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Report from the EPA methane hearing in Dallas

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EPA methane hearing

It’s 6:50 PM and the EPA methane hearing panel is taking a break because the speakers are winding down.

So far there have been (I think) 114 speakers and all but 8 support the rules. That makes 106:8 people speaking at the EPA methane hearing who want clean air.

Here is the video I showed during my comments. I will update this post with more details later. Right now I’m tired and need a beer.

UPDATE!
Video of the press conference.

Some random thoughts from the EPA methane hearing.

The EPA hasn’t done much for people in the fracking sacrifice zone during the Obama administration, but they are not the ones to blame. They serve at the pleasure of the president and, despite his campaign promise to “end the tyranny of big oil,” Obama is a fossil fuel guy. Still, the speakers were grateful to have 5 minutes of attention from EPA. Telling your story to anyone who will listen is therapeutic.

In case you haven’t heard, Dear Readers, these methane rules will cripple the industry. They can’t afford to buy FLIR cameras for leak detection. This, according to the first two speakers who were both industry spokesmen. IJS: If you can’t afford $85,000 to $110,000 for leak detection to make sure you aren’t poisoning the neighbors and accelerating climate change, you probably can’t afford to be a fracker.

But I like to be helpful so I ad-libbed at the end of my comments: If the operators can’t afford a FLIR camera, tell them to contact me.

Texans are disgusted with the TCEQ and Railroad Commission and outraged at our legislators. HB40 was mentioned 1856 times. No exaggeration. I swear.

I tweeted some of my favorite things from the day.

We had an awesome banner and great t-shirts.

    A group of kids stopped by to ask for clean air.

Rev. Mel Caraway spoke about the moral imperative to cut methane. (I misspelled his name in the tweet.) He compared the industry’s claims that they aren’t polluting our air to VW. (It was funny when he told it.)

Dr. Gunnar Schade, TAMU, presented some of his research. He warns that the EPA is underestimating methane emissions by 50%. This is the last slide. I’ll link to his presentation when I have rested up some.

Mahdi Ahmadi presented his research that proves ozone levels have not decreased, especially in Denton.

Adam Briggle told the EPA about his two children MG and Lulu. He told the EPA that they hold his children’s lungs in their hands–not a dry eye in the room

Another Adam who has lived in an area of non-attainment his entire life.

Classy as always:

Incomplete media coverate:

Dallas Observer article: Texas Frackers Freak Over Proposal to Cut Gas Pollution

KERA: EPA Public Hearing On Methane Emmission Rules Held In Dallas
The proposals are part of the Obama administration’s strategy to cut emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas methane in the production of oil and gas.

DeSmogBlog: Texans Warn EPA Its New Rule to Reduce Methane Pollution Isn’t Tough Enough

NY Times: EPA Hears Widely Different Views on Methane Emission Threat

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. meamous says

    Excellent what your all did up there. Sorry we couldn’t come up ther–medical problems down here in Booger county.
    Your Flir work is excellent.
    Hope the EPA does something now–which they have unwilling to do before.

  2. Eulaine Hall says

    I was very impressed by the turnout of speakers and the quality of their comments. Lucky break that I found myself sitting beside your son, Sharon, who took voluminous notes all during the testimonies.