Monday, May 22, 2000

Spill worries Dallas area residents People claim gas spill created health problems Associated Press

DALLAS - Some residents of the Lake Tawakoni area claim they are suffering health problems because of a March gasoline spill, and others say they fear their land is contaminated.

The Hunt County pipeline break dumped 600,000 gallons of MTBE-treated gasoline into a field and East Caddo Creek, which feeds into the lake. MTBE is added to gasoline to reduce toxic emissions and is a carcinogen.

Several communities, including Dallas, used Tawakoni as a water source. Several water utilities stopped taking water from the lake after the spill, but all except the city of Dallas have resumed their water intake.

Linda Pelton said she and her mother have suffered from headaches since the break, have had trouble breathing at times and have had symptoms like those experienced with a "stomach virus." Pelton said she plans to see medical specialists to determine the cause of the illness.

Rod Sands, vice president of operations for Explorer Pipeline Co. of Tulsa, Okla., which owns the pipeline, said he wasn't aware of Pelton's health concerns until last week. Company officials said the area is being cleaned up and does not pose a health hazard.

Jim Sieck, Explorer's manager of health, safety and environment, said, "Lake Tawakoni is clean. We've had nondetects of MTBE at Lake Tawakoni since about the end of March. Our emphasis right now is on the spill site itself. . . . I don't see any danger from the soil itself. We are cleaning up the soil."

http://www.caller.com/2000/may/22/today/texas_me/584.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), May 22, 2000