A Texas town is ignoring its own test results to allow fracking to continue in violation of city ordinances and to the endangerment of local residents. Frack Jobs (a.k.a. Hydraulic Fracturing) is a controversial method of expanding natural gas and fossil oil production from old fields. Well, controversial to some, to others it is the magic method to enable us to remain addicted to fossil oil and natural gas. In any case recent studies have shown that Frack Jobs result in excess methane production
, and now residents of a town in Texas have done an independent study showing Frack Jobs emit a wide range of toxic chemicals.
, and now residents of a town in Texas have done an independent study showing Frack Jobs emit a wide range of toxic chemicals.
Residents of Colleyville and Southlake Texas banded together with the Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project to do a study of Titan Operations’ “mini-frack” on the border of both communities. The tests prove emissions released during fracking and flowback contain dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.
Colleyville resident Kim Davis said on AlterNet.org “The tests confirmed our worst fears, while Colleyville ignored their own tests to let fracking continue. Apparently the city represents Titan and the gas industry instead of local residents.”
Colleyville City ordinances say: “No person shall allow, cause or permit gases to be vented into the atmosphere or to be burned by open flame.”
The test results found twenty-six chemicals, including carbon disulfide, a neurotoxin at twice the state level for short-term exposure, Benzene, a known carcinogen, Naphthalene, a suspected carcinogen, Carbonyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide and Pyridine.
Gordon Aalund, an MD with toxicology training who lives in Southlake and practices emergency medicine said, “Exceeding long and short term exposure limits to these toxics places us all at increased and unneeded risk. When your government fails to protect you and the company cannot be trusted, private citizens are forced to act.”
Residents had been told by Chesapeake Energy that flowback emissions were just “steam”.
“It’s state and local failures like these that make plain the need to close fracking loopholes in federal environmental laws,” said Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project organizer Sharon Wilson.
http://www.alternet.org/fracking/155189/independent_test_results_show_fracking_flowback_emissions_are_dangerous_toxic_chemicals
In Jan 2010 RiverKeeper released a report airing these concerns about Hydraulic Fracturing
In Jan 2010 RiverKeeper released a report airing these concerns about Hydraulic Fracturing
- Failure to adequately analyze and address the potential establishment of exclusionary zones and permanent protection measures for critically important environmental areas
- Failure to adequately analyze and address cumulative impacts to the State’s air and water resources that would result from the processes used in horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing operations statewide
- Failure to adequately analyze and address the economic costs associated with environmental contamination from shale gas development and industrial gas drilling
- Failure to adequately analyze and address the economic value and benefits of intact forest and wetland ecosystems
- Failure to consider the findings and conclusions of state regulators from states that have experience with horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing that demonstrate clear examples of drinking water contamination from this process, in direct contradiction to the statements in the DSGEIS
- Failure to adequately analyze and address whether the State has the financial and personnel resources necessary to adequately permit, monitor and inspect all aspects of horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing operations and to enforce state regulations and permit conditions in the event of environmental contamination
- Failure to propose any new regulations to govern the proposed increase in horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing, and instead propose to process, monitor, mitigate impacts and enforce permits on a well-by-well basis
- Failure to adequately analyze and address the ability to handle and dispose of production brine and flowback water containing, among other toxics, naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs).
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