El Paso leaders demand Marathon refinery answers after residents report noxious fumes

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Residents near the Marathon Petroleum refinery in El Paso reported being alarmed this week by strong odors and fumes.

Local leaders are demanding answers and greater transparency from the company.

City Rep. Josh Acevedo is asking for accountability.

My office heard directly from residents who were alarmed by the overwhelming odors and fumes coming from the refinery,” Acevedo said. “When we sought answers, we were told the issue was being monitored and that there was no danger to the public. After seeing the report from TCEQ, we now understand that what we were told was not accurate information.

Acevedo is calling on Marathon representatives to appear before the El Paso City Council to explain what happened and what the company knew during the incident.

“We shouldn’t have to wonder whether our air is safe to breathe,” Acevedo said. “Marathon needs to explain exactly what its representatives knew, what they told me and me of the public, and why subsequent information appears to contradict those statements.”

El Paso County Commissioner David Stout also provided a statement:

Marathon Petroleum’s disdainful treatment of neighboring families and the elected officials who represent them is entirely unacceptable. Following Tuesday and Wednesday’s incidents, our calls for transparency were largely met with silence, despite the fact that the refinery violated state-issued air permit limits by emitting an unpermitted surge of hazardous pollutants.“My office was never directly informed by the refinery when the incident began. It was not until more than two hours later—and only after I took the initiative to contact refinery management, that I received any information. Even then, I was only told that the source of the odor had been identified, air monitoring had been deployed, and no health risks had been detected.“After receiving no further updates that night or the following morning, I requested a status update at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. I was given a vague explanation and was once again assured that monitoring equipment did not detect levels of concern and that Marathon’s teams had resolved the situation.“I was aghast and felt completely misled by Marathon officials when I later was advised regarding the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) reports which held that 862 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released over a 24-hour period, amounting to 3,591 times the permitted limit. Furthermore, the situation had clearly not been resolved by Wednesday morning. Within the first two hours of the incident alone, 19 pounds of 1,3-butadiene and 8,897.9 pounds (4.4 tons) of propylene were spewed into the surrounding neighborhood. Both amounts vastly exceed permitted allowances. Emitting these substances at these extreme levels absolutely poses a severe health risk and should have been of immediate concern to the refinery.“Marathon Petroleum’s handling of this situation was lackluster at best and deplorable at worst. They must be held accountable. This incident underscores the urgent need for the refinery to work collaboratively with local leaders to keep our community safe, implement more rigorous air monitoring in surrounding neighborhoods, and keep the public honestly informed.

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contaminants from the Marathon Petroleum refinery were released into the atmosphere over the course of two days, and a strong sulfuric odor reached distances of miles away. Flaring continued on Friday.

The agency said a total of 862 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released over 24 hours, from Tuesday at 7:47 p.m. to Wednesday at 7:47 p.m. The report said the incident began after a “Fluid Catalytic Cracker (FCC) experienced a process upset and shut down.”

The report listed the sulfur dioxide emission limit as 0.01 pounds per hour, or 0.24 pounds over 24 hours, making the release 3,591 times over the limit.

On Tuesday, from 7:10 p.m. to 9:23 p.m., the refinery released 19 pounds of 1,3-butadiene and 8,897.9 pounds of propylene– or 4.4 tons– in 2 hours and 13 minutes. As in the first incident, the report said the release was triggered when an FCC “experienced a process upset and shut down.”

Both contaminants have an emission limit of 1.25 pounds per hour, the report said.

Gabriel Ibarra-Mejia, M.D., Ph.D., MSErg, UTEP, Associate Professor, explained what the release of chemicals means.

“It exceeds whatever guideline or norm or regulation that’s out there. Yes, it exceeds it by very much. Well, when those levels exceed regulations, first that is a, I mean, you’re breaking especially that regulation, so you have to do something about it. But this is when it also might have a potential effect on the surroundings, which in this case will be the general environment, communities, and everything else in it,” said Ibarra-Mejia.

Marathon refinery officials said trained professionals responded to the alerts, identified the source, and addressed the situation.

The refinery also said air monitoring was deployed as a precaution, but it did not detect any readings indicating health risks.

Acevedo is requesting that Marathon representatives explain what occurred at the refinery; what pollutants were released and in what quantities; when company officials became aware of the nature and extent of the release; what information was available when residents and elected officials were initially told the event was routine and harmless; and what steps the company will take to ensure accurate and timely communication during future incidents.

Acevedo is also requesting information about potential short- and long-term health effects associated with the substances released, what air-quality monitoring was done during the incident, and whether nearby residents should seek medical attention or take other precautions.

“Marathon has an obligation to be transparent, especially when the health of our residents may be at stake,” Acevedo said. “The first step to establishing trust would be for Marathon to accept the invitation to speak at City Council and provide clarity and accountability to our community.”

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