VIDEO: A new study sheds light on the significant challenges and costs of natural gas leaks in Baltimore.
The study shows that gas leaks sometimes lead to explosions and pose a big financial burden on the city's first responders and taxpayers.
PSE Healthy Energy shared a study that spans 15 years of data which underscores the growing problem of gas leaks.
"What we found is that every three minutes, nationwide, a fire department responds to an uncombusted gas leak," said Sebastian Rowland, a scientist with PSE Healthy Energy. "These responses are posing a burden on fire departments. We're also seeing nationwide, fire departments are spending half a billion dollars responding to these uncombusted gas leaks." Advocates say gas leaks take the resources of first responders and personnel away from other urgent needs of the community.