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Articles by Texas. Ferrell primarily
Los defensores ambientales están pasando por un mal momento, pero su situación no es exclusiva de la administración de Trump
Es un momento difícil para ser activista ambiental. En su primer día como presidente, Trump revirtió casi todo las políticas climáticas de la administración de Biden con una serie de órdenes ejecutivas. Desde entonces, la administración ha congelado la financiación para proyectos de energía limpia y subvenciones climáticas, puso en baja administrativa a la oficina de justicia ambiental de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de los EE.UU y echó atrás protecciones ambientales vitales.
Environmentalists are struggling, but their struggle isn’t unique to the Trump administration
It’s a difficult time to be an environmental advocate. On his first day as president, Trump reversed most of the Biden administration’s climate policies with a series of executive orders. Since then, the administration has frozen funding for clean energy projects and community climate grants, and put most of the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency’s office of environmental justice staff on administrative leave, and rolled back key environmental protections.
Community activists plead to be heard through “closed doors” outside nation’s top energy conference Original
HOUSTON — Climate activists expressed concern that discussions behind closed doors at the nation’s largest energy conference, CERAWeek by S&P Global, will further contribute to environmental health risks.
The clock is ticking on Trump's ability to challenge the hydrogen tax credit
President Donald Trump has the opportunity to challenge the Biden administration’s hydrogen tax credit rules under the Congressional Review Act, but the clock is ticking. The act only allows for changes within 60 days of the rules’ publication. On March 4, time will run out. Last week representatives from 117 trade associations, energy companies, and hydrogen hub projects issued a letter to Congress and the Trump administration asking them to keep the federal hydrogen tax credit.
Behind the Ban: Breaking down the risks of Red Dye 3 and chemicals like it
Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned Red Dye No. 3 in foods, beverages and oral medications because the chemical has been linked to cancer in animal studies. The FDA previously banned the same dye in cosmetics and topicals for cancer risk in 1990. Both bans relied on the FDA's Delaney Clause, which requires the agency to ban food additives that cause cancer in animals or humans.
Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency Original
The Biden administration finalized long-anticipated hydrogen tax credit rules just weeks before Trump takes office. The rules, set by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service, will determine when hydrogen producers can claim substantial tax credits intended to incentivize the production of clean hydrogen energy. The draft rules received over comments from industry groups and environmental advocates alike that Treasury and the IRS spent the last two years interpreting.
Petrochemical plants send millions of pounds of pollutants into waterways each year: Report
Nearly 70 petrochemical companies across the nation, including 30 in Texas, are sending millions of pounds of pollutants into waterways each year due to weak or nonexistent regulations, according to a report published by the watchdog group Environmental Integrity Project. The report analyzed wastewater discharges from petrochemical companies that produce plastics across the U.S., finding that a majority of the facilities had violated Clean Water Act permits and few were punished.
Study shows $1 billion in lost tax revenue in Houston area from industry tax breaks Original
HOUSTON — Harris County, which encompasses Houston, is projected to lose nearly $1 billion in revenue over the lifespan of current tax breaks, many of which are given to top polluters, according to a new report from the environmental advocacy group Texas Campaign for the Environment.
How Will the Trump Administration Impact the Federal Hydrogen Energy Initiative? Original
The incoming Trump administration could decrease the viability of the nascent U.S. hydrogen economy with changes in clean energy funding, trade, climate and environmental policies, according to legal and industry experts. The Biden administration made a big bet on hydrogen — with seven proposed, federally funded hydrogen hub networks, an initiative born from the administration’s 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
What’s hampering federal environmental justice efforts in the hydrogen hub build-out?
This is part 2 of a 2-part series. Read part 1: Hydrogen hubs test new federal environmental justice rules One Wednesday evening last May, Yukyan Lam stared into the camera on her computer, delivering carefully prepared remarks during a virtual listening session convened by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). To read a version of this story in Spanish click here. Haz clic aquí para leer este reportaje en español.
