EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 More than two months after an emissions incident at Marathon Petroleum\u2019s El Paso refinery, State Sen. C\u00e9sar J. Blanco hosted a public forum on Tuesday aimed at improving how emergency information is shared with the community.<\/p>\n
Blanco held a Community Safety & Solutions Forum on Tuesday at El Paso Community College\u2019s Administrative Services Center, 9050 Viscount Blvd., Building A, with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n
According to Blanco, the forum aimed to strengthen communication, coordination, and emergency preparedness, and is expected to focus on how the public receives timely emergency information.<\/p>\n
Organizers also encouraged attendees to submit feedback in advance to inform the conversation and future legislation. A feedback form is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Julia Spencer reports on Marathon Community Safety & Solutions Forum (Credit: KFOX14)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The meeting comes after the refinery has been involved in multiple recent incidents, including a major pollution release and a contractor injury– incidents that raised concerns and questions from local leaders and the community.<\/p>\n An environmental report indicated that over 15 tons of pollutants were released into the air during an incident in early August, significantly exceeding previous estimates.<\/p>\n The pollution release involved substances such as propylene, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide after a piece of equipment known as a Fluid Catalytic Cracker experienced a process upset.<\/p>\n Residents reported overwhelming sulfur odors that caused symptoms like nausea, headaches, and throat pain.<\/p>\n The forum also comes less than a month after Marathon hosted a public meeting to address the August incident at the meeting, including what substances were released, air monitoring results, and the findings of an investigation.<\/p>\n The company has previously said it did everything to mitigate the situation and that it notified the city of El Paso and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.<\/p>\n However, residents have questioned whether the federal government should step in, demanding transparency and accountability. <\/p>\n WATCH THE FULL FORUM<\/p>\n Marathon Community Safety & Solutions Forum (Credit: KFOX14\/CBS4)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: Marathon refinery holds public meeting on chemical release update in Central El Paso<\/a><\/p>\n RELATED: Update: El Paso Marathon refinery incident released 15.4 tons of pollutants<\/a><\/p>\n