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The Dangers of "Proofiness” in the Evaluation of Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Impacts
Citation:
Stahl, C., A. Cimorelli, J. Babendreier, AND J. Kremer. The Dangers of "Proofiness” in the Evaluation of Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Impacts. Presented at SETAC North America 33rd Annual Meeting, Long Beach, CA, November 11 - 15, 2012.
Impact/Purpose:
Oil, gas, and coal resource extraction activities have the potential to induce diverse ecological consequences. In North America and around the globe an upswing in inland resource extraction activity to meet energy needs has been occurring since 2008 with the application of mining techniques allowing for natural gas extraction from deep shale formations. Further, strong national interests in decreasing reliance on imported energy sources have increased the spatial concentration and extent of energy-related resource extraction operations in several regions. The use of newer technologies, operation in previously undeveloped environments, and long-term use of older technologies present new or enhanced concerns for environmental impacts. This symposium will focus on the aquatic and terrestrial ecological issues associated with the release of produced waste waters from different oil and gas extraction technologies and drainage from Coal Mine waste disposal. The goal is to allow a series of experts to present and share ideas on the relevant exposure potentials and the best or most current methods used to assess the eco-effects of these activities. Given the diverse character of resource extraction technologies and resource types, it is generally accepted that one standard or criterion is unlikely to protect all beneficial environmental uses. An overview of oil, gas, and coal extraction will be presented that will help define the domain of potentially environmentally relevant exposures. Then, presentation of the latest or newly applicable field and laboratory approaches for assessing ecologically significant exposure and effects associated with discharge of wastewaters from oil and gas production and coal mining spoil drainage will follow. We propose to end with presentations on region-specific needs, trends, and success stories of those affiliates responsible for trying to ensure the safety of plants and animals exposed to energy-related resource extraction wastes.
Description:
Assessment of ecological and human health impacts from coal mining in West Virginia presents challenges for agencies responsible for permitting and evaluating those impacts. These challenges include correctly identifying, locating and diagnosing stressor sources and understanding the resulting impacts when observations are presented only in the integrated ecosystem. This presentation discusses the need for caution when determining the appropriateness of data and scientific tools particularly when making controversial environmental assessments. Some commonly used existing techniques and approaches evaluating the environmental and public health impacts of anthropogenic activities such as mountaintop removal coal mining will be discussed, such as the use of land cover data, regression models, sampling, monitoring and census data, and decision support tools. “Proofiness” (paraphrased from Seife’s book of the same name) is the use or misuse of mathematical arguments to arrive at misleading conclusions. Environmental assessments typically use many kinds of data and scientific tools, where the need for caution introduces uncertainty. Furthermore, combining information in these environmental assessments uses values, which introduces additional uncertainty. This presentation also discusses the need for better understanding of the role of uncertainty and values, which can be improved through the use of uncertainty analyses and decision analytic techniques. Scientists have always warned and been warned about the appropriate selection and application of techniques such as statistics and models. Scientists drawn into the high level of controversy and community urgency can fail to adequately articulate the caveats and constraints of these kinds of assessments. Therefore, additional vigilance is required when performing impact assessments, particularly when there are controversial activities being evaluated.
