May 22, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
The Associated Press reveals the significant gaps in health outcomes between Black Americans and their white counterparts throughout their lives.
Six Houston-based refineries dump millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater with little penalty, report finds
Summary
According to a report produced by the Environmental Integrity Project, 81 oil and gas refineries around the nation dump almost 500 million gallons of toxic wastewater per day. Every day, six refineries in the Houston region discharge around 55 million gallons of effluent into nearby waterways. ExxonMobil Baytown, Pemex Deer Park, Valero Houston, Chevron Pasadena, LyondellBasell-Houston, and Kinder Morgan Galena Park are among those refineries. The pollution is released into the Houston ship channel, which ultimately drains into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The EPA has never imposed any limitations for the discharge of dangerous contaminants such as selenium, cyanide, benzene, and mercury. When it comes to the EPA's regulations, corporations who violate these limitations seldom suffer financial consequences. From 2019 to 2021, 67 of the 81 refineries covered in the study reported enough pollutants to exceed their pollution control permits. Only 15 of the 67 were fined for water pollution breaches throughout that time period. Between 2019 and 2021, the Phillips 66 refinery in Sweeny, Texas, roughly an hour south of Houston, allegedly breached its emission standards 44 times. The majority of the infractions involved the discharge of cyanide into the Brazos River. Despite this, the corporation was only fined $30,000.
May 24, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
Grassroots groups are collecting their own pollution data to increase accountability and demand environmental justice.
May 24, 2023
Carbon Emissions
Carbon Emissions
Three Texas oil & gas industry sites that caught fire had long violation records.
May 24, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
Houston residents protest proposed cutback in neighborhood drainage spending amid revenue surge
Carbon credits for nitrous oxide reductions could fill a key gap in international agreements and government regulations.
May 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
Supreme Court ruling on May 25, 2023, has curtailed the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) to regulate millions of acres of wetlands.
May 26, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism
This article addresses the systemic racism and environmental injustice experienced by Latino farmworkers in the US, focusing on their exposure to the herbicide paraquat.
According to the American Red Cross, 64% of African-American, 45% of Hispanic/Latino, and 40% of white children have few to no swimming skills.
May 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
This article by Somini Sengupta discusses the dangerous feedback loops that extreme heat can trigger for hospitals and clinics in the United States.
Lawmakers in the United States are currently negotiating the national debt ceiling and in the midst of these negotiations, the future of clean energy and environmental protection.
April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
Nearly two dozen lawsuits filed by cities and states aim to put fossil fuel companies on trial for deceiving the public about climate change.
Legislatures in a dozen states have passed “right of first refusal” laws that freeze out competition in transmission line projects, raising concerns about higher energy costs.
April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
EPA’s upcoming climate rules are expected to rely on carbon capture technology.
April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change
Final investment decision for Rio Grande LNG project, set to be built in Brownsville, Texas by Bechtel, is set to be made in June, says its developer.
The Federal Railroad Administration launched a public database for complaints about blocked crossings in late 2019, and it has received over 28,000 reports of stopped trains.