¿Qué está obstaculizando los esfuerzos federales en favor de la justicia ambiental en la instalación de centros de hidrógeno?
Esta es la segunda entrega de una serie de dos partes. Lea la primera entrega: Los centros de hidrógeno ponen a prueba las nuevas normas federales de justicia ambiental En la tarde de un miércoles del pasado mayo, Yukyan Lam miraba a la cámara de su computadora, mientras pronunciaba comentarios cuidadosamente preparados durante una sesión de escucha virtual convocada por el Departamento de Energía de Estados Unidos (DOE, por sus siglas en inglés). Haz clic aquí para leer este reportaje en inglés.
Hydrogen hubs test new federal environmental justice rules
This is part 1 of a 2-part series. Read part 2: What’s hampering federal environmental justice efforts in the hydrogen hub build-out? On a rainy day in September, Veronica Coptis and her two children stood on the shore of the Monongahela River in a park near their home, watching a pair of barges laden with mountainous heaps of coal disappear around the riverbend.
Los centros de hidrógeno ponen a prueba las nuevas normas federales de justicia ambiental
Esta es la primera parte de una serie de dos entregas. Lea la segunda parte, Los obstáculos para garantizar la justicia ambiental en los centros de hidrógeno federales En un día lluvioso de septiembre, Veronica Coptis y sus dos hijos se pararon a orillas del río Monongahela, en un parque cerca a su hogar, observando cómo un par de barcazas cargadas con montones de carbón desaparecían por la ribera. Haz clic aquí para leer este reportaje en inglés.
Houston area has more than 100 unauthorized air pollution events already this year
HOUSTON — It was just after noon on August 26, 2024, when Shiv Srivastava recorded the skyline of Houston’s East End while an industrial flare from TPC Group roared in the distance after power loss. Srivastava is the policy director at Fenceline Watch, an environmental nonprofit based in Houston’s East End.
Fossil Fuel Industry Disproportionately Harms Low-Income Women, Women of Color
Houston — Black, Latine and Indigenous women are disproportionately suffering from the fossil fuel industry in North America, according to a new report. The report, published by Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), analyzed existing research about fossil fuel extraction and related facilities to explore the unequal impacts on women of color in North America. WECAN identified nine regions that appeared most frequently, including the Gulf Coast, to focus additional research.
The fossil fuel industry is disproportionately harming low-income and minority women: Report Original
HOUSTON — Black, Latine and Indigenous women are disproportionately suffering from the fossil fuel industry in North America, according to a new report. The report, published by Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), analyzed existing research about fossil fuel extraction and related facilities to explore the unequal impacts on women of color in North America. WECAN identified nine regions that appeared most frequently, including the Gulf Coast, to focus additional research.
At least 36 facilities in Texas identified as potential microplastic polluters, according to new map
LA PORTE, Texas – On a humid summer afternoon in July, about 40 minutes from Houston, children are running up and down the Texas coastline of Sylvan Beach. Families make camps for the day with coolers filled with drinks and snacks. It doesn’t take more than a few steps near the shore to realize plastics have overtaken the beach. Bottles, bags and wrappers litter the sand with no trash cans in sight. Intermingled with the sand, small white disks begin to appear beneath your feet.
Al menos 36 instalaciones de Texas identificadas como fuentes de microplásticos, según un nuevo mapa Original
LA PORTE, Texas– En una húmeda tarde de verano de julio, a unos 40 minutos de Houston, los niños corren arriba y abajo por la costa tejana de Sylvan Beach. Las familias acampan para pasar el día con sus neveras llenas de bebidas y aperitivos. Basta con dar unos pasos cerca de la orilla para darse cuenta de que los plásticos han invadido la playa. Botellas, bolsas y envoltorios ensucian la arena sin que haya papeleras a la vista.
ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell y Chevron Phillips están en el top de empresas contaminantes en Houston: Informe
Las instalaciones industriales más contaminantes del condado de Harris, que incluye a Houston, son en su inmensa mayoría compañías petroquímicas responsables de la emisión de millones de libras de sustancias químicas y de cientos de violaciones ambientales estatales y federales, según un nuevo informe. Haz clic aquí para leer este reportaje en inglés. To read and watch a version of this story in English click here. Usando las bases de datos de la Agencia de Protección de los EE.UU.
ExxonMobil, LyondellBassel and Chevron among Houston’s top polluters: Report
HOUSTON – The top industrial polluters in Harris County, which encompasses Houston, are overwhelmingly petrochemical companies, which are responsible for millions of pounds of chemical releases and hundreds of state and federal environmental violations, according to a new report.
Bioplastics are inadequately defined, poorly regulated, and potentially toxic: Report
HOUSTON — The lack of federal regulations and clear definitions for bioplastics make it increasingly difficult to determine whether or not they are a safe alternative to traditional plastics, according to a new report from Beyond Plastics. Since 1950 the world has produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, and about half was produced after 2000. Yet only 9% has been recycled, 12% was burned and a staggering 79% entered landfills.
WATCH: Enduring the “endless” expansion of the nation’s petrochemical corridor
In the course of a century, Houston, once known for its magnolia flowers, turned into the “energy capital of the world.” To many, at 52 miles long and deepening under its 11th expansion, the Houston Ship Channel represents its epicenter. To read and watch a version of this story in Spanish click here. Haz clic aquí para leer este reportaje en español. The channel hosts hundreds of chemical facilities, some of which have years of documented Clean Air Act violations.
Soportar la "interminable" expansión del corredor petroquímico de la nación: El Canal de Navegación de Houston
En un siglo, la ciudad de Houston, alguna vez reconocida por sus magnolias, se convirtió en la Capital de Energía del mundo. Para muchos, con 52 millas de largo y cada vez más profundo tras su onceava ampliación, el Canal de Navegación de Houston representa el epicentro de la industria. Haz clic aquí para leer este reportaje en inglés. To read and watch a version of this story in English click here.
“Cancer Alley” residents exposed to more than the lifetime exposure limit for cancer-causing compound: Report
HOUSTON – Louisiana communities are experiencing up to 1,000 times the lifetime exposure limit for the cancer-causing compound ethylene oxide, according to a new study published in Environmental Science and Technology. In February 2023 Johns Hopkins University researchers measured ambient ethylene oxide in one of the most polluted portions of Louisiana, often called the “Cancer Alley” of the United States.
Cancer-causing benzene levels were cut in half at US refineries in 2023: Report Original
HOUSTON — The number of U.S. oil refineries exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s action level for benzene in 2023 was cut in half compared to 2020, according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project. In 2023 just six refineries were above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s average annual ,” compared to 12 back in 2020.
Residentes hispanohablantes de Baytown se sienten excluidos del proceso de permisos de la masiva planta petroquímica de Exxon Original
BAYTOWN, TX — Mientras ExxonMobil avanza en la reautorización del permiso de operación federal para su enorme complejo petroquímico en el área de Houston, los residentes siguen frustrados con la brecha de accesibilidad y divulgación en español por parte del estado y la compañía.
Spanish-speaking residents feel left out of permitting process at massive Exxon petrochemical plant in Houston-area
BAYTOWN, TX — As Exxon Mobil moves forward with federal re-permitting for its massive petrochemical complex in the Houston area, residents remain frustrated with the lack of accessibility and Spanish-language outreach from the state and company. At issue is Exxon Mobil’s application for its Baytown Olefins Plant permit, which must be approved by the the Texas Commision on Environmental Quality every five years to continue operations. To read a version of this story in Spanish click here.
