By Nastassia Tamari
Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 11:43 p.m.
Read more: Local, Community, Environment, Bushland Explosion, El Paso Natural Gas, Pipeline, Amarillo
BUSHLAND, TX -- People in Bushland were able to ask questions Thursday night to the executives at Townhall meeting about Bushland explosionabout last week's gasline explosion.
The company is calling the situation, "not a proud moment," after addressing concerns of Bushland homeowners. Question after question folks living near the explosion grilled executives of El Paso Gas
In crowded auditorium in the Bushland High School gym, one man spoke out, saying, "The children are sleeping 35 feet from that pipeline, they're having a little trouble sleeping at night." Another woman expressed her concern, "how exactly old is that pipe, how big is that pipe, and how sage am I living right there?"
The company says they still don't know what caused the pipeline, built in the late 1940's and 50's to erupt, something that makes folks uneasy.
"It's very alarming to me that the age of it and the inspection stands, just want to know more about what their plans are for that line," said Brady McAlister, who lives just north of the explosion.
But executives say not to worry, it did get refurbished back in 1991. "In many places in the country we have pipe that is that old and it's fine to operate. we continually test it, we have a pipeline maintenance and integrity program. Of course, we monitor the pipelines 365 days a year, 24/7," said El Paso Natural Gas Spokesman, Richard Wheatly.
Still those words offer little comfort for folks with a pipeline running though their back yard. "My concern is i have a daughter, like many people in here, we have elementary school, middle school, and high school students, my concern is the safety of my daughter," one person in the crowd told the executives.
As of Thursday, El Paso Gas says the pipeline is now running at 300 pounds of pressure per square inch.
At the time of the explosion, it was 762 pounds, the line is able to handle up to 780 pounds.
