Morning Journal – Environmental Protection Agency analysts are taking to the road in Wellington to do air quality testing, necessitated by the 116,760-gallon gasoline leak from a broken pipeline.

Three days ago, T.A.G.A. also known as Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer arrived on scene from North Carolina, said Don de Blasio, community development coordinator for the EPA. T.A.G.A. is a mobile laboratory that looks like a tour bus and makes it easy for analysts to drive around town and take samples throughout the area.

“It doesn’t have to be sent to a lab, so they can do analysis right here on the bus,” de Blasio said.

Readings from around the village didn’t warrant concern, said Bob Goard, sanitarian with the Lorain County Health Department. “First results look pretty good,” de Blasio confirmed.

T.A.G.A. has specialized equipment on the outside and inside to detect hazardous chemicals in the air, such as toluene and benzene, de Blasio said. Theses chemicals are found in gasoline and have the potential of causing cancer. Analysts are taking T.A.G.A. out a few times a day to gather samples and make sure the air is OK for residents to breathe. The samples are also being given to the Lorain County Health Department, which will make the decision when the approximately 70 displaced residents can return home.

“I heard them say the results were looking better,” de Blasio said of the results from the site of the leak.

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