Texas Clean Air Matters

Selected tag(s): Air Pollution

The Greener Side of Freight Transportation

By / Published: December 3, 2015
Port Freeport Operations Manager, Jesse Hibbetts, provides a tour of Berth 7 at the Velasco Terminal.

Port Freeport Operations Manager, Jesse Hibbetts, provides a tour of Berth 7 at the Velasco Terminal.

This post first appeared on the EDF Climate Corps Blog.

This summer I had the opportunity to work with Port Freeport, a deep-water seaport in Freeport, Texas, on developing a new supply chain strategy from scratch. Currently, empty containers are trucked from Houston to Freeport for loading. Then, the filled containers are driven back to Houston completing the round-trip cycle. This long-haul covers 162.2 miles. Port Freeport’s new approach, which would reduce truck trips, emissions and costs, would issue a permit for overweight vehicles to move goods from industry to Port property. Once on site, these containers would be loaded onto a barge and shuttled to Houston. This process is more commonly referred to as short sea shipping or container-on-barge. Read More »

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Air Toxics Lessons for Texas from a Friendly Rival

By / Bio / Published: October 15, 2015
California has had success dealing with air toxics challenges similar to those facing Texas.

California has had success addressing air toxics challenges similar to those in Texas.

For all their differences, Texas and California have a few big environmental challenges in common: large populations that drive significant miles on roadways, major industry that drives economic sustainability, and the resulting air pollution. Specifically, high levels of air toxics are linked to ozone pollution, and thus associated with higher risks of cancer and respiratory problems.

Fortunately, California has a new study detailing successes the state has had in addressing these issues – and it contains valuable lessons for Texas. The “Ambient and Emission Trends of Toxic Air Contaminants in California” study, authored by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and published last month in Environmental Science and Technology, demonstrates how emissions and health risk have decreased due to landmark clean air standards on air toxics. Between 1990 and 2012, CARB monitored the seven most significant air toxics that are responsible for cancer risk in California and found that the state’s efforts resulted in a staggering 76 percent decline in the risk of cancer from exposure to air toxics. Read More »

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Driving Truck Efficiency with Smart Standards: Innovative Companies On How It Can Be Done

By / Bio / Published: September 30, 2015

clean truck 9.30.15As readers of this blog will know, Texas has been called home by a number of leaders in technological innovation, from Dell to Frito Lay. 

This post is from our colleague Christina Wolfe, one of our experts in air quality and freight efficiency, who notes that innovative companies recognize the value of smart regulations that help to advance technologies. We wanted to share this post with Texas Clean Air Matters because of its relevance to Texas, both as a hotspot for innovation and as a beneficiary to the climate and pollution benefits a strong Phase 2 rule will provide. 

— The EDF Texas Clean Air Matters Team

The deadline to provide public comment on new greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for large highway trucks and buses—jointly proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)—is quickly approaching. Overall, the proposed new fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards have been heralded by shippers and others. And a majority of Americans — 71 percent — favor requiring truck manufacturers to increase the fuel efficiency of large trucks because it would reduce fuel costs, with much of the savings passed on to consumers. Read More »

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Updated EPA Refinery Standards – Clean Air Benefits for Communities

By / Published: September 29, 2015
New EPA Refinery Standards Will Provide Clean Air Benefits for Communities

New EPA Refinery Standards Will Provide Clean Air Benefits for Communities

This guest post is an abridged version of an Air Alliance Houston blog:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a new rule that will protect communities near oil refineries. The rule will put in place new controls that will reduce toxic air pollution from refineries and, for the first time ever, require air monitoring at refinery fencelines. It’s a step in the right direction for people living near refineries. For too long, poor and minority communities have suffered from toxic air pollution that damages their health and shortens their lives.

The rule is the result of a lawsuit filed in 2012 by Air Alliance Houston and others, including Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, Community In-Power and Development Association, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, California Communities Against Toxics, Del Amo Action Committee, and Coalition For A Safe Environment. These groups were represented by Earthjustice and the Environmental Integrity Project. Together, these groups have been working for years to ensure that EPA would set stronger standards to protect public health. Read More »

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New Guide Helps Ports and Terminals Clean the Air and Save Energy

By / Bio / Published: September 29, 2015
A new EDF guide shows ways Ports and Terminals can save energy and clean up the air.

A new EDF guide shows ways ports and terminals can save energy and clean up the air.

The freight transportation industry is growing – and so is interest in adopting environmentally-friendly green freight approaches.

That’s why EDF is proud to release its new Clean Air Guide for Ports & Terminals: Technologies and Strategies to Reduce Emissions and Save Energy. The guide highlights institutional frameworks, technology upgrades, and operational improvements that have been effective in reducing energy use and harmful emissions from the freight industry. Landlord ports, operating ports, and marine terminal operators will all find models of initiatives they can implement at their own facilities. Community and advocacy groups also can identify best practices in the industry and work with their port partners to collaboratively implement some of these strategies at a nearby terminal. Read More »

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The Important Role of Voluntary Efforts and Partnerships in Port Sustainability – a New Orleans Perspective

By / Published: August 31, 2015
Image credit: Tracie Morris Schaefer, courtesy of the Port of New Orleans

Image credit: Tracie Morris Schaefer, courtesy of the Port of New Orleans

By Amelia Pellegrin, Port of New Orleans Environmental Services Manager

The Port of New Orleans is working to shift the discussion from ports as sources of pollution, to ports as generators of solutions that engage not just the maritime industry and freight stakeholders, but the communities we border and the workers that make their living at the Port.

Most recently, our Port was recognized in the Green Marine certification program for making the commitment to improve environmental performance. Our efforts to date include creating an environmental management program that has made major strides in just two years, in large part due to working with partners to search for solutions. From launching the first public fleet of electric vehicles in the state to engaging our stakeholders in strategies for trash free waters, we are moving quickly to capture momentum from across Greater New Orleans and the global shipping industry for much-needed environmental progress. Read More »

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