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Feb 2, 2010 7:35 pm US/Central
Moncrief Wants Independent Air Quality Tests
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Roughnecks take a break from working the Peterson Drilling Company rig in Carlsbad, New Mexico, February 26, 2000.
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Despite state tests showing safe air quality across North Texas' natural gas sights, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief said he wants to use the city's natural gas revenues to fund its own, independent tests. Sources say the test could cost about $200,000.
"It doesn't hurt to double check. That's just good, sound reasoning," Mayor Moncrief said.
Moncrief said he isn't questioning the results of other state and independent tests but wants to be able to add to data for Fort Worth residents.
"I want to make sure through independent testing we are able to ensure people here we've done everything we can to make sure this community is safe," Mayor Moncrief said.
A report issued last week by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found two wells near the city of Dish that far exceeded environmental emission standards. It also noted a handful of others with levels that meet the standards, but are higher than TCEQ would like. The TCEQ concluded air standards overall are safe.
There are questions about testers taking samples only in colder winter months, what effects well sites have over a longer period of time, and about discrepancies between state and independent tests.
"I think we need to do what we can, with today's technology, to ensure that the information that we receive from TCEQ is something everyone's comfortable with," Moncrief said.
"Overall we think it's a good move," assured North Central Texas Communities Alliance (NCTCA) President Esther McElfish. The NCTCA is a homeowner group focused on natural gas issues. McElfish went on to say, "And we certainly want the citizens to stay informed and be in the loop, in terms of how they plan to do this and the details. But this is a tremendous first step."
The TCEQ already planned a series of follow up tests and issued a statement Tuesday that said, in part, "TCEQ announced plans to conduct a Spring 2010 monitoring event in Fort Worth during the City Council pre-meeting on 1/12/2010. The TCEQ and the City will coordinate to ensure that the two events cover the largest geographical area practicable and the events do not result in the duplication of effort. The more data the better."
"We all need to be partners in this effort," Moncrief said. "But there needs to be a comfort zone too. And right now there isn't. There are still questions that are being asked. And those questions deserve answers and it's up to us to provide them."
Mayor Moncrief proposed that funding for the new tests be paid for through revenues generated by the drilling in the Barnett Shale.
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