Texas

[LoveCochins]

To Nacognoches, from Central TX.

Everything is good here. The storm veered East and we were just on the edge. We were so lucky, but I feel bad for those that were hit. Praying they get their power soon. It's so hot and humid. Thanks for thinking about us.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Now I understand much better what @RUNuts meant about gasses and generators. We don't have the petrochemical industry down here just ship breakers and soon a smelting facility.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...tion-were-released-before-laura-made-landfall

 

[007Sean]

Now I understand much better what @RUNuts meant about gasses and generators. We don't have the petrochemical industry down here just ship breakers and soon a smelting facility.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...tion-were-released-before-laura-made-landfall

Not only during storms, they do that alot during fair weather too! It's one of the reasons I do my testing at night....they feel they can get away with it under the cover of darkness.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Not only during storms, they do that alot during fair weather too! It's one of the reasons I do my testing at night....they feel they can get away with it under the cover of darkness.

Yep and in the Eagle Ford play frakkers don't seem to be financially interested in fixing their leaks with all that sour(highly sulfurous) gas. The people in that area are constantly exposed to all sorts of VOC's. Not to mention they can't put sour gas into commercial pipelines to ship it. They need to separate it close to the well head and flare it there. Glad I didn't choose to get property there. You would need to go back in time on the Texas Observer or Tribune site to find my reference.
Here is a long read but not the one I am thinking of.
https://apps.texastribune.org/pass-to-poison/

 

[007Sean]

Yep and in the Eagle Ford play frakkers don't seem to be financially interested in fixing their leaks with all that sour(highly sulfurous) gas. The people in that area are constantly exposed to all sorts of VOC's. Glad I didn't choose to get property there. You would need to go back in time on the Texas Observer or Tribune site to find my reference.
Here is a long read but not the one I am thinking of.
https://apps.texastribune.org/pass-to-poison/

Yep, the oil & gas companies are the worse polluters. I've done testing at every major and independent refinery in Texas and Louisana. Some have good environmental commitments, others, not so much. The problem is they pay to pollute...the more they pay for their permits, the more they pollute. It's sad!
I've been 'bribed' to look the other way but instead, reported it to the authorities....unfortunately, their lobbyists have greater sway than the regulating authorities.

 

[007Sean]

Alot of the time, if you go pass a refinery at night and they are releasing a lot of 'tail gas' from the tail gas burners, they are having major problems with their processes. During the day time if the igniters are not working properly, the gas is just escaping into the atmosphere, and alot of the time it can't be seen during daylight hours. Same is true at night but when storms like Laura hit, they 'blow out' the igniters and the gas escapes unabated into the storm winds and gets carried and distributed over a huge area.

 

[007Sean]

Case in point, all refineries require that employees and contractors wear Nomex. I was working at a refinery in Conroe, won't mention which one but they are a 'major'. I was testing a separate process line but it had a 'tail gas' burner positioned right above where I was working. Couldn't see it burning during the day but at night, what the heck! Durning the day, drops of some kind of liquid was falling on me! I asked about it but was told it wasn't harmful! it burned through the Nomex!!! Yeah right, not harmful. At night you could actually see the droplets falling...drops of fire! Later on found out it was propylene oxide! It ignites when it makes contact with the air!

 

[AllenK RGV]

Sad but true and I felt TCEQ did a good job in Wise county back in the 2007 to 2010 time frame. We lived real close to plenty of frack sites never noticed a single issue but if you look at how their budget has been shrunk since then you would expect the agency to up the fines they get reported to offset those losses. Its budget is way less than half now and poisoning rural folks in your neck of the woods with the Eagle Ford play. You should join Sierra club or some other environmental coalition and donate to getting them sued. Cheaper to fix things than defend lawsuits to get em into compliance.

 

[007Sean]

Sad but true and I felt TCEQ did a good job in Wise county back in the 2007 to 2010 time frame. We lived real close to plenty of frack sites never noticed a single issue but if you look at how their budget has been shrunk since then you would expect the agency to up the fines they get reported to offset those losses. Its budget way less than half now and poisoning rural folks in your neck of the woods with the Eagle Ford play. You should join Sierra club or some other environmental coalition and donate to getting them sued. Cheaper to fix things than defend lawsuits to get em into compliance.

I use to be an employee of you! I was working at TCEQ and before the name change from 'train wreak' (TNRCC).
I'd 'bust' a company, determine the amount of the fines for violating the permit rules. Then the Enforcement side of TCEQ would waiver or reduce the fines to a point it was like a 'slap on the wrist'!

 

[007Sean]

I wore several 'hats' while I was employed with the State. Environmental Investigator, Special Investigator ;ie(wore a gun), Ambient Monitoring Specialist, and Outdoor Burning Coordinator. Also responsible for media releases of Health Advisory Alerts....Ozone Action Days!