A new report published today by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) reveals illegal emissions of harmful sulfur dioxide by the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin. The report also unveils an alarming lack of air quality monitors that should be protecting the public from air pollution in West Texas, especially in Ector County.
EIP demonstrates air quality impacts using the industry’s own self-reported unauthorized releases of air pollution and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s air quality model known as AERMOD (American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection Agency Model) with actual weather conditions at the time and place of emissions incidents.
Although there is a growing number of oil and gas facilities as well as population in the Permian Basin, only one sulfur dioxide monitor is in place. The county of 156,000 residents experienced sulfur dioxide air pollution in excess of levels set by the EPA, and by federal law, exceedances of these standards trigger a requirement for states to issue more rigid pollution control permits. Burning of substances containing hydrogen sulfide and sulfur, including coal, oil, and gas, produces sulfur dioxide, resulting in an acrid smell of burnt matches. Hydrogen sulfide creates a “sour” gas smell much resembling that of rotten eggs and causes headaches at low levels. According to the EPA, short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide can cause harm to the human respiratory system, making breathing difficult for those who suffer from asthma as well as the elderly and children. Previous studies have shown a correlation between short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide and increased visits to hospital emergency rooms.
To combat this harm to the people of the Permian Basin, the report recommends a series of steps for better monitoring and control of air pollution, listed below.
1) Texas should invest in the health of Permian Basin residents by installing a regional air quality monitoring network to measure pollution in the Midland-Odessa area.
2) EPA should conduct its own investigation into whether air quality in the Permian Basin meets federal health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standards. If the region is in nonattainment, this would require stricter protections to improve air quality and human health.
3) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Railroad Commission of Texas (which regulates oil and gas operations) should more vigorously enforce state permitting rules for oil and gas operations to ensure that the state only issue permits to facilities that can demonstrate that their emissions will comply with state and federal standards.
4) TCEQ should crack down on illegal pollution in the Permian Basin by penalizing oil and gas companies for gas flaring that pollutes over permitted levels.
With vigorous and consistent air quality monitoring in conjunction with state and federal enforcement, we can properly serve to protect the health of the residents of the Permian Basin.
EIP’s press release in full is found here, and link to their full report here.