VIAN, Okla. -
A planned wastewater disposal in Sequoyah County has been moved because of concerns from people living in the area.
Dozens of people near Vian have called Terra Renewal Services to complain about the project, which would spread "frac water" from natural gas drilling on farmland near their properties.
Many residents said they could smell a strong chemical odor from the site, and it caused them to have trouble breathing as well as other health problems.
"I'm not allowed to keep a fan on because the fumes will get in the house and it starts making everyone sick," said 12-year-old Zackery Risley on Thursday.
Zackery had to be taken to the hospital earlier in the week after a rash appeared on his arm; doctors later told his parents it was a chemical burn.
"It looked like he had touched something and burnt but it was weird feeling, it was all purple and red," said his mother, Betty Risley.
Delbert Spears is the landowner who had agreed to the initial spreading contract with TRS; he said Thursday that he was going to be paid forty cents per barrel, or around $1,400, to allow the company to spread the wastewater on his land.
The company had already moved several tanks to the property and filled two with frac water before deciding to move the operation elsewhere. On Thursday, just two tanks remained and were scheduled to be hauled away.
"I'd have done it for free, just for the fertilizer value," Spears said. "Some said they had double the amount of growth after seeing it done, while others told me they didn't see much difference."
Neighbors near Spears' property say they won't be satisfied until someone tests the land or groundwater to find what caused them to be so sick, and if it was still around after the trucks and tanks leave.
Terra Renewal Services is based in Russellville, Ark., and offers wastewater and other types of disposal in 19 states across the south and southwest.
Dozens of people near Vian have called Terra Renewal Services to complain about the project, which would spread "frac water" from natural gas drilling on farmland near their properties.
Many residents said they could smell a strong chemical odor from the site, and it caused them to have trouble breathing as well as other health problems.
"I'm not allowed to keep a fan on because the fumes will get in the house and it starts making everyone sick," said 12-year-old Zackery Risley on Thursday.
Zackery had to be taken to the hospital earlier in the week after a rash appeared on his arm; doctors later told his parents it was a chemical burn.
"It looked like he had touched something and burnt but it was weird feeling, it was all purple and red," said his mother, Betty Risley.
Delbert Spears is the landowner who had agreed to the initial spreading contract with TRS; he said Thursday that he was going to be paid forty cents per barrel, or around $1,400, to allow the company to spread the wastewater on his land.
The company had already moved several tanks to the property and filled two with frac water before deciding to move the operation elsewhere. On Thursday, just two tanks remained and were scheduled to be hauled away.
"I'd have done it for free, just for the fertilizer value," Spears said. "Some said they had double the amount of growth after seeing it done, while others told me they didn't see much difference."
Neighbors near Spears' property say they won't be satisfied until someone tests the land or groundwater to find what caused them to be so sick, and if it was still around after the trucks and tanks leave.
Terra Renewal Services is based in Russellville, Ark., and offers wastewater and other types of disposal in 19 states across the south and southwest.
