A "disturbing inequality": Natural gas leaks disproportionately affect low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, study shows
CBSN
Natural gas has become an integral part of U.S. society, with nearly half of all households relying on it to heat their homes. But researchers have found a "disturbing inequality" when it comes to its safety — the more racially diverse or the poor an area is, the more often harmful gas leaks occur.
In a new study published on Wednesday in Environmental Science and Technology, researchers analyzed gas pipeline leaks in 2015 in 13 U.S. cities: Birmingham, Alabama; Boston, Massachusetts; Burlington, Vermont; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; Long Island, New York; Los Angeles, California; Mesa, Arizona; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Staten Island, New York; and Syracuse, New York.
In these metro areas, researchers found a dramatic difference between the gas infrastructure.
