Oklahoma doesn’t have the worst health problems due to methane gas releases from the oil and gas industry in the nation but it’s in the top ten, according to a new analysis from two national environmental groups. As for the worst, they belong to Texas, especially the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio areas.
But in Oklahoma, the “Gasping for Breath” report from the Clean Air Task Force and Earthworks ranks Oklahoma City 8th worst and Tulsa 12th worst when it comes to the health impact caused by the release of methane and other pollutants
Oklahoma City had 15,655 asthma attacks and 11,513 lost school days blamed on the energy industry and what it releases into the air. The Tulsa-Muskogee-Bartlesville area had 11,677 such asthma attacks and 8,587 lost school days, according to the study that was described as an “analysis of the health effects from ozone pollution from the oil and gas industry.”
While the report says Texas will lead the nation in sicknesses linked to the oil and gas pollutants in the next ten years, it ranks Oklahoma second worst. Colorado is ranked third. Kansas and Arkansas are included in the top 20 states.
A ranking of the top 30 U.S. counties by asthma attack risk shows the seven of the top eight are in Texas. Oklahoma’s Woodward County is ranked 13th worst with 623 asthma attacks for every 10,000 children. Ellis County is ranked 14th and Woods County is 15. Harper county is 18 while Dewey County is 22, Roger Mills County is 25 and Beaver County is 27.