Six community-led projects from across Colorado will explore air quality, water quality and sustainable pathways for energy development in their local communities with support from newly awarded grants from the AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network based at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The grants aim to improve understanding of the risks and benefits of oil and gas development as identified by community organizations. Grant recipients will have continued professional support from and will work with AirWaterGas researchers for the duration of their one-year projects.
Many of the projects will incorporate cost-effective, portable air quality monitors that were developed by the AirWaterGas research team at CU-Boulder. The monitors, called U-Pods, allow individuals and groups to carry out preliminary investigations of community air quality with support from AirWaterGas researchers.
“We are thrilled to support these community groups and their interests in exploring air and water quality,” said Michael Hannigan, AirWaterGas co-investigator and CU-Boulder associate professor of mechanical engineering. “In turn, we look forward to learning about how different communities react to oil and gas development in their regions.”
After a competitive review process, grants of up to $5,000 were awarded to six school groups and community organizations. Here are descriptions of some of the projects:
Air, Water, Energy: Southwest Colorado
Recipient: Mountain Studies Institute
Silverton and Durango
The Mountain Studies Institute will administer an outreach discussion series in Southwest Colorado connecting relevant research on the water-energy nexus with local communities. The outreach series aims to reach the communities of Telluride, Pagosa Springs, Durango, Silverton, Vallecito and Ignacio. In addition, the project will update an informational booklet about air quality standards and monitoring capacity in the San Juan region in light of new air quality regulations.
Baseline Air Quality Monitoring
Recipient: Pagosa Springs High School
Pagosa Springs
To complement existing science curriculum on water quality monitoring and riverbed stability units, Pagosa Springs High global science students will use air quality monitors to investigate air quality impacts of energy use.
High Altitude Air Quality Monitoring
Recipient: Soaring Eagle Ecology Center
Red Feather Lakes and Livermore
With guidance from the AirWaterGas project faculty and students, Red Feather Lakes and Livermore residents and students will expand their citizen science project monitoring air quality at various elevations (7,000-8,400 feet) and construct elementary school curriculum that explores air quality and basic geology related to oil and gas development. Summertime airflow patterns combined with plenty of strong sunlight and emissions from urban sources as well as energy development can result in peak ozone measurements in mountain communities.
South Park Preliminary Baseline Air Quality Study
Recipient: The Coalition for the Upper South Platte
Lake George
In partnership with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte, South Park High School, Park County, and the South Park National Heritage Area, this project will develop project-based learning curriculum for high school science classes and will use U-Pod air-quality monitors in various locations to assess current air quality and establish baseline air quality data in Park County where no air quality monitors currently exist. This air quality study will complement a baseline water quality study completed by the coalition in 2011 to address plans for further oil and gas development in the region.
Well Watch Project
Recipient: Poudre Learning Center
Greeley
The project drills groundwater quality monitoring wells to use in K-12 classrooms to teach students about the science of groundwater. Through workshops and ongoing sampling, the project aims to help teachers and students understand the importance of groundwater, how it is replenished, and how it can be contaminated. Well Watch will work with AirWaterGas researchers to add content on the potential impacts of oil and gas development on groundwater quality to their curriculum and teacher workshops.
The AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network is a research, outreach and education project funded by the National Science Foundation. Based at CU-Boulder, the interdisciplinary network involves researchers from nine institutions. AirWaterGas aims to provide a logical, science-based framework for evaluating the environmental, economic and social trade-offs of developing oil and natural gas resources and protecting water and air resources. Their goal is to provide research results to key stakeholders and share these results with the public.
Funding for the community grants was made possible by the CU-Boulder Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, and the grants are administered by the AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network and the CU-Boulder Office for Outreach and Engagement.
For more information about the AirWaterGas visit http://airwatergas.org/.