Air Quality and Noise Research

Tracking Community Exposures and Releases (TRACER) Collaboration

HEI Energy is funding a collaboration of three research teams that will conduct air quality and noise research in Colorado and Texas, with later plans for expansion to other regions of the United States. This research collaboration will assess potential links between short and long-term community exposures and specific unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) processes.

The collaboration consists of two primary components:

Modeling Exposure: Developing and evaluating a new model called TRAcking Community Exposures and Releases (TRACER). The model will predict chemical emissions and their effects on the quality of air that people breathe. The model can be applied anywhere in the United States. As UOGD emissions inevitably change over time, TRACER will be able to account for and reflect corresponding changes in potential exposure.

Measuring Exposure: Monitoring air quality and noise to improve the understanding and quantifications of potential short- and long-term human exposures in multiple regions of the United States. The monitoring programs will be conducted in a way that maximizes the ability to transfer knowledge gained to other locations. The air quality data will also be useful for evaluating and refining the TRACER model.