Scottsdale, AZ 7/27/2010 I woke up this morning with a jolt of adrenaline after having a nightmare about opening up my computer bag during a public meeting, only to find a hive full of angry bees, which began stinging people and wreaking havoc on the place.
Since I couldn't go back to sleep, I went ahead and got up and went out early to get some photos of the beautiful gardens surrounding my hotel here.
I believe this flower is called the Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima); they were all over the place in Scottsdale - very common. This bush was being serviced by a squadron of honeybees who were not interested in stinging people, or living in my computer bag.
This photo, taken by a reader, shows a lawn sprinkler being used to water the concrete (and a few planter boxes) in one of four atriums at Medical Center of Lewisville. The sprinkler was on during a thunderstorm Friday afternoon. Our reader calculates that hospital was watering 6,400 square feet of concrete and 216 square feet of planters.
We hope Medical Center of Lewisville will use more responsible watering practices in the future.
I found this 34 year old flyer between the pages of a book I bought today at the Lewisville Friends of the Library book sale.
The Pee Wee Football organization was holding a fundraiser at the Lewisville VFW hall. The Las Vegas-style event had a whopping admittance fee of 50 cents. I hope the organization raised funds successfully.
Wouldn't it be cool if one of our readers was around Lewisville at the time, and remembers the party?
Original bronze sculpture "Slicker Shy" by artist Herb Mignery. The sculpture is on consignment, held by the City of Lewisville, and possibly to be placed at City Hall.
Lewisville City Council will consider this issue at its 7/19/2010 meeting.
Illustration on an aerial photo showing where benzene readings on a recent BSEEC air quality study exceeded long-term TCEQ Effects screening levels (ESLs)
The readings taken at this site were the highest of all the data collected in the study.
The top left sample location had a 24 hour reading of 1.96 ppbv, and a 1 hour reading of 3.15 ppbv. The station on the top right had a 1.17 ppbv 24 hour reading. The sample location on the bottom was taken up-wind, and had a very low reading of 0.0965 ppbv. Wind rose data is inset.
The long-term ESL for benzene is 1.4 ppbv. The short-term ESL is 180 ppbv.
The two sample locations at the top, with high benzene levels are approximately 100 feet from the tanks. Actually, the top-right sample location could be a little further north, than where the icon shows it in my hasty drawing. (The study says 150', but my measurement using Google Earth, compared to their drawing showed 100' - for what that's worth)
In Lewisville, which is much more densely populated than this area of rural South Fort Worth, it is legal for tanks to be as close as 100 feet to a residence. If your house were 100 feet from these tanks, and the 1.96 ppbv reading were fairly consistent over the course of a year, then your health could be at risk.
Lewisville's ordinance puts more weight on the distance from the wellhead to a protected use, so I've drawn the 500' minimum setback radius, and the 800' radius beyond which a permit can be granted without a public hearing.
In terms of air quality, the tanks are the bigger source of pollutants. Prevailing winds in North Texas tend to carry pollution from South to North most of the time, especially during the summer months, when VOC emissions are at their highest.
Here's what the study said (p.20) about this site: Quote:
5.2 Encana Mercer Ranch (COFW 3) As shown in Table 4, all 1-hour VOC concentrations were much lower than their respective AMCVs, as the maximum concentrations for all compounds, across all sample locations, were less than 6% of their respective AMCVs.
As stated previously, a 24-hour sample result is not directly comparable to either a short-term (hourly) or long-term (annual/lifetime) health effects evaluation criteria. However, in order to be conservative (i.e., tending toward over-protectiveness as a screening technique), TITAN has compared the Table 5 maximum 24-hour VOC concentrations to long-term AMCVs. With the exception of a single benzene concentration at EMR3DW, the maximum 24-hour VOC concentrations shown in Table 5, for all compounds, across all sample locations, were less than 31% of their respective long-term AMCVs.
The 24-hour benzene concentration at EMR3DW was 1.96 ppbv, which is higher than the long-term AMCV of 1.4 ppbv, but far lower than the short-term AMCV (180 ppbv). Since the preliminary screening criteria (long-term AMCV) was exceeded, the 1.96 ppbv concentration was compared against the 9 ppbv benzene Acute Inhalation MRL, as published by the ATSDR. In TITAN's opinion, the 1.96 ppbv concentration does not indicate a significant level of increased risk with respect to off-site ambient air exposures, because it is well below the 9 ppbv Acute Inhalation MRL and because the NG Site is located at the approximate center of Mercer Ranch, a 1,400 acre Encana property, where the nearest receptor is located approximately 0.4 miles to the northwest. The EMR3DW sample location was established to collect a maximum concentration (150 feet downwind of the tanks). Using a dispersion rate over distance predicted by EPA’s SCREEN3 air dispersion model, at a downwind distance of 0.4 miles, the off-site 24-hour impact is estimated to drop from 1.96 ppbv at a maximum to approximately 0.5 ppbv (well below the 1.4 ppbv long-term AMCV criteria).
It is important to note this was a wet gas well site. The parts of the Barnett Shale around Southern Denton County, especially the further east, tend to be dry gas not producing much, if any condensate.
The Woodbine aquifer underlies the Eastern half of Denton County, while the Trinity underlies the Western half. Most of Lewisville sits atop the Woodbine Aquifer, and Flower Mound is over the Trinity Aquifer.
The Woodbine recharges at an estimated rate of only 1" per year, based on the infiltration of rainwater from the surface over the outcrop area, which runs through central Denton county, from North to South. The best wells drilled into the Woodbine are generally in the north and outcrop areas.
Lewisville's Noon Rotary Club From left to right: Keith Long, Doris Scales, Russ Kerbow, Owen Lyon, Dirk Dahlke, Mary Jennings, Angie Cox, Rich Muller, Penny Glover, Tom Moore and Mike Pope.
Submitted Photo
LEWISVILLE ROTARY USHERS IN A NEW YEAR!
Lewisville Rotary is pleased to announce its new slate of officers for the club established to provide ‘service above self’ in the Greater Lewisville area. At a private ceremony held on June 30, 2010, club members congratulated out-going president Mike Pope while ushering in the new president, Mr. Tom Moore. The Lewisville Rotary Club in accordance with its bylaws and affiliation with Rotary International observes a year beginning July 1 through June 30.
The Club’s new slate of officers is as follows: • President – Mr. Tom Moore • President-elect – Ms. Mary Jennings • Vice President – Mr. Owen Lyon • Recording Secretary – Ms. Doris Scales • Treasurer – Mr. Dirk Dahlke • Past President – Mr. Mike Pope • Sergeant-at-Arms – Mr. Keith Long
Committee Chairs • Communications – Mr. Russ Kerbow • Service Projects – Ms. Penny Glover • Membership – Dr. David Ku • Youth – Mr. Keith Long • Rotary Foundation – Mr. Joe Irick • Fund-raising – Mr. Rich Muller • Donations – Mr. Owen Lyon
Other Board members • Advisor to the President – Ms. Angie Cox • At Large – Mr. Dean Ueckert
Non-Board Positions • Family of Rotary – Ms. Pat Falcon • Executive Secretary – Mr. John Jennings
The installation ceremony for all board members and committee chairs is scheduled for the club’s noon meeting on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at The Grotto Restaurant, 2300 Highland Village Rd., Highland Village, TX.
Lewisville Rotary is one of 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries who help promote peace and understanding through community service. Persons interested in Rotary or more information can visit our website at www.lewisvillenoonrotary.org.
The Calendar
Our Polls
Our Videos
Our Podcasts
On The Facebook
In the Twitter
Country Radio
Documents
2010/7/29 7:27
21 
0 
