extensively in the early 1900 with the increased deforestation brought by intensified farming. Farming practices in the northern range of the Unites States subspecies (T. alba pratincola) are changing, and barn owl populations appear to be responding. Across Pennsylvania, open pastures are being replaced by smaller, row crop fields that have the decrease barn owl hunting habitat. With the exception of a several nesting box companies, few people are actively working towards conservation of barn owls. Statistically accurate descriptions of their specific habitat requirements are rare as a result of their wide range and general disinterest in studying the species. Radio-transmitted data from 16 barn owl fledglings released from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was used to determine preferred habitat and climatic conditions. Owl dispersal paths spanned the eastern United States. Dispersal patterns consisted of bursts of rapid dispersal as well as heavy use of home ranges of 320 km2. The most heavily used point within each established home range used by a successful owl was compared to locations of mortalities using envelope, generalized linear, and classification and regression tree spatial models. The most heavily used habitat was low-lying, flat, and open with temperatures seldom dipping below freezing. The maps created by these models were compared using Pennsylvania as the focal region. The envelope model likely underestimated existing habitat due to its simplicity. Less than 5,000km2 of Pennsylvania was deemed habitat, an area that could support fewer than100 owls. The other models estimated that 50-60% of land cover both in Pennsylvania and across the eastern United States could be functional habitat. These estimates are likely more realistic for a generalist species like the barn owl. Given the breadth of the estimated habitat, populations should be more robust. It is more likely that a lack of nesting sites or a decline in prey numbers caused the present situation. Agricultural trends also favor increased pesticide use which would diminish prey populations as well as improved building conditions. This could remove potential nesting spots in the eaves of barns and silos. The acceptable temperature range does not extend into northern Pennsylvania, and nearing that range, survival necessitates increasingly sheltered nest sites, like buildings. A straightforward conservation approach would be placing artificial nesting boxes in areas of low pesticide use such as vineyards and organic farms.Item Open Access DRILLING FOR GREEN CAPITAL: A Policy Study on Stimulating a Green Economy in the State of Texas(2009-04-24T18:44:03Z) Young, KristinePolicy at the state level plays a vital role in shaping economic growth. Some states, such as Pennsylvania, have actively enacted policy to stimulate a green economy. This report is a comparative case study of existing policy mechanisms for economic development in Pennsylvania and Texas. Pennsylvania has focused on economic opportunities in environmental initiatives, such as brownfield redevelopment and the cleantech industry. The Keystone Principles and Keystone Green Investment Strategy are examples of key policy tools utilized in Pennsylvania to stimulate the economy and conserve natural resources. Texas has a very strong economy, but relies heavily on energy intensive industries. The state has a strong policy agenda of economic development and business recruitment. The date collected for this case focuses on these strengths. Policy mechanisms that have built the state’s economy include the Industry Cluster Initiative, the Economic Development Bank and the Texas Enterprise Fund. The Pennsylvania case study data is used to develop recommendations on how to design and deploy incentive structures for green businesses in the State of Texas. The policy study discovers existing programs in Texas correlate with Pennsylvania’s policy mechanisms. A key element in Pennsylvania’s programs is environmental criterion to conserve natural resources, a ‘green criteria’ or ‘green objective.’ The purpose of green criteria is to weigh in on the environmental impacts of economic activities. Three recommendations are presented for Texas: 1. Incorporate a green objective in the Industry Cluster Initiative. 2. Target business services to address critical needs in green sectors. 