Neglected and exposed: Toxic air lingers in a Texas Latino community, revealing failures in stateโs air monitoring system
Public data from a network of state air monitors around the Houston Ship Channel is hard to interpret and is often inadequate, leaving Latino-majority neighborhoods like Cloverleaf unaware of whether the air they breathe is safe.
Federal court overturns Texas agencyโs pollution permit for Gulf Coast natural gas export terminal
Judges overturned a state air pollution permit that was issued last year, arguing that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality illegally enabled Port Arthur LNG to avoid emissions control requirements.
Texas quietly moves to formalize acceptable cancer risk from industrial air pollution. Public health officials say itโs not strict enough.
Without public hearings, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is proposing to adopt its 17-year-old standard that scientists and public health officials say fails to account for cumulative air pollution.
The โ1-mile ruleโ: Texasโ unwritten, arbitrary policy protects big polluters from citizen complaints
Itโs not found anywhere in state law or the Texas Commission on Environmental Qualityโs rules, but for years the agency has denied citizens the ability to challenge air pollution permits because they live more than a mile away.
EPA will decide if the state is doing enough to reduce pollution in two East Texas counties
The federal agency has settled a lawsuit the Sierra Club brought over pollution from a coal-burning power plant. The agreement requires the EPA to weigh in on the stateโs plan to improve air quality in Rusk and Panola counties.
Texas House moves to crack down on polluters with stricter penalties and heavier oversight
The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to focus enforcement and increase penalties on repeat violators and increase public outreach. Still, environmental advocates say the effort was too โmodestโ in its reach.
Houston-area chemical fire highlights gaps in Texas environmental enforcement
A fire broke out at a Deer Park Shell plant the day after a public hearing on renewing the permit for ITC, a nearby facility that caught fire in 2019, sparking a Texas Tribune/Public Health Watch investigation that documented failures in state and federal oversight.
At a heated public hearing, residents urge state agency to reject permit for chemical facility that burned in 2019
In Deer Park near Houston, memories of the massive ITC fire are still fresh. Residents told state environmental regulators they should reject the companyโs permit renewal, but officials said the fire wonโt be part of the decision.
Toxic benzene lingered for weeks after shelter-in-place warnings ended following 2019 Houston-area chemical fire
The Texas Tribune analyzed previously unreported air monitoring data and records from the 2019 ITC chemical disaster near Houston and found that high benzene levels lingered in the air for two weeks after public health measures were lifted. Experts say more shelter-in-place advisories should have been issued.
Senatorโs bill would fine Texans for multiple environmental complaints that donโt lead to enforcement
The bill would impose fines when residents make more than three complaints to the state environmental agency in a year if they donโt result in enforcement action. Critics warn the bill would discourage people from reporting pollution.
Environmental group says Texas fails to hold repeat polluters accountable for unexpected emissions
A new report found that companies in Texas have had 21,000 unexpected pollution releases that emitted 400,000 tons of air pollution over six years, but only 1% of them prompted action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Environmental advocates push feds to investigate Texasโ enforcement of water quality
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to investigate allegations that the state is failing to enforce the Clean Water Act. Environmentalists say the Texas Commission on Environmental Qualityโs system of issuing permits has made it too easy for industries to contaminate rivers, lakes and estuaries.
Texas environmentalists push the EPA to crack down on methane emissions, saying state agencies have โfailed usโ
Commenting on the EPAโs proposed new rule to reduce methane leaks nationally, environmentalists said Texas regulators are hesitant to address emissions of the climate super-pollutant.
Texans affected by pollution from concrete plants push state agency to tighten regulations
As the stateโs environmental agency weighs new pollution limits on the plants, several lawmakers have filed bills that would put new restrictions on the facilities, which spew pollutants into mostly low-income neighborhoods.
After cancer-causing chemicals were found in Fifth Ward soil, Houston mayor says cleanup plans are inadequate
The cityโs health department found dioxins in soil samples along the fence line of a Union Pacific rail yard. Mayor Sylvester Turner said during the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival that plans to clean up the contamination should now include relocating residents.
Texas regulators proposed cracking down on harmful plastic โnurdlesโ โ and then changed their minds
The Texas coast is a hot spot for โnurdleโ pollution, tiny plastic pellets created in the process of producing everyday products. But a plan to require proactive prevention of their release has been scrapped.
Spring Branch residents concerned about wastewater amid new development proposal
Dozens of Spring Branch residents attended a meeting hosted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) after bringing up concerns about the release of treated wastewater into a creek that feeds into Canyon Lake and the possible development of more than 700 homes.
