Reporting from the Fracking Front (Switzer Foundation Webinar Series)
This webinar highlighted the findings from a collaboration between Earthworks, Downstream Strategies, and San Jose State University that was supported by a Switzer Network Innovation grant.
Evan Hansen (1996) and Dustin Mulvaney (2004) presented their findings from the report Water Resource Reporting and Water Footprint from Marcellus Shale Development in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
They also described how their project to estimate quantities and represent water quality impacts using water footprint indicators was hampered by insufficient reporting practices and requirements. In addition to providing indicators of the impacts to water resources, their findings suggest new reporting requirements that can help to better understand the life cycle impacts to water.
Presenters:
1996 Fellow Evan Hansen, M.S., Principal, Water Program, Downstream Strategies. Evan founded Downstream Strategies, an environmental consulting company in West Virginia, in 1997. He explores resource and environmental problems and solutions in three areas: water, energy, and land. He manages interdisciplinary research teams, performs quantitative and qualitative policy and scientific analyses, provides expert testimony, facilitates stakeholder meetings, and performs field monitoring.
2004 Fellow Dustin Mulvaney, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sustainable Energy Resources, Department of Environmental Studies, San Jose State University. Dustin is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise in social science research methodologies as well as life-cycle analysis, with a focus on solar energy technologies, biofuels, and natural gas. He is also a life cycle analysis consultant to biofuel companies and has provided expert testimony in numerous cases before the California Public Utilities Commission on the impacts of electricity prices on solar energy deployment and energy efficiency.
Originially broadcast: October 30, 2013.
Additional resources:
- Copy of the presentation slides (PDF, 4.1 MB)
- Fact sheet for the report (opens in Earthworks website)
- Full report (opens in Earthworks website)
