How to get away with murder – Fair weather drilling: February 2011

With our current temperatures reaching to the 100s and plus, it’s hard to believe that in February we had temperatures dipping into the teens. And during those times our community was experiencing power outages and rolling blackouts and an unusually high number of health effects.

Before we show you a video made by TCEQ state investigators of emissions at Argyle Central in February, it might be nice to know just exactly what you are looking at:

• Ethane: A colorless gas with a mild Gasoline-like odor that acts as a simple asphyxiant.
• Ethlylene: Excessive inhalation of this material causes headache, dizziness, nausea and loss of coordination, and in extreme conditions coma and possibly death. High concentrations may trigger heartbeat irregularities, and possible cardiac sensitization.
• Acetylene: An asphyxiant and may cause anesthetic effects at high concentrations. High concentrations may exclude an adequate supply of oxygen to the lungs.
• Propane: Inhalation of high concentrations may cause central nervous system depression such as dizziness, drowsiness, headache, and similar narcotic symptoms, but no long-term effects. Numbness, a “chilly” feeling, and vomiting have been reported from accidental exposures to high concentrations. This product is a simple asphyxiant.
• Dichlorofluoromethane: Acts as a simple asphyxiant by displacing air necessary for life. Symptoms include lightheadedness, giddiness, disorientation, shortness of breath and possible cardiac arrythmias.
• Methylene chloride: The substance is toxic to lungs, the nervous system, liver, mucous membranes, central nervous system (CNS). Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.
• Isobutane: Can irritate the eyes, mucous membranes and respiratory system at high concentrations. Inhalation of high concentrations may cause dizziness, disorientation, incoordination, narcosis, nausea or narcotic effects.
• n-Butane: Acts as a simple asphyxiant.
• Isopentene: Headache, dizziness, drowsiness, intoxication, anaesthesia experienced by inhalation.
• Trichlorofluoromethane: Symptoms of asphyxiation, loss of coordination, increased pulse rate and deeper respiration will occur. In repeated exposure tests with animals, changes were noted in liver functions and lipid production at levels above 100 ppm. At high levels, cardiac arrhythmia may occur.
• Benzene: Respiratory tract irritation. May cause drowsiness, unconsciousness, and central nervous system depression. Exposure may lead to irreversible bone marrow injury. Exposure may lead to aplastic anemia. Potential symptoms of overexposure by inhalation are dizziness, headache, vomiting, visual disturbances, staggering gait, hilarity, fatigue, and other symptoms of CNS depression. Not to mention the reason there is a warning label on tobacoo products.
• Carbon tetrachloride: Probable carcinogen. Inhalation and ingestion are harmful, and may be fatal. Irritant. Skin contact may lead to dermatitis. Long-term exposure may lead to kidney or liver damage, CNS disturbance, cancer and damage to eyes, skin and lungs.
• Cyclopentane: Can cause respiratory tract irritation, headache, nausea, drowsiness and central nervous system depression. High concentrations are expected to have a narcotic effect with dizziness, coma and, in extreme cases, respiratory failure.
• Toluene: Causes respiratory tract irritation. Inhalation of high concentrations of toluene are clearly associated with CNS encephalopathy, headache, depression, lassitude (weakness, exhaustion), impaired coordination, transient memory loss, and impaired reaction time.
• m&p Xylene: Links to information on toxicity to humans, including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and acute toxicity.

Each one of these alone is scary enough, but ALL of these chemicals were detected in the state investigation on February 7^th.  Now, here is a snippet of that chemical cocktail, blowing directly onto neighboring properties, in a FLIR video made by our state investigators:

See, we told you it was scary. Even scarier, is the list of community health effects and observations documented by ABCAlliance members living near Argyle Central around the time this video was made. We’ll let you decide if there are any similarities to our communities health effects and the health effects listed above:

• Coughing, feeling tired
• Bronchitis, 3 prescriptions filled
• Heard loud blow torch sound
• Coughing, medication needed,
• Blisters on skin, lethargic, headache
• Coughing up mucous, gagging, slightly vomiting
• Sore through, lethargic, rash, eyes swollen
• Terrible headache, runny nose
• Nosebleed
• Ovarian pain
• Sore neck, runny eyes, runny nose
• Migraine, blurry vision
• Heart palpitations
• Rash on wrists
• Strange blister like rash on abdomen
• Congestion
• Smells like pesticide and vomit
• Seeing brown spots
• Burn smell in house
• Really bad cough attack
• Youngest reported smelling gas in backyard
• Sneezing, eyes watering and red
• Watery eyes, coughing, throat hurts, smells like chemicals in house
• Couldn’t sleep last night, woke again at 1:30 AM with heart palpitating
• Heart is racing, feel like I’m choking
• Smells like chemicals
• Choking when I try to speak
• Gagging and hacking frequently
• Had poppy field syndrome, fell asleep and stayed in bed all day and night
• Felt sudden onset fatigue
• Dull headache all week
• Smelled like crayons throughout my neighborhood.

Who wants to guess whether or not any violations were found? Be sure and tune in next week for our edition of Fair Weather Drilling: August 2011. We won’t guarantee it will be any more fun, but you will certainly be more educated.