EPA launches investigation into Texas environment agencyโs permitting process for concrete batch plants
The federal agency launched the inquiry after complaints from the Harris County Attorney and Lone Star Legal Aid about how the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issues permits to plants that predominantly impact communities of color.
A Laredo plant that sterilizes medical equipment spews cancer-causing pollution on schoolchildren
Communities such as Laredo, where the vast majority of the residents are Latino and more than a quarter live in poverty, have been left in the dark for years by regulators who had evidence of the dangers posed by ethylene oxide but never told the public about them.Out of all the pollutants that the EPA regulates, ethylene oxide is the most toxic, contributing to the majority of the excess cancer risk created by industrial air pollutants in the United States, according to an unprecedented analysis of the agencyโs most recent modeling data by ProPublica, in collaboration with The Texas Tribune. That risk is in addition to those Americans already face from other factors like genetics or lifestyle.
NEISD 6th grader wins first place in statewide โTake Care of Texasโ video contest
Sofia Ramirez attends the STEM Academy at Nimitz Middle School and won the โTake Care of Texasโ video contest. SAN ANTONIO โ Out of more than 200 submitted entries across the state, a North East Independent School District middle schooler has won first place in a recent video contest. Sofia Ramirez, a sixth-grader who attends STEM Academy at Nimitz Middle School, won the โTake Care of Texasโ video contest sponsored by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The video is about the importance of taking care of our water supply. AdโOne of the most shocking things is the scientists have found weedkiller in drinking water,โ Ramirez said.
State: Water may be unsafe at Texas site for migrant teens
AUSTIN, Texas โ Texasโ environmental regulator on Friday barred most uses of the water at an oilfield camp converted into a holding center for immigrant teenagers, raising alarms about the safety of more than 400 youths detained there. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said running water at the Midland camp could be used only to flush toilets or wash clothes because officials aren't sure whether the water is safe. AdThe Midland camp did not have an active permit with TCEQ for a public water system, according to the agencyโs online records. Texas Sen. Kel Seliger said Friday that water on site is drawn from a well that the company drilled without getting a TCEQ permit. Hopefully not oilfield pollutants, but they donโt know.โIt's unclear whether TCEQ has tested the water or whether any hazardous chemicals have been found.
Over a million Texans are still without drinking water. Smaller communities and apartments are facing the biggest challenges.
AdSince a peak of about 14.9 million Texans faced water disruptions on Friday, the stateโs water situation has steadily improved. AdโThey told us to fill the bathtubs because they were going to cut the water,โ Tribble said via phone on Tuesday. Another message from the building later informed them that some of the buildingโs pipes had burst. You just have a lot more to go through.โBrad Casebier, owner of Austin-based Radiant Plumbing, echoed the complexity of apartment buildings. The Texas Property Code does establish rules on how the repair process should be handled, but tenants must be up to date with rent.
Here are the boil water notices in the San Antonio area
A Boil Water Notice means residents should boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). 1, located in Bandera, PWS#0100011Bexar CountySAWS has rescinded its boil water notice for all of San Antonio. **NO LONGER IN EFFECT** Monarch Utilities has issued a โBoil Water Noticeโ for customers in the Coolcrest water system , Public Water System ID No. Gillespie County**NO LONGER IN EFFECT** Monarch Utilities has issued a โBoil Water Noticeโ for customers in the Oakview water system, Public Water System ID No. **NO LONGER IN EFFECT** Monarch Utilities has issued a โBoil Water Noticeโ for customers in the Rocky Creek Subdivision water system, Public Water System ID No.
Boil water notice issued for city of Kenedy
KENEDY, Texas โ The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required residents in Kenedy to have residents boil water prior to drinking it after outages and water pressure fall below acceptable guidelines. According to a statement by the city, children, seniors and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria. โTo ensure the destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes,โ the city said. โThe water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.โIf you cannot boil your water, city officials say you may need to buy bottled water or get water from another โsuitable source.โPublic water system officials will notify customers when it is no longer necessary to boil the water. You can get the very latest forecast anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices.
