Research Projects by Marc Petrequin
There are growing concerns regarding contaminants in the river systems of Colorado. Such contamin... more There are growing concerns regarding contaminants in the river systems of Colorado. Such contaminants will perpetually undermine the quality of the state's water resources, and any information on the origins and behavior of such contaminants (analytes) will be a critical asset in the treatment and protection of such resources. The Office of Partnership and Regulatory Assistance (OPRA) at the Region 8 Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Denver, Colorado, is evaluating the potential contamination of a range of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), pesticides, and waste indicators. One recent study involved gathering water samples from numerous sites along different stream and reservoirs and analyzing them for contaminants. This study, composed of 16 different sampling projects over a 6-month period, collected 138 samples from 124 sites spread across 29 streams and 10 lakes and reservoirs. Data was compiled from these samples showing the relative concentrations of a select array of these analytes in a series of graphs and geographic information system (GIS) tables. By comparing the concentrations of the most common and most highly concentrated analytes along various locations and times within each river system, a series of abstract patterns were derived regarding the origins of certain contaminants and their fates downstream. The results of this interpolation led to numerous conclusions on both the behavior of the contaminants in question and the primary contaminant issues facing each river system in question. For example, certain analytes (e.g. Atenolol, Diuron, and Furosemide) showed great persistence downstream from their source, and certain river systems (e.g. Cache La Poudre) showed an overall drop in PPCP concentration and a rise in pesticide concentration downstream. This information will be especially useful in the formation of hypotheses on the behaviors of certain contaminants as well as the focusing of future studies within the watersheds of Colorado.
The use of fossil fuels for transportation represents one of the largest anthropogenic contributi... more The use of fossil fuels for transportation represents one of the largest anthropogenic contributions to greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the need for clean, renewable, alternative fuel sources has become a global priority. It is no wonder that biofuel production has grown exponentially over the past 30 years; biofuels essentially contribute no additional GHG in their carbon life cycle and can be grown in almost any farming region in the world. However, the rapid expansion of the biofuel market has generated considerable controversy in the practice: many scientific studies have revealed significant variability in the GHG reduction efficiency of different biofuel production methods in relation to fossil fuel displacement, some of which actually result in net increases of GHG emissions.
To address this controversy, this paper reviews the policies behind past and current biofuel production and analyzes the relative efficiencies of different production methods around the world. By assembling and comparing such eclectic data one can identify the primary sources of GHG emissions within the different methods, as well as which general trends in biofuel production show the greatest potential efficiency. This information will be of great assistance to any future policies that plan for a self-sufficient biofuel market with fewer government subsidies.
The results of this study showed that within the wide spectrum of variance for different methods, the greatest factors affecting GHG reduction efficiency were the type of crop grown, the subsequent amount of nitrogen fertilizer required for cultivation, and the amount and type of land converted to farmland for production. In most instances, second-generation biofuels showed clear superiority to first-generation biofuels, though current technological limitations prevent their production on a competitive scale.
Based on these conclusions, any future policies promoting biofuel production in the U.S. must include provisions to diversify the domestic market based on the most efficient crops and methods practiced in similar regions, preferably offering incentives towards responsible land and fertilizer use. Such policies must also promote the development of second-generation biofuel technology to further expand their role in the market.
Water is the lifeblood of this planet, and its conspicuously limited availability represents an i... more Water is the lifeblood of this planet, and its conspicuously limited availability represents an inescapable link between humanity and the natural ecosystems it had thought to isolate itself from after millennia of advancement. Although roughly 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, less than 0.01% of the earth’s 1.4 billion km3 hydrosphere is readily available for human consumption. Only recently has the magnitude of this scarcity emerged at the forefront of global issues. Today, roughly 2.4 billion people, or 36% of the global population, live in water-scarce regions. Global analysis expects this number to rise to 4.8 billion people, or 52% of the projected population, by 2050. Such trends are far from limited to developing nations, as even the U.S. has begun to feel these effects in the current century. Few better examples exist in the country than the plight of the Colorado River.
The Colorado River, the single largest source of surface water in the arid southwestern U.S., is a vital resource and edifice of natural wonder to all who explore and follow its vast and twisted journey from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. And yet it represents something greater still: it has a history of regulation and over-consumption that can be seen as a microcosm of humanity’s reliance on a seemingly unlimited resource in the face of growing water demand in this next century. This paper will examine the history of the Colorado River Basin, the laws and regulations that govern it, the crises the inhabitants of the Basin face, and the viable options for addressing them [1], [2].
