HIA Methodology for an Oil Drilling and Development Project in CaliforniaLindsay McCallum, Kathleen Souweine, Mary McDaniel, Chris Ollson

National HIA Meeting

June 2015

Location: Coastal Los Angeles, California

Population = 20,000; Land area = 1.43 square miles

Highly educated, affluent community with relatively young demographic

Average house price >$1 Million USD

Hermosa Beach“The best little beach city”

THE PROJECT: the proposed E&B Oil Development Project consists of drilling 30 oil wells on a 1.3-acre site located on the current City Maintenance Yard property.

THE ISSUE: election held to allow City of Hermosa Beach residents to decide whether to repeal the existing ban on oil drilling.

Hermosa Beach HIA

Scoping the HIA

Through consultation with community members, the HIA identified six major categories and 17 determinants of health in relation to the proposed Project: Air Quality Water and Soil Quality Upset Conditions Noise and Light Emissions Traffic Community Livability

Steps of an HIA

Key Objectives

Consistent Approach

Transparent Decision-making

Evidence Based

Community Input

Peer Review

Reproducible

Well Defined Matrix

HIA Evaluation Matrix

Magnitude

Adaptability

Likelihood

MEDIUM

Health Determinant

HIGHLOW

H M L

U P R U P R U P R U P R U P R U P RU P RU P RU P R

H M L H M L

No Substantial Effect (Neutral) Positive/Negative Neutral/Positive Positive/Negative

Directional outcomeNon-directional outcome

H = high; M = medium; L = low; U = unlikely; P = possible; R = probable

Decision Making Framework

How does it work? (Example: Noise)After conducting a thorough evidence-based assessment using available noise data and noise/health thresholds from the literature and reputable international agencies, noise impacts (pipeline construction phase) were classified as:

Then use the decision-making framework to determine the ‘post-mitigation’ health effect (i.e., positive, negative, neutral)

Magnitude

Adaptability

Likelihood

MEDIUM

Health Determinant

HIGHLOW

H M L

U P R U P R U P R U P R U P R U P RU P RU P RU P R

H M L H M L

No Substantial Effect (Neutral) Positive/Negative Neutral/Positive Positive/Negative

Directional outcomeNon-directional outcome

H = high; M = medium; L = low; U = unlikely; P = possible; R = probable

How does it work? (Example: Noise)

HIA Results Health Determinant

Potential Health Outcome

Geographic Extent

Vulnerable Populations

Magnitude Adaptability Likelihood

Post-Mitigation

Health Effect

Soil Particles Varying degrees of human health risk

Localized Children Unknown Unknown Unlikely No substantial effect

Upset Scenarios

Crude Oil Spill

Acute health symptoms and psychological effects including stress

Localized People in immediate vicinity

Medium Medium Unlikely No substantial effect

Well Blowout Injuries and/or fatalities and psychological effects including stress

Localized People in immediate vicinity

High Low Unlikely Negative

Well Blowout Injuries and/or fatalities and psychological effects including stress

Localized People in immediate vicinity

High Low Unlikely Negative

Noise and Lighting

Noise Emissions

Annoyance, stress, sleep disturbance and hypertension and cognitive impairment at very high sound pressure levels

Phase 1-4: Localized (Project Site and truck /pipeline routes)

Residents and schoolchildren in proximity to pipeline route

Phase 1,2,3a,4: Low Phase 3b: Medium

Phase 1,2,3a,4: Phase 3b: Medium

Phase 1,2,3a,4: Possible Phase 3b: Probable

Phase 1,2,3a,4: No substantial effect Phase 3b: Negative

Light Emissions

Annoyance, stress and possible disturbance of typical sleep cycles

Localized People with a direct line-of-site of the lit side of electric drill rig at night

Low High Unlikely No substantial effect

Traffic

Traffic Safety Potential increase in number of pedestrian, bicycle or other injuries

Localized Pedestrians and cyclists (Children and the elderly)

High Medium Unlikely No substantial effect

Perceived traffic hazards

Decrease in active transportation

Localized Pedestrians and cyclists (Children)

Medium Medium Unlikely No substantial effect

Overall Conclusion “Based on the proposed mitigation measures in the EIR and

additional recommendations provided in the HIA, we do not believe that the Project will have a substantial effect on community health

in Hermosa Beach.” - Final HIA (September 2014)

Outcome of the Vote???

Lindsay McCallum, Ph.D. (Candidate)

Environmental Health Scientist

Intrinsik Environmental Sciences Inc.

University of Toronto

lmccallum@intrinsik.com

Co-authors:

Kathleen Souweine

Mary McDaniel

Chris Ollson

THANK YOU!