Most Barnett Shale facilities release emissions
Sunday, April 11, 2010
By RANDY LEE LOFTIS
Texas officials acknowledge that just about every Barnett Shale installation emits invisible air pollution.
We saw the emission throughout the entire Barnett Shale when we did the Methane Mapping.
“We found emissions from wells, condensate tanks, compressor stations” – just about every component of the Barnett Shale production system, said Wilma Subra, an environmental scientist helping the Denton County town of Dish monitor air pollution.
“There are toxic air emissions being released by the majority of the facilities that we have looked at.”
We already knew that the emissions occur throughout the entire Barnett Shale region. This is NOT NEW NEWS. Air pollution caused by fugitive emissions was first reported in 2006 and an air quality study by University of California found hydrocarbons at levels expected for the entire country.
so high, in fact, that they established a total count for the region that was once thought to be the entire country’s annual emissions, six teragrams in all, he said.
This was back in 2003!
We have air study after air study after air study and they all say the same thing: The emissions are a FACT. But let’s call the emissions what they really are: TOXINS–the emissions ARE TOXINS.
Now the question becomes: What are you going to do about it?
Make sure every lawmaker you know at the local and state level has a copy: Drill-Right Texas: Best Oil and Gas Development Practices for Texas
Get ready for the new legislative session: Become a Texas OGAP eAdvocate!
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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Great report although some of this news was reported by FWCanDo and TXsharon about 6 months ago. It's good to see it going mainstream.
One thing that stuck out for was the use of the words, "routine" and "normal", by the state and industry when describing the emissions. That indicates to me that polluters think they are living in an alternate universe. We need to bring them back to reality.
The problem we have found is everytime the TCEQ makes a level ESL for a toxin and the gas companies exceed that level the TCEQ raises the level.
I am hoping the EPA's standards will supercede the TCEQ standards.
Change is need and voting is how the change can be achieved.
Please become involved that is our only hope.