El Paso residents demand answers after fire, smoke erupt at Marathon refinery
"We deserve to know what is going on at the refinery," said Matthew Moriel, who lives in the Corbin-Sambrano neighborhood a few blocks from the refinery. "We need to know if we need to be indoors and whether we need to turn off our swamp coolers to keep the polluted air from coming inside. It is unacceptable for a refinery in the middle of the city to be unreachable by those who live closest to its pollution."
Large plumes of black smoke and flames started coming out of smokestacks from Marathon Refinery, located at 212 North Clark Drive near Alameda Avenue, about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8.
Moriel and other neighbors began calling the refinery for information on what was happening at the plant, but only heard from a security guard, who took a message. The neighbors never heard back from the refinery operators.
In an unnamed emailed statement, a Marathon Petroleum Corp. spokesperson told the El Paso Times the incident was caused by a power outage.
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"Due to a power outage from a third-party provider on July 8, operating conditions at Marathon's El Paso refinery made flaring necessary," the statement said. "Flares are safety devices that allow for the safe combustion of excess gases during certain operating conditions."
The company reported no injuries during the incident or harmful environmental impact on the area.
"Air monitoring was deployed as a precaution, and no off-site impacts were detected," the statement said.
Houston in Action's Sembrando Esperanza Coalition, a group led "by residents of 11 of the most historic, resilient, polluted, and hottest working class neighborhoods in El Paso County," is asking for more transparency and communication from Marathon Refinery leaders, a news release from the coalition said.
'Even if what happened (July 8) does not result in a violation of state or federal rules, it does not mean the fumes were not toxic and dangerous to our health, environment and pets," Sembrando Esperanza Coalition's Climate Justice and Civil Rights organizer Veronica Carbajal said. "Further, we won't know what was in the fumes or how it affected our air quality until the monitoring data is released. In the meantime, nearby residents deserve to know what precautions to take and who to call in such emergencies.'
The group is asking for Marathon Refinery to:
Host a meeting for neighbors to attend and discuss their concerns
Create an alert system for neighbors close to the refinery
Provide neighbors a number they can call 24/7 and speak with a human being every time neighbors see, hear or smell something out of the ordinary
Regular reports of the monitoring data
Air quality monitors to be placed in the neighborhood, including those that read the carcinogens released by the refinery
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Marathon Refinery officials said they already have policies in place to alert residents to any dangers.
"The safety of workers, our neighbors, and the environment is our top priority," Marathon Refinery's statement said. "If a situation potentially requires action by members of the community, we advise designated local authorities, following pre-established frameworks, and then work with those authorities, media and others to convey information to the community as needed."
The El Paso refinery "processes sweet and sour crude oils into gasoline, distillates, heavy fuel oil, propane, asphalt, and NGLs (Natural Gas Liquids) and petrochemicals," according to an annual report by the company.
Flaring is the process of burning off excess or waste gases that cannot be processed or reused, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Flaring safely releases excess pressure from refinery equipment, especially during emergencies or maintenance.
Flaring can release harmful pollutants like sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, a study published in the Science research journal. The pollutants released by flaring can lead to health issues like asthma, heart attacks, and premature deaths, particularly in communities near refineries, the study states.
Data on the types and quantities of pollutants released during the El Paso Marathon Refinery's flaring have not been released.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso residents seek answers after Marathon refinery flaring
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