By Olka Forster
If you were to look in the dictionary for a definition of the word “pollution”, the example photo next to that definition could be the Pasadena Refining plant located just east of Houston. Pasadena Refining System, Inc. has been degrading the air quality of its neighbors for years with repeated violations of hourly and annual limits on emissions of fine particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other air pollutants over the previous five years. In 2016 alone, the plant released 70,129 pounds of unauthorized particulate matter, making it the worst in the entire state of Texas for this type of illegal pollution. Particulate matter is linked to serious health problems, increased emergency room and hospital visits, decreased life expectancy, and aggravated asthma.
That’s right, for years a single refining plant has repeatedly violated the legal amount of pollution it can spew (a number that’s already too high but that’s another story) and the only people who have had to pay are the communities who live nearby. According to the EPA, 75,000 people live within a three-mile radius of the plant, along with at least eight schools, at least one Headstart program, and several daycares. Residents have long complained of foul odors near the plant.
Illegal pollution aside, Pasadena Refining has a terrible reputation. They have had two major fires, one in 2011 and another in March 2016 that injured a worker. In July 2016, a lightning strike was blamed for a massive emission event that resulted in extensive flaring and a shelter-in-place order for Galena Park (the area northwest of the refinery). In addition, the company that owns the plant, Petrobras, has been linked to a bribery and kickbacks scandal known as “Operation Car Wash,” the largest corruption scandal in the history of Brazil.
We’ll See You In Court
Using a provision in the Clean Air Act, the Sierra Club and Environment Texas recently filed a citizen-enforcement federal lawsuit against Pasadena Refining. This lawsuit will address the repeated mechanical breakdowns and operator errors that have plagued the Pasadena Refinery for years, and the illegal releases of pollution have been allowed to recur for far too long without being corrected.
The plant has such a bad pollution problem that even after receiving notice of our intent to file this lawsuit two months ago, the Pasadena Refinery has reported at least six more emission events that resulted in unauthorized air pollution into the surrounding communities. It’s time for that to stop.
To read more about our citizen suit go here.