DGS Webinar: Risk Assessment Fundamentals for Public Policy 

Unconventional oil and gas development encompasses many different stages, ranging from brief periods of fracturing and stimulation to long-term production. Each distinct stage involves different activities, with the potential to result in various exposures to hazardous air pollutants. Potential toxicity varies with phases of activity, making this a complex situation to understand with respect to human health risks.

This webinar will present the legal and policy framework for understanding potential health risks from unconventional oil and gas development, followed by a tutorial for understanding factors such as:

• Development phase;
• Duration of activities;
• Potential emissions;
• Potential exposure concentrations; and
• Populations at risk for exposure.

Many different health-based risk benchmark values have been developed. In addition to presenting these benchmark values, we will walk through how the values have been developed, including accounting for the metric of air pollutant (classes of chemicals versus specific species), duration of exposure, type of health effect, and uncertainties in the risk assessment process.

A panel discussion involving risk assessment experts from the regulating and regulated community will present perspectives on how risk assessment can be applied to communities living near unconventional oil and gas development sites.

The confirmed speakers for this program, which is pending approval for one general Continuing Legal Education credit in the state of Colorado, are as follows:

• Debra Kaden, Ph.D., Principal Consultant (Ramboll)
• Uni Blake, Senior Policy Advisor (American Petroleum Institute)
• Elizabeth Marder, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Scientist (OEHHA) & Human Health Risk Assessment Instructor (UC Davis)*
• John Jacus, Partner (DGS)

*Note: Views shared are those of the presenter and not the affiliated institutions.

Event Information

Wednesday, February 3

8:00-9:30 AM MST