Urban Development - Planning and Environmental Issues
Urban development encroaches upon the health and welfare of children. Air pollution from increased traffic and industry impacts the welfare of children. Development of oil and gas adjacent to or under homes, schools, day cares, playgrounds, parks, hospitals presents problems for city planners, neighborhoods and school districts. This site is designed as a resource for law makers, activists, and urban planners to utilize in weighing the true cost of some developmental plans on the health and welfare of vulnerable populations.
Many of the same pollutants found in traffic are emitted by natural gas production and transmission
We are including studies on childhood respiratory impairment from traffic to help planners consider the impact of pollution on children when making transportation plans and energy development/transmission plans. Methane, CO2 and other petroleum related air pollutants which have been detected and tracked in the traffic studies are the same gases and particulants which are elevated around some natural gas pipelines and natural gas production sites near homes, schools, playgrounds and parks. As industrial production and transmission of natural gas has encroaches upon neighborhoods, we believe that some of the findings in the traffic studies are worthy of further investigation and evaluation by urban planner permitting new gas wells and pipelines and inspectors overseeing such development.
Studies show that children living near high-traffic corridors have 10% less lung capacity over their lifetime than those living away from heavy traffic.
