In addition to the pipeline explosion mentioned in Peter Gorman’s post, there have been all kinds of interesting stuff happening in the natural gas world in the past couple of days:
Here’s an Associated Press story about state regulators fining a Houston company after its gas drillers polluted at least 13 people’s water wells. It wasn’t hard to tell the water wells were fouled – one of them exploded.
Kathy Chruscielski, a local environmental activist, reports that Aledo water wells have tested above maximum levels for safe drinking water. “The presence of radiunuclides in the shallow Upper Trinity Aquifer is highly unusual,” she writes in her online newsletter PARCHED. “Aledo did not have radionuclides in the 2007 water quality report.” Aledo is where many residents complained about problem with their water wells after natural gas drillers flocked to the area.
Chruscielski also reports that a municipal water well in nearby Hudson Oaks was taken out of service after a TCEQ drinking water specialist sent an enforcement letter in May citing radionuclides. The pollution’s source hasn’t been identified.
“Senator Wendy Davis has asked for a Senate investigation of air quality – we need a Senate investigation of groundwater and how our children can be served water that can cause cancer,” Chruscielski said.
Over at WFAA-TV Channel 8 News, Chris Hawes reports that a Fort Worth neighborhood is struggling to keep more high-impact natural gas wells from its midst. Residents are worried after state investigators cited high levels of benzene near area drill sites.
FWCanDo‘s Don Young sent an email noting that Environmental Texas Research & Policy Center released a study on how natural gas drilling can impact drinking water.
“The study adds to the growing body of scientific literature that further verifies what FWCanDo has been telling you for the past five years,” he said. “Namely, that natural gas production is dangerous to your health and is not the ‘clean bridge fuel’ that the industry preaches.”
This is the ultimate hubris. After all the bad news about our air quality, Aruba Petroleum has a rig in North Wise County close to the county line that is belching out massive diesel fumes. Sometimes you can see the cloud of diesel for miles. The TCEQ tells the homeowner that there is a device to prevent the emission but Aruba has refused to use it.
Check out the video. http://txsharon.blogspot.com/2009/11/aruba-petroleum-refuses-simple-step-to.html
Guess what’s in diesel. Benzene!
Our homage to the gas industry is NOT an option. It is a requirement. Welcome to the Barnett Shale – your gateway to Russian politics. As long as you do not expect a rational degree of safety, health or environmental concern, you will be just fine.