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WEATHER ALERT

15 warnings in effect for 10 counties in the area

TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (TCEQ)


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Texas regulators grapple with a growing problem: old oil wells leaking polluted water

Read full article: Texas regulators grapple with a growing problem: old oil wells leaking polluted water

Two years after lawmakers created a $10 million program to address leaking wells in rural counties, none of the money has been distributed.

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Texas regulators report more than 250 new cases of groundwater contamination

Read full article: Texas regulators report more than 250 new cases of groundwater contamination

An annual report documents 2,870 active cases of groundwater contamination around the state. Groundwater provides more than half of the state’s water supply.

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Growing oil industry support for methane reduction rule could help it survive Trump’s return

Read full article: Growing oil industry support for methane reduction rule could help it survive Trump’s return

Texas regulators are taking public comment about how they should implement an EPA rule to reduce methane leaks from the oil and gas industry.

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Texas farmers say sewage-based fertilizer tainted with “forever chemicals” poisoned their land and killed their livestock

Read full article: Texas farmers say sewage-based fertilizer tainted with “forever chemicals” poisoned their land and killed their livestock

The fertilizer was promoted as an environmental win-win for years. An untold number of farmers and ranchers across Texas have spread it on their land.

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Despite back-to-back deals on water from Mexico, relief for South Texas farmers is far from certain

Read full article: Despite back-to-back deals on water from Mexico, relief for South Texas farmers is far from certain

Texas agreed to take 120,000 acre-feet of water from Mexico this month, only after the U.S. and Mexico agreed to an updated treaty.

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How Texas’ environmental agency weakened a once-rigorous air pollution monitoring team

Read full article: How Texas’ environmental agency weakened a once-rigorous air pollution monitoring team

Former employees say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality gutted the unit soon after the fracking boom swept the state oil industry. The operation never returned to what it was before.

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New EPA rule to slash cancer-causing emissions from sterilization facilities

Read full article: New EPA rule to slash cancer-causing emissions from sterilization facilities

Laredo residents who live near a sterilization plant say the new federal limits on the pollutant will improve air quality and reduce their city’s high cancer risk.

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Expuestos y en el olvido: El aire tóxico en una comunidad latina de Texas revela los fallos del sistema estatal de control de calidad del aire

Read full article: Expuestos y en el olvido: El aire tóxico en una comunidad latina de Texas revela los fallos del sistema estatal de control de calidad del aire

Los datos públicos de una red de monitores de la calidad del aire alrededor del Canal de Navegación de Houston son difíciles de interpretar y a menudo son insuficientes, dejando a vecindarios de mayoría latina, como Cloverleaf, sin saber si el aire que respiran es seguro.

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Neglected and exposed: Toxic air lingers in a Texas Latino community, revealing failures in state’s air monitoring system

Read full article: Neglected and exposed: Toxic air lingers in a Texas Latino community, revealing failures in state’s air monitoring system

Public data from a network of state air monitors around the Houston Ship Channel is hard to interpret and is often inadequate, leaving Latino-majority neighborhoods like Cloverleaf unaware of whether the air they breathe is safe.

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The EPA sets tougher national soot standards. These 10 Texas counties already exceed them.

Read full article: The EPA sets tougher national soot standards. These 10 Texas counties already exceed them.

Some environmental experts are skeptical that Texas can meet the new rules on particulate matter, which can cause serious respiratory problems.

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In Dallas, EPA casts a net for answers on how pollution from concrete batch plants affects people’s health

Read full article: In Dallas, EPA casts a net for answers on how pollution from concrete batch plants affects people’s health

EPA scientists went fishing to begin a study of how pollution from a group of concrete batch plants impacts human health.

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Texas companies reported releasing 1 million pounds of excess pollution during recent cold snap

Read full article: Texas companies reported releasing 1 million pounds of excess pollution during recent cold snap

Called “upset” events, companies are required to tell the state when they emit pollution above what their permits allow.

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How Texas polluters classify big facilities as smaller ones to avoid stricter environmental rules and public input

Read full article: How Texas polluters classify big facilities as smaller ones to avoid stricter environmental rules and public input

Industrial developers describe large facilities as “minor” polluters to avoid federal permitting requirements, and environmental lawyers say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality lets it happen.

