While natural gas can offer reduced emissions when compared to legacy fossil fuels like coal and oil, natural gas leaks are a real threat to communities like Salem. Gas leaks typically occur from corrosion, digging into the gas line, extreme weather, or improper installation. In our case, most leaks come as a result of New England hosting some of the nation’s oldest pipelines (old cast iron and steel pipes in particular).
SAFE is concerned about natural gas leaks in our city because the leaks:
- Cause climate change
- Methane Gas is approximately 80x more effective than Carbon Dioxide at trapping heat over a 20 year period, and approximately 28x more effective over an 100 year period. This results in accelerated global warming
- Kill trees
- The methane released in leaks replaces oxygen for trees, essentially choking out their roots.
- Are potentially explosive
- An NFPA report discovered that natural gas ignites an average of 4,200 home fires each year in the United States alone. This due to methane’s flammability.
- Hurt human health
- Because methane gas displaces oxygen, people can suffer from hypoxia (a lack of oxygen).
- Cost ratepayers
- Gas companies raise consumer costs to fund repairs and recuperate financially from lost gas.
Learn where the gas shut off valves are outside and inside your house and where the shut off valves are for all of your gas appliances.
City Identifies Gas Leaks on Salem.com
SAFE collaborated with Gas Leaks Allies and the City of Salem GIS coordinator Jack Nessen to produce a GIS map of all of the gas leaks in Salem. The map, which is available in multiple languages, provides information about current and past leaks, the severity of the leak, and its repair status. The site also includes a wealth of information about natural gas leaks and their impact on our community.
At a citywide forum, introduced by Mayor Kim Driscoll, Nessen and Dominic Nicholson of HEET unveiled the first-in-the-Commonwealth interactive gas leaks map.
Haunted by Gas Leaks?
Our History with Gas Leaks
In the summer of 2016, SAFE identified over 250 leaks in a survey of the city. By contrast National Grid reported only 62 leaks.
Dr. Marcos Luna, professor of geography at Salem State University and coordinator of the graduate GIS program, explains the process of surveying Salem’s gas leaks in this presentation.
In November 2017, SAFE presented data on Salem’s gas leaks at a public forum titled “The Hidden Costs of Salem’s Gas Leaks.” Featured speakers included Dr. Luna, Dr. Nathan Phillips from Boston University, Bob Ackley of Gas Safety Inc., and Mayor Kim Driscoll.
If you want to learn more about gas leaks in Salem, visit SAFE’s Gas Leaks Resources page.
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