EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Residents near the Marathon Petroleum refinery in El Paso reported being alarmed this week by strong odors and fumes.<\/p>\n
City Rep. Josh Acevedo is demanding answers and greater transparency from the company after state information about the incident contradicted earlier assurances that there was no danger to the public.<\/p>\n
My office heard directly from residents who were alarmed by the overwhelming odors and fumes coming from the refinery,\u201d Acevedo said. \u201cWhen 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.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t have to wonder whether our air is safe to breathe,\u201d Acevedo said. \u201cMarathon needs to explain exactly what its representatives knew, what they told me and members of the public, and why subsequent information appears to contradict those statements.\u201d<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
RELATED: Hydrocarbon release at Marathon refinery causes sulfur odors<\/a><\/p>\n 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.”<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cexperienced a process upset and shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n Both contaminants have an emission limit of 1.25 pounds per hour, the report said.<\/p>\n