Facebook Twitter K1-TEXT Email Print

News

Pawhuska

Posted: Aug 17, 2017 12:38 PMUpdated: Aug 17, 2017 12:38 PM

Pawhuska Continues To Work To Make School Safe

Share on RSS

 

Ben Nicholas

Pawhuska did not start school as planned today.  School administration has confirmed that there will not be school on Friday either due to problems with the gas purge site discovered near one of the schools.
 
Superintendent, Dr. Janet Neufeld issued a statement which says a gas purge site was discovered and that the district is working with the Governor's Office, the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, EPA Region 6, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the State Fire Marshall.

Dr. Neufeld says that after additional review of the situation, the Federal and State agencies with jurisdictional authority have determined that the first step to ensuring the public's safety on-site will be to vent the impacted geothermal wells in the area, which are apparently leaking methane.

Methane is an odorless, colorless, flammable gas. It can be formed by the decay of natural materials and is common in landfills, marshes, septic systems and sewers. Methane can be also found as a mixture with other chemicals occurring in the natural environment.

Air monitoring concentrations that have been reported inside the school are less than 2 parts per million, which are well below levels that would cause an explosive environment or adverse health effects.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is working with the EPA to provide additional guidance information as sampling and monitoring continues, but they support the Pawhuska School District’s decision to delay the start of school until the source of the leak has been contained.


« Back to News