"Benzene, vinyl chloride, butadiene and other known human carcinogens were among the dozens of tons of industrial chemicals released throughout Houston’s petrochemical corridor and surrounding neighborhoods and waterways following Harvey’s torrential rains," report Lise Olsen and Frank Bajak in the Houston Chronicle.

"In all, reporters cataloged more than 100 Harvey-related toxic releases — on land, in water and air. Most were never publicized."

This, combined with Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to suspend environmental regulations in the aftermath of the storm, they write, "made it more difficult to hold polluters accountable. ... 'The state tied its own hands before it knew the scope or the magnitude or any of the effects of the storm,'” says Ilan Levin with the Environmental Integrity Project.

Read the entire article here ...

Share this article