These handwritten notes, obtained through open records request, pertain to TCEQ’s Barnett Shale Phase IV air monitoring.
Click to enlarge
Marked in red below, the writer acknowledges that emissions might be bad enough and dangerous enough to require use of a respirator. However, if you need to wear a respirator, be sure media doesn’t see it because we wouldn’t want the citizens thinking there might be some toxic air coming from Barnett Shale gas wells.
No matter what, “benzene needs to pass” because if people know that they are exposing themselves and their children to benzene, then urban drilling is screwed! So, make sure the benzene passes.
“You wouldn’t want to think this, but maybe they don’t want to find anything in populated area,” said DISH Mayor Calvin Tillman. WFAA
Please note: BENZENE IS NOT THE ONLY TOXIN OF CONCERN!!! Wash, rinse, repeat.
UPDATE: An environmental person emailed me to say that QC stands for quality check so that might indicate the TCEQ wanted to make sure their instruments were calibrated correctly.
I want to be fair, and get it right. Of course it could mean just the opposite. Too bad we have no faith on our regulators.
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About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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There's a term for this: Malfeasance: Wrongful conduct by a government official.
These notes appear to be in a female's hand writing. I wonder if we can take a look at any other writing on the part of either Shannon Ethridge, TCEQ's toxicologist or maybe even Susana Hildebrand, chief engineer for the air quality division and compare.
Then the real questions can begin – in public, of course, preferably at one of their trials. "Ms. X, can you explain to the jury why benzene 'Needs to be okay' and name the individual who said this?
I'm betting that John Sad Liar said it.
If Sad Liar said it, it's because it came from higher up. He's just a puppet.
Sad Liar obviously takes his marching orders from above- that much mor reason why there needs to be an actual investigation of the TCEQ. Taking out Sadlier will not truly address the problem, nor will it be justice. Sadlier needs to be held accountable, but the buck doesn't stop with him. The problem is, there's plenty of blame to go around, even including previous administrations and some of their staff.
Conduct a full investigation, let the chips fall where they may, completely disband the TCEQ starting at the Tony Walker level and above, and start over.
The "Benzene needs to pass" statement appears as a bullet under "Opening QC each day". I take QC to mean "Quality Control". I wonder if this refers to some sort of calibration with a benzene reference?
SMOKINING GUN! TCEQ FRAUD!!!!
EPA ,Dr. Al kick their AS*!!!
I think this comes from someone in MonOps or Toxicology because the QC does refer to quality control and there are specific references to lab techniques. They have calibrated their instruments in other cases to avoid any problems and were caught. It looks like perhaps this has happened again.
I googled the phone 512-239-5000.
Requests for information from the media should be directed to the media relations office. Call Terry Clawson at (512) 239-5000, fax (512)239-5010, or e-mail media@tceq.state.tx.us.
THEY ARE SO BUSTED!
I googled "IGR" useing advanced search of the TCEQ web site and found:
The Intergovernmental Relations Division (IGR) coordinates the agency response to … IGR also coordinates the agency's testimony and participation during …
http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/assistance – Cached – Similar
Do we need an independent evaluation of the permanent stations to make sure they are calibrated properly? Is Dish getting accurate readings?
Independent evaluation is a great idea, but I don't think that's the issue- the issue, in my opinion, is what the monitoring station ISN'T testing for – such as methane and formaldhyde amongst other chemicals.
This is no accident- the TCEQ does not want to find contamination anywhere, and the permananent monitoring station gives them the ability to say that they are 'involved' and 'testing', creating the appearance that they are doing something useful. While I'm not slighting the monitoring itself, I am highly skeptical abut their findings – or lack thereof.
I would fully expect Sad Liar, Walker, Ethridge, et al to declare that no methane or formaldehyde was found, then when challenged, say that they were personally unaware of any specifics in DISH testing. The continual revolving door of passing the buck and excuse making to waste time to bolster the efforts of drilling.
An environmental person emailed me to say that QC stands for quality check so that might indicate the TCEQ wanted to make sure their instruments were calibrated correctly.
I want to be fair, and get it right. Of course it could mean just the opposite. Too bad we have no faith on our regulators.
I'll update my post to include that information next time I'm at my computer.
"if media is around" – ummmm, I would worry about Sharon being around, NOT the media. It's easier to believe someone who is not motivated by billions of dollars. They tend to say things just because they are truth and for no other reason.
As much as I'm sure Sharon appreciates the compliment, I can promise you that Ch 8's Chris Hawes will get a video of someone wearing a respirator in the news segment. While a lot pf pressure is put on news station's management by Industry, it's not a safe bet that the news won't show someone in the Industry/TCEQ/TRRC doing something stupid or questionable.
That's nothing! From a monitoring report made in Booger County, I found buried int he data results, the statement, "0% of the data meets the quality objectives". I'm still laughing. The WCEQ need to be sold at public auction in the shadow of the capital dome in Austin. Sell it to the highest bidder!
WTF??? Please send that to me.
Their self assessment is kind of funny. I'm glad we can still laugh.
I was just looking at Table 2 more cloesly. The first column is the amounts used in the GHG Inventory Estimate you mention. The next column is the revised estimate for the year listed. The four items listed add up to 317.4 MMTCO2e in the last column, which corresponds to the sum given in the paragraph I referenced earlier as the total for the oil and gas industry. The sum of the first column (that is, used in the GHG Inventory Estimate) is 201.8, so presumably the difference is 115.6 MMTCO2e. Converting this to natural gas gives 286 billion cubic feet of natural gas. So this would suggest that the GHG inventory was using a higher base number of natural gas emissions than would be implied by the 1996 analysis (but not as high as the new analysis would show). The new analysis could still mean that the amount of natural gas that is escaping is quite high in relationship to the amount of natural gas produced. This would bring the CO2e emissions up quite a bit for the natural gas portion, even though the total for the oil and gas industry may not rise by a large percentage. Your conversion factors are for natural gas that has been burned. The problem is that the allegation is that the natural gas that is escaping is natural gas that hasn’t been burned it just has been vented.
Sharon, you know that Benzene killed my sister…thank you for being such an activist…you are much loved.
Ditto 8:14
I wonder if waiting for 12 hours to open cans lets benzene & VOCs escape?
Anyone?
I don't think it can escape from a canister even if you left it for a week. I've talked to several people who say there is no reason for the 12 hour delay as far as they know. …just another mystery.