What's New
On January 7, Environment Texas and the Sierra Club filed suit in federal district court against Shell Oil Company and several subsidiaries for violations of the Clean Air ACt at its Deer Park refinery and chemical plant.
|
Tougher Clean Air EnforcementHow You Can HelpShell
has repeatedly violated the Clean Air Act at its Houston-area oil refinery and
chemical plant, resulting in the release of millions of pounds of excess air
pollutants over the past five years, including toxic carcinogens such as
benzene.
Please
sign onto our letter to John Hofmeister, the President of Shell Oil, calling on Shell to stop violating the
law by filling out the form here.
According to the federal government, more than half of Texans live in areas where the air is unhealthy to breathe. Ozone, or smog, is formed from nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, and is a powerful oxidant that burns and inflames our lungs and airways. Even at very low levels, ozone can cause chest pain and cough, aggravate asthma, reduce lung function, increase emergency room visits and hospital admissions for respiratory problems, lead to irreversible lung damage and to premature death. This pollution not only costs Texans their health, but it’s costing our families and our budget-strapped local and state governments significant amounts of money. A study commissioned by the City of Houston found that air pollution costs the metropolitan area some $3 billion every year in health care costs, missed work days, etc. Oil refineries and chemical plants contribute much of pollutants that create Texas’ smog problem, as well emitting large amounts of highly toxic chemicals. In 2001, the facilities emitted an estimated 262 million pounds of toxic chemicals, linked by medical experts to cancer and other health problems, into Texas skies. Much of the pollution emitted by the plants is illegal. According to the federal government, one in five oil refineries and chemical plants in Texas severely violated the Clean Air Act between July and September 2004. These plants also flaunt public health by exploiting loopholes that permit them to emit pollution accidentally, known as an “upset”, without facing punishment. State regulators at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) have a poor track record in holding environmental scofflaws accountable. Of 7,520 total reported upsets in Texas for 2003, the TCEQ issued only 30 notices of enforcement. According to a report by the State Auditor, the enforcement program at TCEQ "does not consistently ensure violators are held accountable".More. |
