Study Discovers Fewer Gas Leaks Throughout Cities With New Pipes
U.S. cities that regularly replace their natural gas lines have fewer occurrences of gas leaks, according to a new study conducted by Google and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF).
According to a July 16 Herald Bulletin article, the study found that cities like Indianapolis, where old gas lines are regularly replaced, see fewer leaks than places where they aren't, like Staten Island in New York City and Boston, where there is approximately one leak per mile.
To conduct the study, gas-detecting devices were affixed to Google's mapping vehicles, which then drove around the major U.S. cities that were surveyed. The EDF then used statistical calculations to determine the amount of methane present in these cities' streets, the Herald Bulletin reports.
Google Maps is typically used by...