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Judge overrules Texas, strikes down air pollution permit for Gulf Coast oil terminal

Read full article: Judge overrules Texas, strikes down air pollution permit for Gulf Coast oil terminal

A judge reversed a 2022 decision by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that involved its controversial “one-mile rule” to deny hearing requests.

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Oil and gas companies spill millions of gallons of wastewater in Texas

Read full article: Oil and gas companies spill millions of gallons of wastewater in Texas

An exclusive Inside Climate News analysis found that companies have spilled nearly 150 million gallons of toxic, highly saline wastewater in Texas over the last decade.

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Texas needs water workers. Will high school students answer the call?

Read full article: Texas needs water workers. Will high school students answer the call?

Nearly two-thirds of the state’s water and wastewater agencies say they need more workers.

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Texas quietly moves to formalize acceptable cancer risk from industrial air pollution. Public health officials say it’s not strict enough.

Read full article: Texas quietly moves to formalize acceptable cancer risk from industrial air pollution. Public health officials say it’s not strict enough.

Without public hearings, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is proposing to adopt its 17-year-old standard that scientists and public health officials say fails to account for cumulative air pollution.

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Their water is undrinkable. So these West Texas residents have taken matters into their own hands.

Read full article: Their water is undrinkable. So these West Texas residents have taken matters into their own hands.

The water in these four unincorporated communities near Lubbock has been undrinkable for years, residents say. They hope to win $3 million in state grants to improve their systems.

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Texas’ environmental agency enables companies to increase oilfield wastewater disposal in rivers

Read full article: Texas’ environmental agency enables companies to increase oilfield wastewater disposal in rivers

Researchers are still studying the chemical makeup of “produced water” from Permian Basin oil fields. But regulators say they’re ready to issue permits to discharge the water into rivers and creeks.

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For Texans, fighting state-regulated oilfield waste dumps can be a costly, do-it-yourself effort

Read full article: For Texans, fighting state-regulated oilfield waste dumps can be a costly, do-it-yourself effort

Some Texans who challenge oil and gas waste sites must spend significant sums and time on investigating what they say the Texas Railroad Commission should examine. Will new regulations for handling waste increase oversight or just maintain the status quo?

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The “1-mile rule”: Texas’ unwritten, arbitrary policy protects big polluters from citizen complaints

Read full article: The “1-mile rule”: Texas’ unwritten, arbitrary policy protects big polluters from citizen complaints

It’s not found anywhere in state law or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s rules, but for years the agency has denied citizens the ability to challenge air pollution permits because they live more than a mile away.

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Black and Hispanic Lubbock residents want federal intervention in zoning, environmental polices

Read full article: Black and Hispanic Lubbock residents want federal intervention in zoning, environmental polices

A new federal complaint comes as the city updates its zoning laws for the first time since the 1970s.

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EPA will decide if the state is doing enough to reduce pollution in two East Texas counties

Read full article: EPA will decide if the state is doing enough to reduce pollution in two East Texas counties

The federal agency has settled a lawsuit the Sierra Club brought over pollution from a coal-burning power plant. The agreement requires the EPA to weigh in on the state’s plan to improve air quality in Rusk and Panola counties.

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A Texas energy company will pay $1.3 million over pollution in the Permian Basin, EPA says

Read full article: A Texas energy company will pay $1.3 million over pollution in the Permian Basin, EPA says

The EPA last year announced aerial surveillance of “super-emitters.” At least one other company in New Mexico faced a similar fine.

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West Texas gas operators released tons of excess emissions during June heat wave

Read full article: West Texas gas operators released tons of excess emissions during June heat wave

When sizzling temperatures in June affected the air pressure in pipelines in West Texas, companies in five counties vented millions of pounds of natural gas and other toxins into the air.

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State environmental agency proposes new rules for concrete plants in Texas

Read full article: State environmental agency proposes new rules for concrete plants in Texas

The TCEQ has proposed changes to concrete batch plant permits including lowering production limits, reducing dust coming from plants and setting minimum distance requirements from nearby communities.

