Bayou Vista Message Board

Bayou Vista Message Board
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Sulfur Smell/Refinery Release

Posted by Randy on 2/19/2021, 12:37 pm

The smell that has been reported by several BV residents was from large releases of sulfur dioxide gas and HS gas.

These gases are very dangerous. They're lethal at part-per-million concentrations.

The releases were from the Blanchard and Valero refineries.

The emergency alert system seems to exist in name only. Be aware that your only cue to danger may be the snall of "rotten eggs".

Sick, dyeing, death Re: Sulfur Smell/Refinery Release

Posted by Concerned BV resident on 2/19/2021, 1:08 pm, in reply to "Sulfur Smell/Refinery Release"

Is this an official notification? Outside of the Emergency Alert System? Who is responsible for activating the Alert System? What should us residents of the area be doing if anything?
Thanks for the heads up.

Sick, dyeing, death Re: Sulfur Smell/Refinery Release

Posted by Concerned BV resident on 2/19/2021, 1:02 pm, in reply to "Sulfur Smell/Refinery Release"

Is the above an official notice? So what is next? If the "emergency alert system" had been more than words what action would have been advised? And how would we have been advised of such action? This information for the future would be invaluable since it seems the above incident is history.

Re: Sick, dyeing, death Re: Sulfur Smell/Refinery Release

Posted by Randy on 2/19/2021, 1:35 pm, in reply to "Sick, dyeing, death Re: Sulfur Smell/Refinery Release"

That's the problem. We aren't alerted in real time.

Historical records of "Emissions Events" by the refinery are listed in the TCEQ database. Here's a link:

https://www2.tceq.texas.gov/oce/eer/index.cfm

Many of the releases are serious but we've been unaware of them. (The exception was the "Marathon Catalyst Event", which we only knew about because the release was a powder that covered our neighborhood. Unfortunately, large releases of toxic gases are much more common).

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