We already know that EagleRidge is a terrible neighbor!
- An EagleRidge Operating worker was indicted in June 2012 on a felony charge of illegally dumping. City employees visiting the company’s well site in the 3100 block of Airport Road found a pump forcing contaminated water into a tributary of Hickory Creek. LINK
- EagleRidge was operating wells in Denton without a permit. LINK
- EagleRidge had a blowout in Denton that got “sanitized.” LINK But it didn't stay “sanitized.” LINK
- EagleRidge is drilling in a Denton neighborhood less than 200 feet from homes.
- EagleRidge is drilling in Mansfield and polluting air, violating sound ordinances and dividing neighbors. LINK
So it's no surprise to learn that EagleRidge is an awful employer that lacks regard for worker safety. Yesterday I stopped to take photos and video when I passed the EagleRidge drill site directly across from the University of North Texas athletic facility. (Yes, I know: polluting the air our young people are gulping in while practicing sports is reckless.) The video shows workers walking amidst swirling clouds of silica sand aka frack sand. In May 2012, OSHA and NIOSH issued a HAZARD ALERT regarding exposure to silica during hydraulic fracturing. The OSHA info sheet details steps industry needs to take to limit the amount of silica exposure. While they recommend breathing protection, they caution that respirators alone are not sufficient at the levels of exposure seen during fracking. Media reported that workers in Texas were exposed to over 10 times the safe limit.
Like Working in a Refinery: Fracking’s New Chemical Hazards for Workers StateImpact JULY 24, 2012 | 6:30 AM BY DAVE FEHLING Breathing silica dust can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease, and increases the risk of lung cancer. “Short term exposure at a high enough level can result in permanent damage,” said Robert Emery, a chemical safety expert with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
Neighbors in the Denton community who are anticipating fracking less than 200' from their homes should prepare themselves for what they will soon face. If you need help with preparations, please let me know.
