Wyoming Town Warned to Use Fans While Showering to Avoid Chemical Explosions

[The Straight Story]

Wyoming Town Warned to Use Fans While Showering to Avoid Chemical Explosions

Drinking tap or well water for the residents of Pavillion, Wyoming (population: 165) is out of the question, and showering or washing dishes requires fan ventilation to avoid the risk of explosions, thanks to chemical contamination in the oil and gas drilling region.

Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) informed locals that testing revealed the presence of benzene, lead, phthalate, nitrate, 2-butoxyethanol phosphate, petroleum hydrocarbons, methane and high levels of sodium in wells and in groundwater.

The EPA stopped short of blaming EnCana, the Canadian oil and gas company that owns most of the wells near Pavillion, for the contamination, saying it needed to conduct more testing. Although it has not accepted responsibility for the problem, EnCana, which bills itself as a leader in “unconventional natural gas production,” has promised to pay for water deliveries or filtration for homes, but has yet to work out the details.

EnCana has been using a controversial extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”), which involves injecting fluids and sand into rock formations to reach deep reserves of natural gas and oil.

http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/Wyoming_Town_Warned_to_Use_Fans_While_Showering_to_Avoid_Chemical_Explosions_100903

[glinda]

1. Behold the future.

[lostnfound]

2. Reaping what they've sown

I am sorry for the environmentalists in Wyoming, but is there any chance the red-wingers there will notice the connection between politics and clean water?

[dmr]

4. I'm wondering the same thing. n/t

[HCE SuiGeneris]

3. The EPA is a failure. Totally.

It needs a complete dismantling and reorganization.

[Raster]

5. Ther EPA has become a corporate tool and enabler, much like the FDA.

[ClarkUSA]

17. Unless the EPA can prove in a court of law that it's EnCana's fault, they can't blame them publicly.

It's clear that they are in the process of investigating just that, from the OP.

[Donnachaidh]

6. isn't this Alan Simpson's state? THIS should be his *legacy*

He's done SO WELL for his state.... :grr:

[Hannah Bell]

9. lol. he's probably raking in the bucks by selling out his constituents.

[deminks]

10. Cheney's legacy as well

the ultimate oil and gas man.

[pnorman]

7. "Gasland, Will the boom in natural gas drilling contaminate America's water supply?"

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/613/index.html

Also, check here: http://gaslandthemovie.com/

[Loki]

13. Of course it will

and they don't care.

[Flying Squirrel]

8. Promises, promises. n/t

[Mimosa]

11. OMG. OMG. This is horrible. n/t

[Earth_First]

12. They are attempting to begin hydrolic fracturing in Western/central NY

Several EPA/DEC meetings have been moved and or cancelled from the public
paticipation in these meetings.

We do NOT want hydrofracking in New York forests!!!

[rucky]

15. Is the comment period still open?

Or is this a done deal?

[xchrom]

14. what!?!?! nt

[ClarkUSA]

16. WY is one of the reddest states in the country. They love native son Cheney there.

I'll bet everyone in that town voted for Bush/Cheney and pulled the lever for "Drill, Baby, Drill" Palin. It's hard to feel sorry for folks who wanted this company in their backyard.

[progressoid]

18. Right, it couldn't possibly be from the oil wells.

Oy :eyes:

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. doesn't sound good