several samples over a long period of time would need to be taken in order to confirm that the long-term AMCV is being exceeded in order to assess whether the public is being exposed to benzene at concentrations which would adversely impact human health or welfare. Because the report released by DAG is a single short term sample, and includes no other subsequent sampling, that one report does not indicate that the long-term health AMCV for benzene has been exceeded, or provides a basis for concern. EagleRidge Energy also points out that DAG did not disclose the results of other contemporaneous air sampling done by the State of Texas that show that benzene concentrations in the neighborhood have not exceeded either
the state’s
short-term or long-term health AMCVs. Links to those reports are at the end of this press release. TCEQ collected air samples in the immediate area of Ea
gleRidge’s gas production sites on 2/7/2014, 2/9/2014 shortly after the sample cited by DAG, and on 2/10/2014. According to TCEQ’s published sampling reports,
the location of all of the
TCEQ’s samples were in closer proximity to EagleRidge’s gas productio
n sites, and therefore would reflect the highest concentrations of benzene in the tests taken by either DAG or the TCEQ., The air samplings from the TCEQ tests measured benzene concentrations of (0.46, 0.72, and 0.46 ppbv) that are most importantly substantially below the concentration levels released by DAG and well below short-term and long-term AMCVs guidelines established by the TCEQ.
Based upon TCEQ’s published results, and in accordance with TCEQ’s guidelines, the
residents of the neighborhood are not being exposed to benzene at concentrations which would adversely impact human health or welfare in the short-term or the long-term. EagleRidge Energy is providing this information because DAG chose to report only one air sample, while ignoring other air samples that demonstrate no dangerous levels of benzene
in the area of EagleRidge Energy’s gas production operations.
EagleRidge also noted that the sample released by DAG was not accompanied by a
“background” sample, or a sample which measures the ambient concentration of contaminants in
the air upwind of the padsite to assess other sources of benzene in the area. Without sampling
alleged “clean” air upwind of EagleRidge’s
padsite, one cannot scientifically deduce that
EagleRidge’s operation contribut
ed to the benzene concentration detected in the air sample released by DAG. A sample immediately upw
ind of EagleRidge’s
padsite would assist in excluding other sources of benzene located in the neighborhood. The samples taken by the TCEQ by comparison, were taken closer to the padsite and provide a more reliable basis for assessing the presence of benzene in the neighborhood. EagleRidge would also point out that TCEQ has actively sampled the air in the Barnett Shale area in North Texas and
concluded that the air monitors are showing “no signs of concern for any chemicals” and that there are “no immediate health concerns for air quality in the area.” A link to TCEQ’s report on its air sampling in the Barnett Shale area is at the end of this press
release. And, t
he results of the TCEQ’s air sampling