Air Quality Trends

Because a couple of decades have passed since the rapid rise in oil and gas development began in the United States, HEI’s Energy Research Committee sought research to understand trends in air quality over this period in major oil- and natural gas-producing regions of the United States. Three studies assessed air quality trends in the Marcellus region, Texas, and Colorado. Investigators considered whether evolving oil and gas development governance and industrial, industrial practices (e.g., as technology changes), or other factors might explain any observed trends.