Texas Standard
Houstonians Living In Neighborhoods With High Rates Of Cancer Say Rail Yard’s Cleanup Plans Fall Short
Posted on · Residents suspect a “gumbo” of chemicals from a nearby rail yard is to blame for the heightened cancer risk.
Tag: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Energy & Environment
Texas To Make Environmental Proceedings More Accessible To Non-English Speakers, Following Civil Rights Complaint
Posted on · Air and water permits for industrial facilities are often granted in predominantly Latino communities, but environmental justice advocates say language barriers often make it hard for community members to participate in the public process.
Energy & Environment
Texas Lawmakers Look To Tighten Rules For Storage Tanks In Flood-Prone Areas To Prevent Chemical Spills, Fires
Posted on · Storage tanks have been the source of several chemical disasters, including the fire at ITC Deer Park and a major gasoline spill during Hurricane Harvey. Now, they’re the focus of two bills this Texas legislative session.
Energy & Environment
New Air Monitoring Plan Aims To Reduce Pollution, Prevent Chemical Disasters In Houston Area
Posted on · One of the goals is to prevent industrial disasters from occurring in the first place by identifying potentially problematic facilities for additional inspections and oversight.
Energy & Environment
I Spent A Month Trying To Find Out What Chemicals Are Stored Near My Home. I Still Don’t Know
Posted on · Kirk McDaniel wanted to find out what kind of chemicals were being stored near his Deer Park home. What came next was a circuitous, month-long process that wielded few results.
Energy & Environment
In Wake Of Houston-Area Chemical Fires, Texas Senate Panel Weighs Input On Stronger Storage Tank Regulations
Posted on · The Senate Committee on Water and Rural Affairs took public testimony on a bill that would strengthen state oversight of above-ground drums that hold hazardous hydrocarbons.
News
White House To Withdraw Controversial Nominee For Top Environmental Post
Posted on · The White House will pull nominee Kathleen Hartnett White to lead the Council on Environmental Quality. White has drawn criticism for her comments on climate change.
Hurricane Harvey
Harvey Leaves Thousands Still Waiting On Clean Water
Posted on · The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reports more than 3,700 people haven't had clean drinking water since late August
News
Environmentalists Alarmed At Hydrocarbon Releases During Harvey
Posted on · Many refineries were shut down, and air monitors had to be removed and protected during the storm. In a post-mortem, environmentalists are critical of state and federal agencies for not planning ahead.
Hurricane Harvey
Harvey Causes Chemical Companies To Release 1 Million Pounds Of Extra Air Pollutants
Posted on · Oil refineries and chemical plants across the Texas Gulf Coast released more than 1 million pounds of dangerous air pollutants in the week after Harvey struck, according to filings.
Hurricane Harvey
Sewage Overflows In Houston Caused By Harvey A Health Concern
Posted on · “We watch things floating through the water that you can only imagine."
Energy & Environment
Coastal Residents Sue Plastics Plant on Water Pollution Claim
Posted on · State regulators have linked the plant to plastic pellets in nearby waters and are currently considering an enforcement action. But residents are suing in federal court, hoping for what would be, if they win, an unusually large fine.
News
Environmental Groups Say Texas Fined Only 3% Of Industrial Polluters
Posted on · Environmental groups say the state is letting polluters off the hook. A new report ranks the worst illegal air pollution events from oil refineries, chemical plans and other industrial facilities across Texas. But several environmental groups say the fault doesn't lie with the state's environmental regulatory agency. They place the blame on state leadership.
News
Houston Mayor Asks For State Funding To Fight Mosquitoes That Can Carry Zika Virus
Posted on · Mayor Sylvester Turner says the city could use funds from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Energy & Environment
Stressed Texas Rivers Could Mean Too Little Water For Galveston Bay
Posted on · The future health of Galveston Bay may be threatened by a lack of fresh-water. It’s an issue at the center of “water use” rules under revision in Austin.