This project centered on the development of a linear reservoir response model for an unspecified ... more This project centered on the development of a linear reservoir response model for an unspecified watershed in Oklahoma. I was tasked with analyzing a rainfall hyetograph and corresponding watershed outflow from a past storm event, determining a range of appropriate parameters from this analysis, using these parameter to develop a series of different linear watershed models, calibrating these models to match the given hyetograph of the past rainfall event, and applying these models to predict the outflow of a future storm event. A significant portion of this project required assumptions inferred from the brief watershed description and the observed characteristics of the outflow curve of the watershed’s response.
The Mines Park Meteorological Station sits on the western slope of Mines Park in Golden, Colorado... more The Mines Park Meteorological Station sits on the western slope of Mines Park in Golden, Colorado, where it continuously monitors and records local hydrologic patterns. My assignment was to download two days’ worth of data, from midnight on March 23, 2007 to midnight on March 24, 2007, and analyze it in relation to the regional energy and water budget. Specifically, I calculated the net radiation balance, the evaporation potential (using two different methods), the local soil, plant, and atmospheric resistances to evaporation, and the sensible and Ground Heat Fluxes to determine a series of probable net energy and water balances.
The deteriorating wastewater systems in the U.S. have eluded public attention long past the point... more The deteriorating wastewater systems in the U.S. have eluded public attention long past the point of becoming a critical threat to the country’s infrastructure. For too long citizens have taken for granted the everyday services provided by municipal sewers while such systems have strained under the demands of urban growth. Some of the sewer systems in this nation are over a century old, and have never been upgraded to accommodate for modern use. The detrimental effects of this widespread degradation are becoming increasingly prevalent. This paper will review the history of the American sewer system, its regulation, the current crisis, and the various methods of resolving it. Such information will be invaluable to anyone seeking to address this issue.
Mountaintop removal/valley fill mining (MTR/VF) brings an array of environmental impacts at every... more Mountaintop removal/valley fill mining (MTR/VF) brings an array of environmental impacts at every stage of the process, many of which directly and indirectly affect local hydrology and water quality. Analysis of the practice in the region of its heaviest use, the Central Appalachian coalfields, has revealed two primary causes of such degradation: valley fills and coal slurry impoundments. When overburden from a mountaintop removal mine is dumped into the nearby valley, it significantly increases the total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration, metal concentration, and pH of the water, significantly degrading the water quality and stream activity and ultimately causing a loss of biodiversity in local ecosystems. When coal from the mine site is processed and cleaned, the highly toxic slurry byproduct must be stored in massive impoundments, where the risk of spilling into surface or groundwater is a constant threat. Although the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) requires the reclamation of such disturbed land and water to reduce the impact of valley filling, current technologies and a general misunderstanding of ecological processes make this impossible, leaving most mitigation of the impact up to new federal and state litigation. Unfortunately, recent changes to the Clean Water Act (CWA) have effectively sanctioned valley fills, requiring that any call for stricter enforcement of environmental regulation on the matter begin with scientifically addressing such discrepancies. In contrast, very little regulation has governed the construction and maintenance of slurry impoundments since the first major spill incident, but a more recent incident of greater magnitude has incited demand for new regulatory frameworks and technology to reduce the risk of impact and the volume of slurry produced. This paper will review the history of MTR/VF, its process and environmental impacts, and the steps that can be taken to mitigate such impacts.
The massive output of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) since the dawn of the industrial revolut... more The massive output of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) since the dawn of the industrial revolution in the late 1700s, regarded primarily as the principle driving force behind recent global climate change, poses an ancillary threat: one to the world’s oceans. For decades scientists have analyzed how Earth’s oceans absorb atmospheric CO2 and transform it into carbonic acid (H2CO3), causing a steady increase in ocean acidity. This rising acidity of seawater affects both numerous underwater ecosystem and the nations that depend on them. One ecosystem most vulnerable to this crisis is the coral reefs that surround tropical shorelines across the globe. This manuscript examines how Earth’s oceans absorb CO2, how CO2 affects the acidity of seawater, how acidic seawater affects the growth and stability of coral reefs, the implications to the ocean environment, and what plausible steps can be taken to remedy this crisis.
Produced water represents one of the largest sources of waste in oil and natural gas production. ... more Produced water represents one of the largest sources of waste in oil and natural gas production. When the operating petroleum company injects water into the oil or gas reservoir to maximize recovery, a significant amount of water from the formation and the injection rises to the surface along with the oil. Naturally, this “produced water” poses a critical threat of contamination to any nearby water resources, whether through surface or groundwater transport; this risk becomes especially potent in arid regions like Colorado where potable water is an especially precious resource. Accordingly, in this project I sought to answer two primary questions:
- Which oil and gas wells in Colorado pose the greatest threat to the state’s water resources?
- Which hydrologic regions of Colorado warrant the greatest environmental attention?
