El Paso council weighs call for TCEQ, EPA public meeting after Marathon emissions

EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso City Council is set to take up a proposal aimed at getting more answers about recent emissions at the Marathon Petroleum refinery, including what was released and what it could mean for public health.

City Rep. Josh Acevedo, who represents Central and Northeast El Paso, is asking the council to call on state and federal environmental regulators to meet with the public about the emissions.

Acevedo said he wants to change how information reaches residents when future emissions events happen.

“At the very, very least, a notification system that people around the refinery that live there can get those notifications to understand exactly what’s going on with adequate information to calm people instead of creating the pandemonium,” Acevedo said.

If approved, the proposal would formally ask the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency to host a joint meeting with Marathon for residents within 30 days.

The request follows two emissions events earlier this month on Aug. 4 and 5. TCEQ reported releases of propylene, sulfur dioxide and 1,3-butadiene.

City leaders are seeking a clearer explanation of what those chemicals mean for public health, along with details about what happened and what monitoring showed.

The proposal would also ask TCEQ and the EPA to review whether current air and fence-line monitoring is sufficient and to consider constant, publicly available monitoring for certain pollutants.

Acevedo said Marathon declined his invitation to come before council and explain the emissions.

County Commissioner David Stout, whose district includes the refinery, also called for more accountability.

“Hopefully we can get more information from the refinery and, you know, do what’s right,” Stout said.

City Council is expected to discuss Acevedo’s proposal later this morning.

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