Texas Clean Air Matters

Selected tag(s): Refineries

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 »

Posted in Air Pollution, Uncategorized / Also tagged , | Comments are closed

New EPA Report Assesses Achievements and Hurdles in Reducing Urban Air Toxics

By / Bio / Published: September 4, 2014
Haze over Dallas (Source: Texas Tribune)

Haze over Dallas (Source: Texas Tribune)

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the second of two reports required under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to inform Congress about actions and progress in reducing air toxics. Given Texas’ history as an industrial state and major emitter of millions of tons of toxics per year, the report highlights the importance of the CAA in curbing toxic pollution. Ultimately, this is about saving lives, as exposure to air toxics is associated with health effects such as cancer, respiratory disease, neurological and reproductive problems, and other health risks.

 

 

What does the report say?

  • It demonstrates that federal, state, and local regulations have been effective in reducing millions of tons of air toxics over the last two decades.
  • It highlights that much more needs to be done, particularly in areas where there may be increased health risks from emissions of air toxics.
  • It shows that benzene and formaldehyde, two extremely potent and ubiquitous air toxics, contribute to the largest portion of estimated cancer risk in urban areas.
    • The report mentions the 2005 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) data, which estimated that more than 13.8 million people in urban areas were exposed to cancer risks greater than 100-in-a-million due to air toxics from all outdoor sources. The next NATA will be released in 2015. Read More »
Posted in Air Pollution, Clean Air Act, Dallas Fort-Worth, Environmental Protection Agency, Houston / Tagged | Comments are closed

Public Calls for Health Protections at Refinery Hearing in Texas, Industry Defends Status Quo

By / Bio / Published: August 8, 2014
Motiva refinery in Port Arthur, TX (Source: FuelFix)

Motiva refinery in Port Arthur, TX
(Source: FuelFix)

On Tuesday, I spoke at a well-attended public hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) vital proposal to reduce toxic emissions at oil refineries. At the hearing, I witnessed industry representatives and backers argue that refineries have already done enough to protect local citizens and that the public knows all there is to know about hazardous refinery pollution. Clean air advocates, including labor unions, public officials, residents, and health practitioners, took the stand and called on EPA to improve the status quo.

The status quo, unfortunately, is pollution loopholes for certain refinery processes, outdated pollution control technologies, and an inadequate health impact assessment. This refinery air toxics proposal, currently open for public comment, will help protect public health in some of the nation’s most toxically overburdened communities. That’s why direct federal attention to oil refineries is needed in states with questionable environmental records like Texas and Louisiana. Read More »

Posted in Air Pollution, Environmental Protection Agency, Houston, Oil / Also tagged | Comments are closed

“Refinery Pollution Affects ME!”

By / Published: July 28, 2014

This commentary originally appeared in Air Alliance Houston’s newsletter.

Isn’t it time you said that to the EPA?

By: Adrian Shelley, Executive Director, Air Alliance Houston

There are 149 oil refineries in the United States. Of those, 5 are located in Houston, with an additional 3 in both Port Arthur and Texas City. The refining industry is more than 100 years old, and some people might be surprised to learn that there is equipment operating in some of our refineries that is a century old as well. As you can imagine, a lot has changed in that century.

Regulations governing the refining industry have not kept up. You’ve probably heard by now about the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Refinery Air Toxics Rule. You may even have seen announcements lately about a hearing on the rule to be held in Houston on August 5. The hearing is a unique opportunity to influence a landmark rule in the fight against refinery pollution.

Air Alliance Houston has been promoting the hearing since it was announced. Today, I’d like to take a few minutes to explain why YOU should attend the hearing. Read More »

Posted in Air Pollution, Environmental Protection Agency, Houston, Oil / Also tagged , | Comments are closed