Denton Drilling Awareness Group * Earthworks

PRESS RELEASE: MAY 1ST, 2014

CONTACTS: Cathy McMullen, (214) 632-3735, cathymcmullen@live.com Sharon Wilson, (940) 389-
1622, swilson@earthworksaction.org

Videos, air sampling reveal Denton, Texas' broken promises to monitor
fracking pollution
Independent tests of fracking operations prove city cannot be trusted to oversee
fracking
May 1st, Denton -- Today the Denton Drilling Awareness Group (Denton DAG) released infrared
videos of fracking sites within the city, and summa canister test results showing toxic benzene in
a city residents yard adjacent to a fracking operation. Both prove the City Council is breaking its
public promises to monitor fracking air pollution.
View Denton FLIR GasFindIR Videos & Locations in a larger map
The series of videos from the three fracking-enabled drilling sites, -- taken over a period of
several weeks with an infrared FLIR camera widely used by Texas regulators, -- show Volatile
Organic Compounds pollution near residences. VOCs often include cancer causing toxics like
benzene.
The summa canister test, a method also widely used by Texas and federal regulators, was taken
from a Denton residents backyard less than 425 feet from an EagleRidge fracking operation. The
tested residence is one of many adjacent to the same fracking operation. The summa test,
performed near the end of the flowback process, showed that residents were exposed to levels of
benzene pollution exceeding state long term exposure limits and six other compounds including
acetone.
In 2013, the Denton City Council promised in an open public meeting that it would, if not
proactively prevent pollution from fracking operations, at least monitor those operations to insure
that they werent polluting the air. This promise was essential because a loophole in the Denton
City ordinance allows some fracking operations within 250 feet of residences.
These tests show the City of Denton cannot be trusted to protect its citizens from fracking, said
Cathy McMullen, president of the Denton DAG. She continued, Because the City cannot uphold
its public promises to measure fracking pollution -- let alone prevent it -- we have no option but to
protect our health by banning fracking altogether.
The Citys broken promises on fracking have hurt my family, said Deborah Ingram, in whose
yard the summa canister test revealed benzene air pollution from fracking. She continued, I have
had nose bleeds and breathing trouble as a result of this industry. I support a fracking ban
because both city and state government seem more interested in protecting the industry than
protecting the public.
Recent studies indicate the closer one is to the fracking process, the greater ones negative
health effect risk, said Rhonda Love, a retired professor of public health and Denton DAG
secretary. She continued, Fracking has not been demonstrated to be safe. We must ask why we
are exposing families to such risks.
The Denton Drilling Awareness Group is in the final stages of gathering signatures in support of a
ballot initiative to ban all fracking within city limits. The initiative would not ban oil and gas
extraction, just hydraulic fracturing.
A celebration party will be held on May 4th at 805 Ector Street to gather last minute signatures
and consolidate the various petitions. The signatures, which already exceed the minimum
requirement to put the ban initiative on the fall ballot, will be formally submitted to the city the
following week.
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More Information
Map of FLIR video locations (with video links) and the Summa Canister test: http://bit.ly/PRvt6i
Summa Canister test results: http://bit.ly/1ftRjcx
Frack Free Denton: http://frackfreedenton.com