Texas prepares to test for lead in schoolsโ drinking water for the first time
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas TribuneTexas will soon begin a program to test drinking water in thousands of elementary schools and child care facilities across the state following an update to federal standards on lead and copper exposure. Now, the agency will be responsible for overseeing a plan to test tens of thousands of water systems that serve children throughout the state over the next three years. Lead usually enters drinking water through lead-based pipes or plumbing โ which were used for decades before being banned in the 1980s. Itโs a very complicated issue to address.โAfter the Flint water crisis gained national attention, at least 17 Texas school districts proactively tested drinking water for lead, according to data compiled by Environment Texas, an Austin-based nonprofit. Even among schools that voluntarily tested and corrected significant sources of lead exposure, many still have some level of lead in the water, said Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas.
Texas legislators eye tougher rules on chemical tanks to prevent explosions, spills during storms
Texas lawmakers are pushing to require new standards on above-ground chemical storage tanks during the upcoming legislative session. These are the incidents that some Texas lawmakers have in mind as they push to require new standards on above-ground chemical storage tanks during the upcoming legislative session. And during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, flooding caused the explosions at Arkemaโs chemical power plant and damaged storage tanks that leaked thousands of gallons of gasoline. Above-ground storage tanks are exempt from the rules. API did not respond to questions about whether its members would be open to new state regulations for above-ground tanks in Texas.
Environmental groups allege Texas rubber-stamped industrial plantsโ pollution โ and that the EPA looked the other way
A group of Texas environmental groups say the federal Environmental Protection Agency looked the other way when Texas didnโt require tough-enough rules on air pollution for several refineries, gas plants and chemical plants. The Environmental Integrity Project, along with other Texas environmental groups, filed a lawsuit against EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler on Monday after he did not respond to a petition by the groups to correct what they say is a violation of federal law in Texas. Environmental groups are concerned about eight air pollution permits issued to facilities in Texas including, for example, a Phillips 66 refinery in north Texas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issues permits for air pollution from equipment at large industrial facilities, such as refineries and chemical plants, that should adhere to the Clean Air Act. The Environmental Integrity Project filed a similar suit over Texas permits in 2017 โ Clark-Leach said the problem is โpervasiveโ throughout Texas.
As Texas grows, communities face an unwelcome neighbor: concrete companies. Homeowners have few options.
They soon learned it could be a concrete batch plant to service the construction of Oak Hill Parkway, a Texas Department of Transportation plan to widen Highway 290. โIt just seems like weโre in this Bermuda Triangle of responsibility and accountability,โ said Watson, 64, a retired head of a birdwatching tour business turned anti-concrete batch plant activist. โBecause weโre not in the city, the city defers to the county on transportation. Itโs like the Wild West.โWatsonโs neighborhood faces an increasingly familiar problem for rural and urban homeowners alike across Texas. The number of air permit applications for concrete batch plants in Texas has increased 25% from 2014 to 2019, according to data provided by the TCEQ.
Texas rolls out mobile pollution monitoring capabilities following failures during Hurricane Harvey
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas TribuneHOUSTON โ Texas officials on Tuesday said the stateโs environmental agency has added greater capacity to quickly monitor pollution across the state during storms and other disaster events, such as chemical fires. Toby Baker, the executive director of the TCEQ, said the agencyโs effort to add mobile air monitoring capacity was in motion before the EPA OIG report, but acknowledged that Hurricane Harvey was a turning point for environmental regulators. โWe learned some lessons with Hurricane Harvey,โ Baker said. Tuesdayโs announcement was held in Houstonโs Manchester neighborhood at Hartman Park, next to Valeroโs Houston Refinery, where a storage tank notoriously collapsed during Hurricane Harvey โ one of the unmonitored pollution events during the storm. The extent of the emissions released by chemical plants, refineries and other industrial operators along the Gulf Coast during and after Hurricane Harvey is unknown due to the lag in air monitoring, according to the EPA report.
Boil-water notice lifted from Texas city where microbe found
LAKE JACKSON, Texas โ A boil-water notice was lifted Tuesday from the drinking-water system of a Houston-area city where water tainted with a deadly, microscopic parasite was blamed for the death of a 6-year-old boy. In a statement, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said Lake Jackson officials lifted the notice Tuesday after disinfectant levels in the drinking water were documented to be above the state requirements. The boil-water notice was issued late last month after several days of flushing of the Brazosport Water Authority's water delivery system. It lifted that warning the next day for all communities but Lake Jackson, where the authorityโs water treatment plant is situated. The ban was lifted in Lake Jackson on Sept. 27 but replaced with the boil-water notice.
