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TCEQ Whistle Blower on Inspections at Barnett Shale Gas Wells

By

Whistleblower Letter HERE

The article requires a subscription so here is an excerpt. It should be available in it’s entirety soon.

TCEQ investigator: Commission inspectors not adequately trained or protected
By J.B. Smith Tribune-Herald staff writer
Tuesday November 2, 2010

A state environmental investigator from Waco is alleging that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has violated its own rules by sending inspectors into the field without adequate training and protection.

In an Oct. 28 letter to state and federal officials, Jeff Kunze alleged that inspectors often are discouraged from wearing respirators at scenes involving hazardous materials, “to avoid alarming those who might observe us.“

This was revealed in some hand written meeting notes obtained through a public information request and posted on this blog. I’ll try to find the link later today.

Kunze, who has been part of the TCEQ’s statewide “emergency response strike team,” said the agency in recent years has increasingly responded to hazardous situations with staff who lack specialized training.

This is obvious to people who make complaints. It’s not the investigators fault. For the most part, they seem to be making an honest attempt to help people.

Kunze’s attorney, David Schleicher of Waco, said Kunze would have no public comment beyond the letter. Recipients included regional officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Health and Safety Administration, as well as the state attorney general and the TCEQ’s executive director.
…

The TCEQ has stepped up air monitoring in the last couple of years in the Barnett Shale, a formation that runs from Bosque County to northwest of Fort Worth. As some 12,000 wells have been drilled, some residents in the region have complained of illegal air emissions and inadequate monitoring.

Inspectors found that some wells exceeded federal limits on certain air emissions, but the TCEQ generally has downplayed any threat to human health.

In his complaint, Kunze alleged that inspectors often were sent out to investigate complaints about the Barnett Shale wells without adequate monitoring equipment and had to rely on their noses to track the sources of emissions.

“Ironically, TCEQ fines companies for environmental violations when its own staff is not provided the equipment and training required by law,” Kunze said in his complaint.

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.

Comments

  2. Anonymous says

    Yet again we find that TCEQ has not been forthright. How many examples will it take before something is done? Management at TCEQ needs to be replaced immediately. This is a total waste of our money.

  3. TXsharon says

    Sad news for you but Texans just reelected the Governor who makes the appointments to TCEQ "management"

  4. scubawithdogs says

    Denton County Texas voted overwhelming to keep the Republican incumbents in office, to include Gregg Abbott who sued the EPA and Perry supported the lawsuit.

    Denton County even went so far as to elect David Porter, who is a large supporter of un-regulated oil and gas, to the TRRC.

    During a campaign speech one of Perry's cronies said this is Texas and we drill for oil and gas so get over it.

    Hey, you people asked for it, you voted for it, you got it, so suck up the dirty air and water and quit whining.

    It is the same old crap "not in my backyard but yours is OK".

    To everyone who voted to keep the status quo I am ashamed of you and I am sick of your never ending whining about thing you will not change.

  5. TXsharon says

    Amen, Scuba! They will soon have the government they voted for and I don't think they will like it much.

  6. David says

    Not to be pileing on with bad news but… Chet Edward in my area has been replace with an oil man.

  7. Anonymous says

    About the Edwards-Flores race—-one thug replacing a sheister. The House will dance to a different tune, but there will be no help for the ordinary citizen who lives on the land–forget that with Flores.