Pollution study finds Houston refineries emit 3 times as much as reported
I am shocked- SHOCKED!!- that refineries in the Houston area have been lying about how much pollution they've been emitting. Of course, no one who lives on the east or southeast side of Houston could reasonably claimed to be surprised.
Refineries and petrochemical plants in the Houston area release three times more toxic air pollution than they report to the federal government, according to a study released Tuesday.
The report by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project and a local air pollution advocacy group, used calculations developed by the state's environmental agency to estimate that 102 refineries in the Houston area released 116 million pounds of pollution in 2001, 79 million pounds more than they reported.
Applying that same formula throughout Texas, and to refineries and chemical plants nationwide, the groups found that the state would rank first in releases of 10 toxic air pollutants, rather than third, as was reported in the last year's Toxics Release Inventory, a federal database compiled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
If you read through the entire article, it's tough not to be left with the impression that the numbers are arrived at with the assistance of a random number generator. So how bad IS the pollution, and exactly how much of it is being emitted, only to end up in our lungs? How knows??
As early as 2000, research conducted in the region has suggested that emissions from the region's refineries and chemical plants are six to 10 times greater than what has been reported.
More recently, the state, as part of its plan to clean up smog in the Houston area, began adjusting the pounds of pollution reported by industry by multiplying as much as 5.6 times. Only then did the numbers match the high ozone concentrations detected by the region's air quality monitors.
It would be nice if the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality would actually do what it is charged with doing- protecting the environment. Given that George W. Bush succeeded during his term as Governor at making it even easier for polluters in the Houston area to continue their dirty work, the current numbers should hardly be surprising. My concerns are with the long-term effects, but Republicans in Texas are barely concerned with anything beyond their own self-interest. Since refineries donate large sums of money to Republican coffers, no one can or should reasonably expect any action to be taken that actually represents the public interest.
Breathe deep the gathering gloom....