New EPA regulations mean a closer eye on the nation’s petrochemical hub Original
HOUSTON – Terri Blackwood, a Baytown resident living along the Houston Ship Channel, knows the smells of pollution well. Blackwood’s backyard is along the water shore where several oil and gas facilities and chemical plants cluster. She keeps a journal of more than 100 instances in which she smelled something “off,” felt ill, saw flares or noticed her house shaking.
La nueva normativa de la EPA obliga a vigilar más de cerca al epicentro petroquímico del país
HOUSTON - Terri Blackwood, una residente de Baytown que vive al lado del Canal de Navegación de Houston, conoce bien a qué huele la contaminación. El patio trasero de Blackwood bordea la costa, donde se agrupan varias instalaciones de petróleo y gas y plantas químicas. Lleva un diario en el que ha registrado más de 100 ocasiones en las que ha olido algo "raro", se ha sentido mal, ha visto llamaradas o ha notado que su casa temblaba.
Plastic chemicals are more numerable and less regulated than previously thought: Report Original
HOUSTON — Fewer than 6% of more than 16,000 chemicals associated with plastic production are regulated worldwide, according to a new report from PlastChem. PlastChem is a project funded by the Norwegian Research Council that identifies and seeks to address potential harm from plastics and polymers.
EPA announces stricter rules to prevent chemicals incidents Original
HOUSTON — On March 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published updates to its Risk Management Plan (RMP) rule with stricter regulations for chemical accident prevention. The Coalition to Prevent Chemical disasters estimates that one chemical incident occurs every other day in the U.S and our previous reporting shows disproportionate impacts on Latino communities in Texas.
Houston neighborhood struggling with dangerous air pollution critiques state’s “lack of action”
HOUSTON — Tuesday evening, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) told residents, activists and city officials from Houston’s Wayside neighborhood that nearly 70% of the time their air quality is worse than new federal regulations allow. From July 2022 through June 2023, the TCEQ conducted a PM2.5 study in Houston’s Wayside neighborhood, which is predominantly Latino and surrounded by industry. In Tuesday’s meeting, they shared their findings with community members.
Fossil fuels and petrochemicals may be making us sicker, research says Original
HOUSTON - Fossil fuel combustion and plastic production has increased more than 15 times since the 1950s and resulting exposure is linked to rising rates of cancer, neurodevelopmental issues and infertility, according to a new report. The new research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, highlights the concerns of chemicals derived from fossil fuels, specifically petrochemicals. Many of these are endocrine-disrupting chemicals, meaning they can disrupt the body’s hormones.
One of the country’s largest petrochemical complexes wants to expand amid community backlash
Shiv Srivastava, policy director for environmental justice group Fenceline Watch, gives public comment. Credit: Cami Ferrell for Environmental Health News Personal stories of cancer and resulting loss filled the room on Monday evening. Nearly every person that spoke either had cancer or spoke of someone they knew with cancer. “Your zip code should not determine whether or not you get cancer,” said Shiv Srivastava of the Houston-based environmental justice group Fenceline Watch.
Feeling “invisible”: How language barriers worsen environmental injustice
Percentage of people who speak limited English in the Houston area. Credit: U.S. EPA's Environmental Justice Screening Database Treviño’s story, unfortunately, is not unique. From pesticide dangers in California to petrochemical emissions in Texas, minority communities are due to disproportionate exposure and socioeconomic inequality — and they’re more likely to experience language barriers in accessing information about their environment and health.
Texas is underestimating cancer risk from air pollution, health advocates say
HOUSTON — The Texas department responsible for monitoring air pollution is using different science to analyze risks than the federal government recommends. Health advocates say this leaves people breathing more cancer-causing compounds.
WATCH: How Marathon Petroleum and one Texas city show the potential for a chemical communication crisis
HOUSTON — On June 27 Texas City residents received a notice to shelter in place due to a leak of sulfur dioxide from the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery. In order to receive the alert, residents had to preregister for the city’s opt-in emergency alert system or check the social media of local government agencies. With these limitations, it’s unlikely that everyone received the message in time.
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