Texas Sharon's Bluedaze

Fracking News

Want Cancer? Move to Texas.

By

Oh boy! This is discouraging. Out of 254 Texas counties, Wise County is number 33. Of Course Harris is #1 with all the oil and gas refineries there that’s no surprise. The Barnett Shale drilling has contributed significantly to Wise County air pollution. WATCH OUT COWTOWN!

#2 Dallas
#5 Tarrant
#7 Denton
#29 Parker
#33 Wise
#44 Cooke

Here’s a handy map that shows the risk of getting cancer by area


RECENT AIR TOXICS STUDIES CONFIRM DIESEL EMISSIONS POSE A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT

That would be diesel emissions like these from a drilling rig:

Now imagine Fort Worth’s air once Chesapeake gets all those drilling rigs fired up. You might be the next pollution winner.

Cancer Risk from Diesel Particulate:
National and Metropolitan Area Estimates for the United States

Diesel engines are significant contributors to air pollution. Moreover, the adverse
health impacts of diesel pollution are dire, posing a serious threat to public health
nationwide, and especially in urban areas. … Diesel exhaust contains over 40 chemicals that are listed by EPA and California as toxic air contaminants, known human carcinogens, probable human carcinogens, reproductive toxicants or endocrine disrupters.

Also see

Oh Lookie! Anonymous Commenter Defends Polluters!

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

  1. Anonymous says

    Sharon, nice to know that you and I live in the two most toxic states….

    Costa Rica anyone?

  2. Anonymous says

    Our bad air has more to do with TXI & TXU than all of the gas drilling combined. Yes, drilling can add to the problem, but it is not the main problem. Also, the drilling rigs get picked up & moved once they are done. They do not sit there belching smoke forever!

  3. TXsharon says

    In our N. TX area recent studies made by UNT and a university in California determined that the dramatic increase in hydrocarbon pollution was indeed caused by drilling.

    Yes, the drilling rig moves. It is moved to another place by a diesel truck that belches diesel fumes into the air. When the rig reaches it’s new destination, it begins belching again.

    According to the RRC, 240 wells are drilled each month in the Barnett Shale.

    In the 5 years prior to May 2006, there were 1800 wells drilled in Denton County alone. (Please note Denton’s poor air quality score.)

    However, threats to our air don’t come only from the drilling rig, some of the most highly dangerous fumes escape constantly from the valves at the wellhead for as long as the well is operating. And there is flaring and other forms of pollution.

    Please provide links to substantiate your claim about TXI and TXU. They are both serious polluters of our air, for sure, but I doubt they are doing as much damage in the North Texas area as the Barnett Shale drilling.