Breathe Project Reports

Peer-reviewed

Cumulative environmental and employment impacts of the shale gas boom

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Summary

To provide insight for long-term decision-making for energy transitions, we estimate the cumulative effects of the shale gas boom in the Appalachian basin from 2004 to 2016 on air quality, climate change and employment. We find that air quality effects and employment effects follow the boom-and-bust cycle, while climate impacts persist for generations well beyond the period of natural gas activity.