Residents press congresswoman for answers after Marathon pollution release

EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — Tensions ran high at a community meeting in East El Paso as neighbors living near the Marathon refinery demanded answers weeks after a major pollution release.

Residents questioned whether city, state and federal leaders are doing enough to hold the company accountable, saying they are tired of smells, emissions, and waiting for answers.

One resident said, “Number one their hands are probably tied. Number two it is political at the end of the day. Marathon does have representatives, attorneys but so does the city. That’s my problem where is the city? Where is the city attorney at?”

Another resident said the neighborhood has dealt with odors for years, but the recent incident was different.

“We always had the smells and we got used to it over time but what happened a couple weeks ago it never happened like that before,. I told my wife close the doors stay inside.”

A third resident called for immediate steps from officials, saying, “They need to take action. They need to take action. They need to show the community that we matter.”

For many at the meeting, an updated Texas Commission on Environmental Quality report showing more than 31,000 pounds of pollutants were released only added to their frustration.

The meeting began with a congressional update from U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, but residents quickly pressed leaders to move past the update and address the release earlier this month.

The Aug. 4 incident involved the Marathon refinery releasing tons of pollutants into the air.

An updated environmental report later indicated more pollution was released than previously thought.

Marathon said it shut down the affected equipment, stabilized the unit and notified the city of El Paso and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The updated report puts the release at more than 15 tons of pollutants into the air, with three pollutants accounting for nearly 15,000 pounds: more than 10,000 pounds of propylene, more than 3,800 pounds of carbon monoxide, and about 1,095 pounds of sulfur dioxide.

Marathon said it followed required reporting protocols and is still investigating the cause.

Residents also questioned the federal response.

Escobar said the Environmental Protection Agency declined her request for an investigation on Tuesday, saying oversight of the incident falls to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

“We got a response from the EPA yesterday and they totally rejected our call for an investigation. They told us this is a TCEQ issue,” Escobar said.

“The EPA is not going to investigate, they are leaving it in the hands of the TCEQ,” she added.

Escobar left before the meeting ended, but she said she plans to continue pressing state and federal agencies for answers as the TCEQ’s review of the incident moves forward.

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