The oil and gas industry has used the process of hydraulic fracturing for decades, but as yet rel... more The oil and gas industry has used the process of hydraulic fracturing for decades, but as yet relatively little environmental litigation exists to regulate it. With the exponential rise in natural gas production in the U.S. in recent years, public concern has risen over the practice and the risks it poses, particularly in regards to potential contamination of drinking water resources. This paper will discuss the practice of hydraulic fracturing, its history of regulation, the issues surrounding it, and the new regulation being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today.
Presentations by Marc Petrequin
My presentation at Aberdeen Proving Ground on the Environmental Protection Agency's General Confo... more My presentation at Aberdeen Proving Ground on the Environmental Protection Agency's General Conformity Rule.
Papers by Marc Petrequin
Abstract The use of fossil fuels for transportation represents one of the largest anthropogenic c... more Abstract The use of fossil fuels for transportation represents one of the largest anthropogenic contributions to greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the need for clean, renewable, alternative fuel sources has become a global priority. It is no wonder that biofuel production has ...
Abstract The use of fossil fuels for transportation represents one of the largest anthropogenic c... more Abstract The use of fossil fuels for transportation represents one of the largest anthropogenic contributions to greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the need for clean, renewable, alternative fuel sources has become a global priority. It is no wonder that biofuel production has ...
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Research Projects by Marc Petrequin
To address this controversy, this paper reviews the policies behind past and current biofuel production and analyzes the relative efficiencies of different production methods around the world. By assembling and comparing such eclectic data one can identify the primary sources of GHG emissions within the different methods, as well as which general trends in biofuel production show the greatest potential efficiency. This information will be of great assistance to any future policies that plan for a self-sufficient biofuel market with fewer government subsidies.
The results of this study showed that within the wide spectrum of variance for different methods, the greatest factors affecting GHG reduction efficiency were the type of crop grown, the subsequent amount of nitrogen fertilizer required for cultivation, and the amount and type of land converted to farmland for production. In most instances, second-generation biofuels showed clear superiority to first-generation biofuels, though current technological limitations prevent their production on a competitive scale.
Based on these conclusions, any future policies promoting biofuel production in the U.S. must include provisions to diversify the domestic market based on the most efficient crops and methods practiced in similar regions, preferably offering incentives towards responsible land and fertilizer use. Such policies must also promote the development of second-generation biofuel technology to further expand their role in the market.
The Colorado River, the single largest source of surface water in the arid southwestern U.S., is a vital resource and edifice of natural wonder to all who explore and follow its vast and twisted journey from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. And yet it represents something greater still: it has a history of regulation and over-consumption that can be seen as a microcosm of humanity’s reliance on a seemingly unlimited resource in the face of growing water demand in this next century. This paper will examine the history of the Colorado River Basin, the laws and regulations that govern it, the crises the inhabitants of the Basin face, and the viable options for addressing them [1], [2].
- Which oil and gas wells in Colorado pose the greatest threat to the state’s water resources?
- Which hydrologic regions of Colorado warrant the greatest environmental attention?
Presentations by Marc Petrequin
Papers by Marc Petrequin
To address this controversy, this paper reviews the policies behind past and current biofuel production and analyzes the relative efficiencies of different production methods around the world. By assembling and comparing such eclectic data one can identify the primary sources of GHG emissions within the different methods, as well as which general trends in biofuel production show the greatest potential efficiency. This information will be of great assistance to any future policies that plan for a self-sufficient biofuel market with fewer government subsidies.
The results of this study showed that within the wide spectrum of variance for different methods, the greatest factors affecting GHG reduction efficiency were the type of crop grown, the subsequent amount of nitrogen fertilizer required for cultivation, and the amount and type of land converted to farmland for production. In most instances, second-generation biofuels showed clear superiority to first-generation biofuels, though current technological limitations prevent their production on a competitive scale.
Based on these conclusions, any future policies promoting biofuel production in the U.S. must include provisions to diversify the domestic market based on the most efficient crops and methods practiced in similar regions, preferably offering incentives towards responsible land and fertilizer use. Such policies must also promote the development of second-generation biofuel technology to further expand their role in the market.
The Colorado River, the single largest source of surface water in the arid southwestern U.S., is a vital resource and edifice of natural wonder to all who explore and follow its vast and twisted journey from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. And yet it represents something greater still: it has a history of regulation and over-consumption that can be seen as a microcosm of humanity’s reliance on a seemingly unlimited resource in the face of growing water demand in this next century. This paper will examine the history of the Colorado River Basin, the laws and regulations that govern it, the crises the inhabitants of the Basin face, and the viable options for addressing them [1], [2].
- Which oil and gas wells in Colorado pose the greatest threat to the state’s water resources?
- Which hydrologic regions of Colorado warrant the greatest environmental attention?