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Texas sues EPA over federal smog control plan

Read full article: Texas sues EPA over federal smog control plan

The lawsuit claims the Environmental Protection Agency exceeded its authority with its plan to reduce ozone emissions that cross state lines.

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Texas House moves to crack down on polluters with stricter penalties and heavier oversight

Read full article: Texas House moves to crack down on polluters with stricter penalties and heavier oversight

The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to focus enforcement and increase penalties on repeat violators and increase public outreach. Still, environmental advocates say the effort was too “modest” in its reach.

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Houston-area chemical fire highlights gaps in Texas environmental enforcement

Read full article: Houston-area chemical fire highlights gaps in Texas environmental enforcement

A fire broke out at a Deer Park Shell plant the day after a public hearing on renewing the permit for ITC, a nearby facility that caught fire in 2019, sparking a Texas Tribune/Public Health Watch investigation that documented failures in state and federal oversight.

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Shell refinery unit in Deer Park had history of malfunctions before fire

Read full article: Shell refinery unit in Deer Park had history of malfunctions before fire

Recent “upsets” like tripped compressors, pressure loss and freezing weather resulted in thousands of pounds of unauthorized pollution but no fines or citations from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

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At a heated public hearing, residents urge state agency to reject permit for chemical facility that burned in 2019

Read full article: At a heated public hearing, residents urge state agency to reject permit for chemical facility that burned in 2019

In Deer Park near Houston, memories of the massive ITC fire are still fresh. Residents told state environmental regulators they should reject the company’s permit renewal, but officials said the fire won’t be part of the decision.

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For years, the EPA and Texas ignored warning signs at a chemical storage site. Then an inferno erupted.

Read full article: For years, the EPA and Texas ignored warning signs at a chemical storage site. Then an inferno erupted.

Regulators repeatedly documented — but did little to address — problems at a Houston-area tank farm. Then on March 17, 2019, a fire blew through a corner of the facility, releasing toxic chemicals into nearby communities for weeks.

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Texas Senate seeks increased penalties on polluters as it renews state’s environmental agency

Read full article: Texas Senate seeks increased penalties on polluters as it renews state’s environmental agency

The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to focus enforcement on repeat violators and increase public outreach.

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Senator’s bill would fine Texans for multiple environmental complaints that don’t lead to enforcement

Read full article: Senator’s bill would fine Texans for multiple environmental complaints that don’t lead to enforcement

The bill would impose fines when residents make more than three complaints to the state environmental agency in a year if they don’t result in enforcement action. Critics warn the bill would discourage people from reporting pollution.

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Texas Senate moves to set aside billions for future water needs

Read full article: Texas Senate moves to set aside billions for future water needs

The Senate on Monday passed a bill that would create a new state fund tailored for large or long-shot water supply projects, including marine desalination. The bill will advance to the House.

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Environmental group says Texas fails to hold repeat polluters accountable for unexpected emissions

Read full article: Environmental group says Texas fails to hold repeat polluters accountable for unexpected emissions

A new report found that companies in Texas have had 21,000 unexpected pollution releases that emitted 400,000 tons of air pollution over six years, but only 1% of them prompted action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

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The EPA wants to limit how much soot you breathe. Here’s what it means for Texas and one of its historic Black towns.

Read full article: The EPA wants to limit how much soot you breathe. Here’s what it means for Texas and one of its historic Black towns.

Federal limits on particulate matter commonly known as soot could mean cleaner, safer air for Texans. But environmental experts worry Texas may snub rules.

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Environmental advocates push feds to investigate Texas’ enforcement of water quality

Read full article: Environmental advocates push feds to investigate Texas’ enforcement of water quality

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to investigate allegations that the state is failing to enforce the Clean Water Act. Environmentalists say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s system of issuing permits has made it too easy for industries to contaminate rivers, lakes and estuaries.

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Texas environmentalists push the EPA to crack down on methane emissions, saying state agencies have “failed us”

Read full article: Texas environmentalists push the EPA to crack down on methane emissions, saying state agencies have “failed us”

Commenting on the EPA’s proposed new rule to reduce methane leaks nationally, environmentalists said Texas regulators are hesitant to address emissions of the climate super-pollutant.

