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Study: Benzene, carbon disulfide levels overall low in Flower Mound (updated)
By Chris Roark, roarkc@acnpapers.com
According to a report released by Flower Mound on Thursday, an ambient air study conducted by independent environmental testing agency Kleinfelder Central Inc. in January showed that traces of benzene at eight locations were either not detectable or registered well below standards set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
The TCEQ’s short-term effects screening level for benzene is 54 parts per billion (ppb), and the closest any tested site came to that was the Wilson gas pad site entrance located on Scenic Road, which registered 1.07 ppb.
“I am very happy about the report. It was better than I expected,” said Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Steve Dixon. “I’m relieved that the benzene levels are next to nothing. It confirms that the air we are breathing is healthy, and this is a good thing for everyone in Flower Mound.”
The test also showed that traces of carbon disulfide were either not detectable or were below the TCEQ standards at five of the eight locations. At the other three locations, levels marginally exceeded the TCEQ’s short-term ESL standard of 10 ppb.
Those locations were Furst Ranch, which recorded 18.5 ppb, the Morriss Road park site (11.2 ppb) and Fire Station No. 2, located at 4401 Shiloh Road (69 ppb).
The report notes that while 69 ppb surpasses 10 ppb, it is well below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)’s permissible workplace exposure limit. The Environmental Protection Agency has established 2,240 ppb as a health-protective screening level.
“Obviously, the carbon disulfide levels gave me reason to pause and ask for more information,” Dixon said. “But, after communicating with TCEQ this week, we understand that they characterize their own thresholds as incredibly low and misleading. Even they are saying these levels are safe and there is nothing to worry about.”
Flower Mound’s report also notes that TCEQ’s standards are currently being debated as being too low, stating that a TCEQ internal memo has described the standards as being more than 200 times lower than the EPA.
Council member Al Filidoro expressed his concern about the standards and said he has heard talk of baselines being moved, which makes some results appear to be better than they are.
“Maybe we need to know more about these baselines,” Filidoro said. “If we’re changing the baseline, then all of a sudden, the air is cleaner. And it’s not. We need to understand the acceptable levels, and I want to see how these acceptable levels have changed.”
The other locations tested were the Armstrong Huggins gas well pad site, the intersection of High Road and Sunnyview, Scenic Road at the Wilson pad entrance, a Lewisville ISD spot near Quail Run Road and Gerault Park.
The report includes a statement from the testing agency that states, “Significant health concerns expressed outside of the agency regarding these reported carbon disulfide levels appear unwarranted.”
It also states, “While the current ambient air observations appear to be consistent with urban ambient air and not indicative of significant releases or fugitive emissions from the nearby oil and gas activities noted in/and around surrounding Flower Mound, the changing nature of exploration, production and transmission activities may necessitate periodic evaluation to provide additional information.”
Council member Tom Hayden said evaluation is crucial.
“In the future, there could be 10 times the number of gas wells in Flower Mound that we have now,” Hayden said. “We need a baseline in the future so that we’ll know how to react to that. First, we need to figure out how to meet air-quality issues at the pad sites. Second, we have to monitor it. Then if we have issues, we need to know how to take action to correct it. We need to get our arms around air quality before we have all these wells.”
For a complete look at the study’s results, go to www.flower-mound.com.
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