ACTION PROPOSAL
to the
American Nurses Association
2012 HOUSE OF DELEGATES
[Form must be typed. The TAB key will move through the form to each field to be completed.]
TITLE: FORMTEXT Nurses Role in Recognizing, Educating, and Advocating for Healthy
Energy Choices
STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE:
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Descriptions are found at the end of the form.
CORE ISSUE:
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INTRODUCED BY - UNIT:
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(specify, if requested: FORMTEXT PA State Nurses
Association )
[CONTACT #1]
UNIT FORMTEXT Patti Gates Smith, MSN, RNC-E
PRESIDENT’S/CHAIR’S/DESIGNEE’S
NAME:
[Full Name, Credentials]
CONTACT PERSON #1 INFORMATION
[Unit President/Chair/Designee]
Phone Number: FORMTEXT 717-798-9975
Cell Phone Number: FORMTEXT 610-392-4927
Fax Number: FORMTEXT 717-657-3796
Email Address: FORMTEXT psmith@panurses.org
CONTACT PERSON #2 INFORMATION
Name: FORMTEXT Betsy Snook, MEd, BSN
Position/Title: FORMTEXT Chief Executive Officer
Phone Number: FORMTEXT 717-657-1222, extn 202
Cell Phone Number: FORMTEXT
Fax Number: FORMTEXT 717-657-3796
Email Address: FORMTEXT bsnook@panurses.org
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY [a brief synopsis of the nature and scope of the report]:
Energy policies at the federal and state levels
have a direct impact on human and ecological
health. Human and ecological health risks are
directly related to the use of coal-fired power
plants, mountaintop removal of coal, offshore
and onshore oil and natural gas drilling, and
hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”. Nurses
need to understand the relationship between
energy choices and human health. Nurses are
well positioned to help educate other health
professionals, the general public, and policy
makers about the relationship between human
health and the critical energy issues that will
require our thoughtful focus in the very near
future.
RECOMMENDATION(S):
[Provide punctuation after Whereas statement as appropriate.]
WHEREAS, the Scope and Standards of Practice for the Registered Nurse includes practicing in an
environmentally safe and healthy manner and the ANA adheres to the Precautionary Principle to guide
nursing practice, policy and advocacy efforts, and
WHEREAS, studies have shown that the environment and our health are inextricably linked, and
WHEREAS, human and ecological health risks are directly related to the use of coal-fired power plants,
mountaintop removal of coal, offshore and onshore oil and natural gas drilling, and hydraulic fracturing,
or “fracking”, and
WHEREAS, nurses are well positioned to help educate other health professionals, the general public, and
policy makers about the relationship of human health to critical energy issues that will require our
thoughtful focus in the very near future, and
WHEREAS, Nurses can help to encourage
policies that promote and incentivize the
healthiest options for long-term energy
sources, energy conservation and
sustainability, and
WHEREAS, the ecological impacts of coal,
oil and natural gas extraction and use are
contributing to contamination of drinkingwater for humans and farm animals; air
pollution, reductions of water volume in
local streams, increased noise levels,
drilling accidents, and vehicular accidents,
and
WHEREAS, adequate health monitoring,
reporting mechanisms and regulations have
been insufficient to ensure the health and
public safety of individuals and communities
where coal oil and natural gas extraction and
use is taking place.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Nurses Association will:
Support education of its members about
health issues associated with fossil fuel
energy and the benefits of energy
conservation and renewable energy
sources;
Support Constituent
Membership Associations and affiliate
partnerships to address health issues
associated with energy use through
education and policy/advocacy;
Support activities that monitor,
reduce, and remediate environmental
health risks for individuals and
communities where coal oil and natural
gas extraction and use is occurring and
legislative initiatives that require
monitoring, reporting and regulatory
reform to protect public health and the
environment;
Collaborate with
others in calling for a national
moratorium on new permits for
unconventional oil and natural gas
extraction (fracking) throughout the
country until human and ecological
safety can be ensured;
and
Collaborate with others on
energy policies that incentivize energy
conservation and the development and
use of safer, healthier alternative and
renewable energy sources, such as wind
and solar.
REPORT:
Energy policies at the federal and state levels
have a direct impact on human and ecological
health. Increased rates of asthma attacks,
cardiovascular diseases, and lung cancer are all
associated with our current reliance on fossil
fuels (Penney, Bell & Balbus, 2009). As the
population ages, our vulnerability to these fossil
fuel-related exposures will continue to increase.