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EPA moves away from Permian Basin air pollution crackdown

Read full article: EPA moves away from Permian Basin air pollution crackdown

The oil industry pushed hard against the proposal to issue an ozone nonattainment designation, which would have required that companies reduce oilfield emissions.

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Midland is the latest Texas city to issue a boil-water notice

Read full article: Midland is the latest Texas city to issue a boil-water notice

Officials said the water levels at the local reservoir were too low to meet safety standards.

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Houstonians say the city fumbled sounding the alarm on boil water notice

Read full article: Houstonians say the city fumbled sounding the alarm on boil water notice

Many residents in the nation’s fourth-most-populous city heard that they couldn’t drink tap water from friends or neighbors, not from City Hall.

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Houston boil water notice forces schools to shut down

Read full article: Houston boil water notice forces schools to shut down

Millions of Houston residents are expected to be under a boil water notice until Tuesday after a power outage at a water treatment plant. At least four school districts canceled Monday classes.

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Texans affected by pollution from concrete plants push state agency to tighten regulations

Read full article: Texans affected by pollution from concrete plants push state agency to tighten regulations

As the state’s environmental agency weighs new pollution limits on the plants, several lawmakers have filed bills that would put new restrictions on the facilities, which spew pollutants into mostly low-income neighborhoods.

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Texas’ environmental regulators need to get tougher on polluters, group of lawmakers says

Read full article: Texas’ environmental regulators need to get tougher on polluters, group of lawmakers says

The group that reviews the effectiveness of state agencies recommended several changes to how the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality operates.

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After cancer-causing chemicals were found in Fifth Ward soil, Houston mayor says cleanup plans are inadequate

Read full article: After cancer-causing chemicals were found in Fifth Ward soil, Houston mayor says cleanup plans are inadequate

The city’s health department found dioxins in soil samples along the fence line of a Union Pacific rail yard. Mayor Sylvester Turner said during the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival that plans to clean up the contamination should now include relocating residents.

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Texas regulators proposed cracking down on harmful plastic “nurdles” — and then changed their minds

Read full article: Texas regulators proposed cracking down on harmful plastic “nurdles” — and then changed their minds

The Texas coast is a hot spot for “nurdle” pollution, tiny plastic pellets created in the process of producing everyday products. But a plan to require proactive prevention of their release has been scrapped.

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The EPA has identified 23 U.S. facilities that are emitting toxic air pollution that puts people at risk

Read full article: The EPA has identified 23 U.S. facilities that are emitting toxic air pollution that puts people at risk

One of them is in Laredo, which has elevated rates of cancer, according to a recent state analysis. The findings come after reporting by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.

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Smog levels in Texas surge during heat wave, bringing worst summer air quality in a decade

Read full article: Smog levels in Texas surge during heat wave, bringing worst summer air quality in a decade

Emissions are reacting with the summer heat to create high levels of smog, hazardous air pollution that damages the lungs. But state officials are pushing back on ozone pollution controls proposed by the EPA, arguing such rules would compromise the electric grid.

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Texans tell environmental agency: Stop being reluctant to regulate industry

Read full article: Texans tell environmental agency: Stop being reluctant to regulate industry

A report from the state Sunset Advisory Commission found that Texas Commission on Environmental Quality commissioners have become “reluctant” regulators and often encourage industry to “self police.”

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EPA seeks more smog controls in Houston, Dallas after they fail to meet standards

Read full article: EPA seeks more smog controls in Houston, Dallas after they fail to meet standards

The Houston and Dallas regions may soon be designated as “severe” violators of federal smog rules, which would prompt more aggressive regulations.

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As world leaders seek to rein in methane, Texas' oil and gas industry pressured to cut emissions

Read full article: As world leaders seek to rein in methane, Texas' oil and gas industry pressured to cut emissions

A proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule could require oil and gas producers to monitor and reduce emissions of methane in the field.

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Climate change is making Texas hotter, threatening public health, water supply and the state’s infrastructure

Read full article: Climate change is making Texas hotter, threatening public health, water supply and the state’s infrastructure

A report from the state climatologist finds that the state is experiencing hotter days with less relief from high temperatures at night.

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