Vapors Sicken Arlington

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Residents of several Arlington neighborhoods where Chesapeake Energy is drilling for natural gas claim the vapor clouds released by certain stages of the operations are making them sick — and they’re challenging the company to allow outside monitoring of the emissions.
Numerous people living in the Fish Creek, Norwood, Oaks, and Interlochen neighborhoods say they are getting nosebleeds, headaches, and other ailments when Chesapeake conducts fracking: shooting millions of gallons of chemical-laced water deep into underground shale formations to release trapped natural gas.



Vapor clouds emanating from gas-drilling sites, like this one in Arlington, seem to be causing health problems for people nearby. Tim Ruggeiro
Residents’ problems, they say, occur during the flowback stage of fracking, a several-days-long process when the extremely salty and toxic liquid returns to the surface. Some residents have teamed up with the Texas Oil and Gas Accountability Project, which is part of the Earthworks environmental group, an organization dedicated to protecting communities from the effects of irresponsible mineral and energy development. The residents said Chesapeake has long ignored their good-faith pleas to control the emissions.

Chesapeake spokespersons say the vapor clouds are clean steam from hot water.

The neighbors, according to a press release, are specifically asking Chesapeake to “provide independent verification of the company’s claim that fumes released from Chesapeake facilities ... were simply steam — and therefore could not have caused harm to area residents.”
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http://www.fwweekly.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5433:vapors-sicken-arlington&catid=76:metropolis&Itemid=377

[freshwest]

1. Fracking? Oh, I thought Cheney and Beck were talking outside. But seriously,

It's appalling what is being done to destroy the water supply in a state that just went thorough a record breaking drought, so severe that some of the agriculture may never recover.

If the GOP and their ALEC friends get their way, large swathes of this continent will be worthless to support life.

This is tragic, and a result of Bush and Perry, as well as years of pandering to the oil oligarches. Sorry this is happening. I'm sure that RFK, Jr. would help as he's helped in air quality matters before.

[sonias]

2. They need to monitor the air quick

I would not rely on the industry to do it. They'll just hire a lab to cook the results for them. And asking the TCEQ for help is pointless.

They need an independent company they hire to collect and analyze the data.

Best of luck to the residents!

[TexasTowelie]

3. Sorry for the residents there.

But are we certain that it isn't the stench left after another disappointing season at JerryWorld?

[thelordofhell]

4. Wait until the earthquakes happen......and their groundwater becomes toxic

And these fracking motherfuckers will just slither away, saying it's not their fault.

[Vincardog]

5. Capture the cloud. Pump it into Chesapeake Energy's headquarters just say you are steam cleaning it.

[mbperrin]

6. The "steam" is indeed heated water, which is ALSO carrying: salts, acids, and natural gas itself.

Quite toxic. You will note that the company has placed the frac tanks so that the vapor is blowing OFF the site and AWAY from THEIR personnel.

If a stray bullet caught some of that manifold on the front, fracking would cease until repairs were made. In reality, that vapor should be captured by a return line and fed directly back as condensed liquid into the tank.

Even here in the midst of the Permian Basin, Chesapeake is considered one of the more uncaring and careless companies.