Public meeting tomorrow night. Does the TCEQ really care what the public thinks? Thanks OGAP and TXSharon

TOMORROW: Public meeting for Barnett Shale Citizens

Help fix TCEQ's 12-hour odor response system


Just a reminder that the public meeting to address TCEQ's stinky odor response system -- and its failings -- will happen TOMORROW. See below.

Despite ample forewarning, and repeated invitations, TCEQ has refused to attend.

Instead, after being lambasted online, and their nonattendance mentioned in the media, TCEQ scheduled what can only be characterized as a distraction of a meeting... for 3 days later. At that meeting, they're planning on showing off their whiz-bang testing equipment. Equipment used in testing which, as we've mentioned repeatedly, fails to discover industry violations even when documented health impacts have been associated with the "non-violations" of the odor policy.

Hope we'll see you tomorrow.

Sharon Wilson
Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project

P.S. At the TCEQ meeting on the 16th, constructive state legislators will also be in attendance. So we're encouraging people to show at both meetings -- so that the legislators can hear first hand accounts of TCEQ's shirking of its responsibility to the public. Stay tuned.

October 13, 2010
7:00 PM

DISH, Texas Town Hall

5413 Tim Donald Road
DISH, Texas 72647

With:

Wilma Subra
TCEQ or their empty chair
U.S. EPA
Sharon Wilson
If you...

Have made an odor complaint to TCEQ and been unhappy with the outcome...

Are interested in learning more about TCEQ's Odor Complaint System...

Want to make "the system" better serve the Citizens of the Shale...

...then come to the meeting! Be part of the solution.


Audiovisual equipment will be available for your use

Contact: texas.ogap@earthworksaction.org

Eight months later, the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project wants to check in with TCEQ -- and the people affected -- to show them how effective this new 12-hour odor response policy is.

Based on public documents, we know that 98% of the time, when you call in with an odor complaint, TCEQ finds no violation, even when 40% of the time you tell them the odors are making you sick with ailments ranging from headaches, vomiting and burning eyes to heart palpitations, dizziness and breathing difficulties. At Texas OGAP, we don't think that's good enough!

In fact, we think it stinks! The 12-hour odor response is broken and we want TCEQ to fix it so it is more protective of public health.