Children are already at higher risk. While
individual nurses are confronting these issues at
the local level, there is a need for nursing
leadership to support energy policies that put
human health first.
Human and ecological
health risks are directly related to the use of
coal-fired power plants, mountaintop removal of
coal, offshore and onshore oil and natural gas
drilling, and hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”.
Safer options exist. Nurses need to understand
the relationship between energy choices and
human health. Moreover, nurses are well
positioned to help educate other health
professionals, the general public, and policy
makers about the relationship between human
health and the critical energy issues that will
require our thoughtful focus in the very near
future.
There are a number of ways nurses
can have a positive effect on energy
consumption and energy policies. Regarding
energy conservation, nurses can model good
behavior by choosing to use public
transportation and energy-efficient cars,
purchasing energy-efficient appliances, turning
off computers when they are not in use, and
many other simple behaviors in our everyday
lives. In our work settings, we can promote
energy conservation and the selection of safer
and healthier energy sources. Some of the same
conservation efforts that we can do in our
homes can be extended to our
workplace.
Additionally, nurses have great
potential to influence overall energy policies by
bringing to light the implications for human
health. Public and individual health concerns
are rarely voiced when energy policies are being
discussed. Nurses can bring these concerns to
the forefront. Our focus is the protection and
promotion of human health. Our trusted
covenant with the public allows us to be heard
in a way that few others would be heard
regarding the controversial issue of energy
policy.
To be credible in this new role,
nurses must provide evidence-based
information. Therefore, it is critical for the
nursing profession to learn about the
relationship between energy choices and health
effects, both acute and chronic. In the past
several years, we have seen major human and
ecological disasters associated with energy
choices, such as the explosion of the Deepwater
Horizon and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico, and the nuclear power plant meltdown
in Fukushima, Japan. However, on a daily basis
nurses are caring for thousands of patients
whose diseases may be caused or exacerbated
by an energy-related exposure.
It is
important to highlight a new technique used to
extract natural gas from very deep within the
earth. This technique is known as “fracking”,
which refers to the way drillers fracture rock to
release the natural gas that has been trapped
there for millions of years (Howarth, Santoro &
Ingraffea, 2011). Most commonly, fracking is
done on private residential, farming, and
ranching properties, where companies have
purchased the gas rights. The process requires
very high volumes of water usage and leaves
behind a variety of toxic chemicals both in the
ground and on the surface in holding ponds,
presenting potential sources of contamination
for drinking water supplies.
The speed at
which these fracking sites are being developed
is unprecedented, as are the health risks. These
include contamination of drinking-water for
humans and farm animals (Osborn, Vengosh,
Warner & Jackson, 2011) and reductions of
water volume in local streams; air pollution
from the fracking process and from the
substantial number of diesel-powered trucks that
transport materials and hazardous waste (Riedl
& Diaz-Sanchez, 2005; Witter, 2010); increased
noise levels (Centers for Disease Control
[CDC], 2008); drilling accidents (CDC, 2008);
and vehicular accidents from changing traffic
patterns (Witter, 2010).
Other health and
social impacts that are noted in communities
with fracking activity include stress on existing
health care delivery infrastructure, local housing
availability and housing values, and increased
violence (Goldenberg et al., 2010). Finally, the
geologic destabilization that is created in the
fracking process has caused minor earthquake
activity in several states. Because this process is
so new, health and environmental safety have
not been adequately ensured by statutory or
regulatory processes. In areas where fracking is
taking place, the public is looking to nurses and
other members of the health care community for
answers to their concerns. However, nurses and
health care workers are unprepared to address
these concerns.
In the U.S., oil accounts for
37% of our energy use, gas 25%, coal 21%,
nuclear 9%, and renewables 8% (U.S. Energy
Information Administration, 2011). Unlike the
other sources, renewables such as wind and
hydroelectric power, as well as solar and
geothermal energy, pose little to no human
health risks. Nurses can help to encourage
policies that promote and incentivize these
healthier, sustainable energy sources. Just as we
support health-promoting behaviors in our
patients, nurses can support public
transportation, energy efficient vehicles and
conservation. Such advocacy will go a long way
to advance the public’s health.
