Citizens let the TCEQ know exactly how they felt last night. Most spoke out about the natural gas production, coal fired plants, and cement plants.
After one citizen spoke about the role gas drilling is playing in our air quality problems, Susana Hildebrand, Chief Engineer/Deputy Director, TCEQ asked the following question:
"What does natural gas have to do with it. We're talking about smog."
Which summed up why we have such a huge air quality problem...The TCEQ just doesn't get it. TXSharon talks about the TCEQ's inability to see things clearly.
Mayor Tillman had the following to say about how the TCEQ is ignoring the fact that the natural gas industry is an ozone source.
"Are you here to protect the citizens, the people who came out here today, or are you here to protect large corporations?" Tillman asked. "Because frankly, I don't know whose side you're on."
There were 150 to 200 people at the meeting. 42 speakers and all but one spoke out against TCEQ and their lack of protection for the citizens of Texas. The one was Ed Ireland, executive director of the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, the industry spin doctor himself.
Click here to read the article in the Star-Telegram.
Well smog is probably important too...but smog is a side effect of poor air quality in the region, which the shale production is contributing to, in addition to emissions by cars and other industrial facilities. In the end, you shouldn't be able to see your air.
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