Whenever it tends to come to ozone pollution, Texas ranks high among the states of the United States. Among the top 25 most contaminated cities in the country are Houston, the Texas Valued metroplex, as well as the Waco area. Both Houston and McAllen-Edinburg have consistently significant concentrations of PM (particulate matter) polluted air all year.
Could Pollution Be An Issue In Texas
People who are exposed to high levels of toxic air pollution from nearby sources may feel the effects on their health. The oil and gas industry in Texas negatively impacts the well-being of its residents by raising this same cancer threat for millions of citizens and making a contribution to atmospheric smog, which triggers asthma attacks and other health issues in communities across the state.
Texas is notorious for its high levels of pollution, particularly in the form of air pollution. The state has been struggling to meet federal air quality standards for years, and the situation has only gotten worse in recent years.
The good news is that the state is finally taking some action to try to address the problem. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has proposed a new rule that would require all new power plants in the state to use advanced pollution control technologies. This is a positive step in the right direction, and it is hoped that other states will follow suit.
The new rule is not without its critics, however. Some believe that it does not go far enough to address the problem, and that more needs to be done to reduce pollution levels in Texas. Only time will tell whether the new rule will be successful in reducing pollution levels in the state.
Where Does Most Of Waco’s Pollution Come From
Pollution of the air and water supplies is a serious issue.
Coal-fired power plants in Texas are extremely polluting, with the EPA placing them ahead of oil refineries and gas power plants when it comes to emissions.
Emmanuel Kelly, a solicitor with both the (EPI) Environmental Truthfulness Project, has stated, “Government regulators must undertake a more comprehensive and consistent job of punishing industries for unauthorised emission levels if they want to protect Texans from deadly air quality.”
In 2021, businesses reported a total of 2,980 incidents of unlicensed air pollution to the appropriate government agency. These numbers do not account for carbon dioxide emissions, pollution from businesses’ regular operations, or inadvertent discharges that haven’t been reported to authorities.
Different Policy Options Include
It is imperative that Texas vigorously start prosecuting and impose unauthorised pollution releases in sequence to provide plant holders with the greater cash motivation to modernise there own facilities and protect public health. To achieve this goal, the state should impose mandatory minimum fines.
If unauthorised pollution releases were reported towards the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) inside a timely manner, the emitter is almost automatically exempt from fines under the state’s “affirmative defence” rule.
Texas needs to install more pollution monitors to measure the extent to which illegal industrial emissions degrade air quality. State, federal, and local governments should all work together on regulations to ensure that harmful pollutants are constantly being monitored as part of this initiative.
They’ve noticed that Texas has tightened its regulations on polluting industries in recent years. According to Director of the Public Citizen’s Texas office, there is yet work to be done because only about 3 percent of lawbreakers in Texas will receive fines. In considering the recent economic downturn and the global epidemic, it is encouraging to see a decrease in the amount of cases.
Last year, a lot of damage was done by the air pollution produced by the Houston chemical plant of Payment Processing Achievement Council (TPC) Group. The Park Place, Pecan Park, and Glenbrook areas were exposed to 1.3 million pounds of toxic air, including 11,200 pounds of the carcinogen 1,3 butadiene. Gladstone, Galinas Campground, and Paso Denise were all or less two miles away.
The Compliance & Advocating Filmmaker of the Air Alliance, Houston, stated that “racial minorities bear a disproportionate number of the impeded with repercussions of air pollution,” highlighting the need for both a steady speed of punishing sector because of its illegitimate emissions and a concentrate on fairness as well as environmental justice.
According to state news stories cited in “Unauthorised Air Pollution in Texas,” on August 3, 2020, because once there was lot of rain, or more than 75,000 weight of chemicals, including 4,100 kilos of benzene, spilled at Valero’s Proposal Greehey Processing plant in Corpus Christi.
What Does The Clean Air Act Do
The Texas Environmental Quality Act’s original intent dates back to its passage in 1965. They include ensuring that resident’s health, general well-being, and property are protected, as well as safeguarding the state’s air resources. In addition, the Texas Environmental Control board was given responsibility for enforcing these rules.