Officials detail response plan after deadly amoeba found in Texas water supply
TEXAS โ Texas Gov. Abbott, with other state and local officials, spoke from Lake Jackson, where the naegleria fowleri microbe was found. Officials have determined the amoeba was only found in Lake Jackson water, but the process to fix it will take 60 days. Officials will increase the amount of chlorine in the water system to kill all remnants of the virus. Crews will also thoroughly inspect the water system to see if unfiltered water is making its way into the water system.
Purging water system of brain-eating microbe to take 60 days
Mundo said Lake Jackson residents are still urged to boil their tap water before using it. The city's water utility is trying to purge its system of any โold waterโ so the system can be disinfected and replaced with fresh water. The advisory was finally lifted for Lake Jackson, but the TCEQ has advised its more than 27,000 residents to boil any tap water before using. It usually infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose. In very rare instances, naegleria infections may also occur when contaminated water from other sources (such as inadequately chlorinated swimming pool water or heated and contaminated tap water) enters the nose.
Deadly microbe water warning lifted for final Texas city
LAKE JACKSON, Texas โ Environmental officials in Texas have lifted a warning for a final Houston-area community to stop using tap water because it might be tainted with a deadly brain-eating microbe, but with a warning that the water should be boiled before being consumed. Earlier this month, 6-year-old Josh McIntyre died after contracting the microbe, naegleria fowleri. TCEQ said it is working with city officials to flush and disinfect the water system. According to the CDC website, the first deaths from naegleria fowleri found in tap water from treated U.S. public drinking water systems occurred in southern Louisiana in 2011 and 2013. The microbe also was found in 2003 in an untreated geothermal well-supplied drinking water system in Arizona, as well as in disinfected public drinking water supplies in Australia in the 1970s and โ80s and in 2008 in Pakistan.
Deadly microbe water warning lifted for all but 1 Texas city
LAKE JACKSON, Texas โ Texas officials on Saturday lifted a warning for all but one Houston-area community to stop using tap water because it might be tainted with a deadly brain-eating microbe. The authority initially warned eight communities not to use tap water for any reason except to flush toilets, but on Saturday it lifted that warning for all communities but Lake Jackson. The advisory will remain in place until the authority's water system has been thoroughly flushed and tests on water samples show the system's water is again safe to use. The authority said in a statement that it was unclear how long it would be before the tap water was again safe. The contamination of U.S. treated public water systems by the microbe is rare but not unheard of.
Deadly microbe water warning lifted for all but 1 Texas city
LAKE JACKSON, Texas โ Texas officials on Saturday lifted a warning for all but one Houston-area community to stop using tap water because it might be tainted with a deadly brain-eating microbe. The authority initially warned eight communities not to use tap water for any reason except to flush toilets, but on Saturday it lifted that warning for all communities but Lake Jackson. The advisory will remain in place until the authority's water system has been thoroughly flushed and tests on water samples show the system's water is again safe to use. The authority said in a statement that it was unclear how long it would be before the tap water was again safe. The contamination of U.S. treated public water systems by the microbe is rare but not unheard of.
Coronavirus in Texas: State environmental agency grants oil and chemical companies scores of exemptions during coronavirus
REUTERS/Callaghan O'HareHere's what you need to know this weekend:Texas environmental agency grants oil and chemical companies scores of exemptions during coronavirusThe Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has exempted oil and chemical companies from environmental monitoring and inspection rules more than 100 times since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the state, the Houston Chronicle reports. Most of the companies that were exempted said they were limiting employees and contractors to coronavirus exposure, the paper reported. Voting by mail: Texas' top Republican officials call absentee voting a recipe for fraud and are fighting efforts to expand it during the coronavirus pandemic. But the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general Texas' top Republican officials call absentee voting a recipe for fraud and are fighting efforts to expand it during the coronavirus pandemic. The state reported 1,230 more cases of the new coronavirus Friday, bringing the total number of known cases to 61,006.
Hill Country residents challenge the state to stop Vulcan quarry
SAN ANTONIO โ Editorโs note: This story is part of a partnership between the San Antonio Business Journal and KSAT. Comal County residents are suing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to stop the construction of a quarry they say will pollute the air with a lung-damaging contaminate, according to the San Antonio Business Journal. Stop 3009 Vulcan Quarry and Friends of Dry Comal Creek filed a lawsuit in Travis County court on Monday to overturn TCEQ's permit for a Vulcan Materials Co. rock-crushing facility. The facility will be a piece of a proposed limestone quarry, which Vulcan plans to place on a 1,500 acre site in the Hill Country between New Braunfels and Bulverde. Read the full story in the San Antonio Business Journal.