Beaver Co. resident reacts to Shell air emissions violation
Two leading environmental nonprofit organizations criticized Shell Chemicals Appalachia on Thursday, a day after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a violation notice to the company for exceeding air emissions. A press release produced by the Clean Air Council and the Environmental Integrity Project described the air emissions violations as “unacceptable and unprecedented in Pennsylvania.” In its notice of violation, DEP indicated that during the 12-month rolling period that ended in October, Shell emitted a total of 662.9 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). For the period ending the previous month, the DEP said, Shell had emitted 521.6 tons of VOCs. Both months eclipsed the allowed limit of 516.2 tons of VOCs. Word of the report reached Rachel Meyer, a Beaver County resident who lives less than 15 miles from the plant. “They were way over the limit,” Meyer said. “And they only started working a month ago.” Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 sat down with Meyer at her home in Independence Township. With her 3-year-old daughter in the other room, Meyer explained that she began paying close attention to Shell’s potential impact on the community a few years ago, when she learned about the company’s pipeline being built to transport ethane. to the cracker plant. Meyer said that she has noticed that as the oil and gas infrastructure around her has expanded, her asthma has exacerbated at times. “Wheezing and shortness of breath,” Meyer said. “I’ve been lucky not to have anything too serious.” Her main concern is the plant’s potential effect on the health of children, including her daughter. “Her lungs are still developing,” Meyer said. “I worry about my 3-year-old daughter, specifically what she’s breathing. I don’t want her to end up with asthma like I did.” Moms Clean Air Force field coordinator. “It’s very important that people are watching and that we hold them accountable,” Meyer said. “I didn’t like seeing this report, but I was really glad that it came out and that people know what’s going on.”
Two leading environmental nonprofit organizations criticized Shell Chemicals Appalachia on Thursday, a day after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a violation notice to the company for exceeding air emissions.
A press release produced by the Clean Air Council and the Environmental Integrity Project described the air emissions violations as “unacceptable and unprecedented in Pennsylvania.”
In its breach notification, DEP indicated that during the rolling 12-month period ending in October, Shell emitted a total of 662.9 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). For the period ending the previous month, the DEP said, Shell had emitted 521.6 tons of VOCs. Both months eclipsed the allowed limit of 516.2 tons of VOCs.
Word of the report reached Rachel Meyer, a Beaver County resident who lives less than 15 miles from the plant.
“They were so over the top,” Meyer said. “And they only started working a month ago.”
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 sat down with Meyer at her home in Independence Township. With her 3-year-old daughter in the other room, Meyer explained that she began paying close attention to Shell’s potential impact on the community a few years ago, when she learned about the company’s pipeline being built to transport ethane to the biscuit plant.
Meyer said she has noticed that as the oil and gas infrastructure around her has expanded, her asthma has flared up at times.
“Wheezing and shortness of breath,” Meyer said. “I’ve been lucky not to have anything too serious.”
Her main concern is the plant’s potential effect on the health of children, including her daughter.
“Her lungs are still developing,” Meyer said. “I worry about my 3-year-old daughter, specifically what she’s breathing. I don’t want her to end up with asthma like I did.”
Meyer has channeled her fears into action, volunteering for the Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community and becoming a field coordinator for the Moms Clean Air Force.
“It’s very important that people are watching and that we hold them accountable,” Meyer said. “I didn’t like seeing this report, but I was really glad that it came out and that people know what’s going on.”