Energy is
essential to modern life, but it comes with a
cost. Nurses can help to keep the health cost of
our energy decisions to a minimum as we move
towards increased conservation, healthier
renewable sources, and policies that keep human
health front and center.
REFERENCES: Please use APA Format. To indent: select CTRL key and then the TAB key.
Centers for Disease Control. (2008). Fatalities among oil & gas extraction workers – United States, 20032006. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 57(16), 429-431.
Goldenberg, S. M., Shoveller, J. A., Koehoorn, M., & Ostry, A. S. (2010). And they call this progress?
Consequences for young people of living & working in resources extraction communities. Critical Public
Health, 20(2), 157-168.
Howarth, R., Santoro, R., & Ingraffea, A. (2011). Methane and the greenhouse-gas footprint of natural
gas from shale formations. Climatic Change, 106, 679-690. doi:10.1007/s10584-011- 0061-5
Osborn, S. G., Vengosh, A., Warner, N. R., & Jackson, R. B. (2011). Methane contamination of drinking
water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Proceedings of the Natural Academy of
Sciences, 108(20), 8172-8176. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1100682108
Penney, S., Bell, J., Balbus, J. (2009). Estimating the health impacts of coal-fired power plants receiving
international financing. Washington, D.C.: Environmental Defense Fund.
Riedl, M., & Diaz-Sanchez, D. (2005). Biology of diesel exhaust effects on respiratory function. Journal
of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, 115, 221-229. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2004.11.047
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2011). Annual energy review for 2010. Retrieved from
HYPERLINK "http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/pdf/aer.pdf"
http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/pdf/aer.pdf
Witter, R. (2010). Use of health impact assessment to help inform decision making regarding natural gas
drilling permits in Colorado. Retrieved from Garfield County Colorado website:
HYPERLINK "http://www.garfield-county.com/publichealth/documents/BOCC_Draft_HIA_Presentation_10_4_10[1].pdf" http://www.garfield-
county.com/public-health/documents/BOCC_Draft_HIA_Presentation_10_4_10[1].pdf
PAST HOUSE ACTIONS :
[Cite title and year of any House of Delegates actions related to recommendations, beginning with the most current]:
Environmental Health Principles in Nursing Practice - 2004
Environmental Health Principles in Nursing Practice Action Report - 2004
SUGGESTED IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES: Implementation activities are determined by the ANA
Board of Directors, in keeping with its corporate and fiduciary authority and responsibility. The suggested
implementation activities are examples of how an action might be implemented. Care must be taken to focus the
Resolved statements on providing guidance and/or direction to ANA without getting so specific as to be prescriptive.
FORMTEXT Support Constituent Member Associations and affiliates in leading and partnering
within their communities to increase awareness of coal, oil and natural gas extraction and use and
its impact on human health.
Support national and state educational programming for nurses, utilizing an interdisciplinary
approach regarding both the speakers and the invited audiences.
Advocate nationally, and within the states, for monitoring and reducing human health risks
relating to unconventional oil and natural gas extraction.
Advocate nationally, and within the states, for energy conservation and the development of safer
renewable energy resources across the country.
INSTRUCTIONS
PLEASE EMAIL THIS PROPOSAL TO: Edna.Wooldridge@ana.org , senior governance specialist, ANA,
Leadership Services
ANA STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES
1. Professional Practice Excellence
ANA successfully champions professional nursing excellence through standards, code of ethics and
professional development, such as credentialing and lifelong learning.
2. Health Care and Public Policy
ANA is an acknowledged leader in the formulation of effective health care and public policy as they affect
the profession and the public.
3. Knowledge and Research
ANA is the recognized source for accurate, comprehensive health policy information from evidence-based
research.
4. Unification
ANA facilitates unification and advancement of the profession.
5. Advocacy for Work Force and Workplace
ANA with its partners and through its organizational relationships is the leader in promoting improved
work environments and the value of nurses as professionals, essential providers and decision makers in all
practice settings.
6. Organizational Effectiveness
ANA improves its organizational structure and resources to pursue its vision, achieve its mission and fully
satisfy the needs of its constituents, structural units, subsidiaries, organizational and workforce advocacy
affiliates.
7. Does not relate to ANA strategic imperatives
2012 ANA HOUSE OF DELEGATES ACTION PROPOSAL
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