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Sen. Davis Demands TCEQ Records

Senator Wendy Davis
Senator Wendy Davis

By Shelley Kofler, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-904769.mp3

Dallas, TX – State Senator Wendy Davis is officially demanding the state's environmental agency, the TCEQ, turn over records related to its handling of Fort Worth air tests.

The official open records request follows the revelation that the agency knew in January about elevated levels of benzene, a carcinogen, detected near gas drilling operations in Fort Worth. But local officials were not notified until last week.

Davis believes the agency is hiding something.

Davis: All along they knew they had this issue and they did not make a decision to disclose any of this information until information was leaked to the press.

TCEQ Deputy Director John Sadlier told KERA he didn't immediately alert Fort Worth about the detection of benzene because the levels were higher than recommended for long term exposure, but there was no immediate danger to the public.

Sadlier says further testing found no elevated levels of benzene, and no health threat.

Senator Davis Open Records Request to TCEQ