3. Create an Energy Office in Texas’ environmental protection agency. These recommendations incorporate green objectives as enhancement strategies into existing programs. Instituting a green objective economic development will an important direction for Texas to maintain its competitive advantage on the global market in recruiting green businesses.Item Open Access Financial Analysis of Drinking Water Systems in Shrinking Cities(2020-04-24) Bash, Rachel; Grimshaw, Walker; Horan, Kathleen; Stanmyer, Ruby; Warren, SimonCities around the country have declined in population over recent decades, creating numerous challenges in providing safe drinking water to their residents. In shrinking cities, fewer, poorer residents are left to pay for expensive infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. In this project, shrinking cities in Pennsylvania were used as case studies for declining cities across the nation. Traditional financial metrics show the financial health of struggling cities’ water utilities is stronger than expected. However, cities must make tradeoffs between strong financial health and their ability to maintain infrastructure and ensure affordable water bills. Pennsylvania’s state revolving fund could be better utilized to finance capital improvement projects at low interest rates, or even as grants to struggling cities. Cities and state agencies should work together to better use the financial and governance tools at their disposal to decrease the financial burden on shrinking cities while protecting public health and ensuring reliable access to safe drinking water.Item Open Access Impacts of shale gas wastewater disposal on water quality in western Pennsylvania.(Environ Sci Technol, 2013-10-15) Warner, Nathaniel R; Christie, Cidney A; Jackson, Robert B; Vengosh, AvnerThe safe disposal of liquid wastes associated with oil and gas production in the United States is a major challenge given their large volumes and typically high levels of contaminants. In Pennsylvania, oil and gas wastewater is sometimes treated at brine treatment facilities and discharged to local streams. This study examined the water quality and isotopic compositions of discharged effluents, surface waters, and stream sediments associated with a treatment facility site in western Pennsylvania. The elevated levels of chloride and bromide, combined with the strontium, radium, oxygen, and hydrogen isotopic compositions of the effluents reflect the composition of Marcellus Shale produced waters. The discharge of the effluent from the treatment facility increased downstream concentrations of chloride and bromide above background levels. Barium and radium were substantially (>90%) reduced in the treated effluents compared to concentrations in Marcellus Shale produced waters. Nonetheless, (226)Ra levels in stream sediments (544-8759 Bq/kg) at the point of discharge were ~200 times greater than upstream and background sediments (22-44 Bq/kg) and above radioactive waste disposal threshold regulations, posing potential environmental risks of radium bioaccumulation in localized areas of shale gas wastewater disposal.Item Open Access Racial/ethnic disparities in symptom severity among children hospitalized with asthma.(Journal of health care for the poor and underserved, 2007-02) Bai, Yu; Hillemeier, Marianne M; Lengerich, Eugene JAsthma is the most common chronic illness among U.S. children as well as a leading cause of hospitalization and functional disability. This cross-sectional study uses 2001 hospitalization data for Pennsylvania to examine disparities among Black, Hispanic, and White children in asthma symptomatology at the time of admission. Compared with Whites, Black children were over twice as likely to have the most severe asthma symptoms, taking into account age, sex, insurance status, income, and rural/urban residence. Increased likelihood of severe clinical condition at admission was also independently associated with Medicaid coverage, with older age at admission, and with urban residence. The relationship between symptom severity at presentation in the emergency department and access to and utilization of appropriate ambulatory care services for children with asthma warrants further investigation.Item Open Access Radium and barium removal through blending hydraulic fracturing fluids with acid mine drainage.(Environ Sci Technol, 2014-01-21) Kondash, Andrew J; Warner, Nathaniel R; Lahav, Ori; Vengosh, AvnerWastewaters generated during hydraulic fracturing of the Marcellus Shale typically contain high concentrations of salts, naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), and metals, such as barium, that pose environmental and public health risks upon inadequate treatment and disposal. In addition, fresh water scarcity in dry regions or during periods of drought could limit shale gas development. This paper explores the possibility of using alternative water sources and their impact on NORM levels through blending acid mine drainage (AMD) effluent with recycled hydraulic fracturing flowback fluids (HFFFs). We conducted a series of laboratory experiments in which the chemistry and NORM of different mix proportions of AMD and HFFF were examined after reacting for 48 h. The experimental data combined with geochemical modeling and X-ray diffraction analysis suggest that several ions, including sulfate, iron, barium, strontium, and a large portion of radium (60-100%), precipitated into newly formed solids composed mainly of Sr barite within the first ∼ 10 h of mixing. The results imply that blending AMD and HFFF could be an effective management practice for both remediation of the high NORM in the Marcellus HFFF wastewater and beneficial utilization of AMD that is currently contaminating waterways in northeastern U.S.A.