Lessons from the Lone Star State

Following is TXsharon's October 17th post on Bluedaze. Splashdown is reposting it in its entirety as a heads up to people on the Marcellus shale! We need to be vigilant and demand accountability, or things may not be too different here.

Thank you Sharon.

Let forewarned be forearmed:

Dear EPA: TX Regulators too Conflicted to Regulate

Dear EPA,

Please intervene in Texas! We need help!

• Our regulatory agencies are plagued with conflict of interest issues.
  
• Political favors are paid back with appointments to regulatory agencies.
• Regulators deny scientific findings.
  
• They even tell lies and catapult the propaganda about regulation in our state.

Texas is dealing with serious pollution issues and the human tragedies are mounting yet our top regulatory agency can only conduct slap happy testing.

DISH Mayor Calvin Tillman said Friday that he is disappointed that disulfide compounds were not part of the monitoring.

"I expected them to test for everything," Tillman said. "They seem to dismiss any real threat from those, so I’m not surprised to hear that they didn’t do any testing on them."

Star-Telegram article

Reader Comment:

txlawyer2 wrote on 10/17/2009 7:14:33 AM:

They didn't test for manure either, but the overwhelming odor in the cover-up proves its presence.

Something really STINKS about this latest TCEQ air quality study.

• We have two private studies that show high levels of toxins.
• We have the study from SMU where the state numbers supported the conclusion.
• We have infrared videos.

What will it take to get your attention?

We are hardworking, taxpaying citizens of the United States. You spend our tax dollars handing out industry awards that the arrogant industry uses to taunt the human collateral damage caused by their negligence.

Attn EPA: Blowing the Whistle on Chesapeake

Industry hubris has no limits! Chesapeake CEO unconcerned about backlash against natural gas production. There is no one they will not sacrifice in their quest for profits and even our city elected officials are plagued with conflict of interest issues. We have no where else to turn.

Texas has the most GHG emissions in the nation. For the sake of the whole country, intervene in Texas now!

Dear EPA, I know you are watching.

We need federal intervention.

Update: The tone of this letter in the Dallas Morning News is so on target!

Sure, they'll handle dirty air
4:54 PM Sat, Oct 17, 2009
Letter to the Editor

Re: "State testing Barnett Shale air quality -- Agency studies 5-county area after town of Dish finds toxic emissions," Wednesday Business.

A spokesperson for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality enthusiastically states, "We're really going to get a handle on the air quality in that area," referring to the impact on air quality by Barnett Shale drilling operations in Denton, Wise, Parker, Tarrant and Johnson counties.

That certainly inspires confidence after the TCEQ's incompetence in assessing the dangers of toxic air emissions from the chemical facilities around Houston, Baytown and Port Arthur.

And let's not forget the TCEQ's stellar debacle in monitoring TXI's toxic emissions in Midlothian. Keep your eyes peeled for flying pigs.
Ed Soph, Denton

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!