After Mayor Tillman had private testing that conflicted with the TCEQ’s permanent air monitor, the TCEQ did more testing in DISH and found some pretty nasty stuff.
New toxins report released
TCEQ inspectors revisit Dish; elevated levels of formaldehyde found
Inspectors found formaldehyde in all of the places they sampled, both during the day and at night. Twelve samples were taken near natural gas production facilities. Six others were taken as “airshed” samples, to see how emissions were dispersing farther away from the equipment.
They found formaldehyde at 24 times normal levels! The TCEQ permanent monitors don’t monitor formaldehyde, other carbonyl compounds, sulfides (including the hydrogen sulfide we are not supposed to know exists) and many other nasty toxics. (You might remember that I’ve mentioned formaldehyde a few times lately. We have 2.5 times more formaldehyde in the Barnett Shale than the highest ever measured in the Houston Ship Channel.)
The permanent monitors are meant for monitoring smog and the EPA explained to Mayor Tillman that the permanent monitors have limitations including:
- It only collects for 15 hours (summa canisters can collect 24 hour samples)
- It analyzes the samples in a climate controlled trailer not out in the elements where people would be breathing it.
The EPA is required to control 187 air toxics “that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental and ecological effects.” But the TCEQ air monitors only monitor 46 air toxics.
Here is a bit of gas trivia I received in an email tonight:
The cost of installing Vapor Recovery Units is less than 10% of the Gross National Product for ONE Parker County gas well according to 2007 data.
$211,000,000 Gross National Product in Parker County for 2007 (1)
1766 active gas wells (2)
$119,479 per well (2007) Average installed cost of Vapor Recovery Unit $11,000. (3)Sources:
1) Perryman economic study
2) Texas Railroad Commission
3) New York Times article: Curbing Emissions by Sealing Gas Leaks
Fugitive emissions occur at every stage of natural gas production which means there is an awful lot of methane in the air around natural gas facilities. Look what happens when methane, sunlight and oxygen mix:
A Health Protection Agency publication about formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde is produced in the atmosphere due to the degradation of methane by sunlight.
Hey Big Gas, here’s a little something for your suggestion box:
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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You folks know the real poison is coming from the Meth Labs in and around the city. Why else do you think they only had 28 blood samples taken and not the entire 650+ folks. I am sure there is more bio-hazards coming from all the Meth Labs in and around Dish than any gas compressor. Besides, Mayor Tillman is wanting a hand out to help sell his house!
Congratulations!
YOU ARE A WINNER!!!
DUMBEST COMMENT EVER
I am a HOME health nurse who has many patients in and around the Dish area.
The only people I am ever concerned about using Meth and driving crazy are the workers on the drilling sites.
Working 24/7 must require a little something to keep the engines up and running.
The people who live around the Dish area of Denton County are hard working people. They go to work everyday and strive to make a better life for their families despite what the gas production companies are doing to their property.
In my opinion it take a Meth-head to know a Meth-head.
YOU REALLY SHOULD BE AWARDED THE "BIGGEST DUMB-ASS" to date, but rest assured there will be plenty of dumb-ass trying to dethrone you.
"Steve Smith" as in spouse of Former FM Mayor Jody Smith? The "meth" statement is about as ridiculous as the 2499 toll-road lie you guys told during the election.
Well, that explains it. Ya know, I'm embarrassed for the Smiths. They don't have enough sense to be embarrassed for themselves.
This is so depressing to find out that these monitoring devices will only measure a small portion of the toxins coming from the gas site. I knew it was too good to be true.
You are right they need to take the money they are paying their sorry PR Department and spend it on something useful as in 'vapor recovery' equipment at all of the gas sites.
What a waste of good time and money on something about as useful as a digital thermometer in hell.
Speaking of hell…Mr.Smith..that is a 'hellava way' to come across as a spouse of a 'former' Mayor of Flower Mound. But then isn't she in part to blame for this hellava mess we are all in breathing toxic fumes from all of the wells in Flower Mound?
Please don't waste your time or Sharon's posting these embarassing and pitiful remarks. It only makes the residents (I would think)of Flower Mound feel more regretful about electing a Mayor that obviously didn't have their best interest or lives at heart. You should be ashamed of yourself speaking to someone in this tone who is speaking the truth about what exists and is doing her best to do something about it.
This whole area in North Texas is in a sad state of affairs and I for one don' just want change..I DEMAND change.
Thank you Sharon for posting something of 'REAL' substance which is the truth and cutting to the chase. The answer to all of this IS vapor recovery systems at all GAS SITES immediately!!
I laughed out loud about this:
"as useful as a digital thermometer in hell"
I'm stealing that!
The real answer is to get off hydrocarbon energy.