Chemical plant fire in Crosby (Alamo, Alamo Heights: live, factory, traffic)

[nana053]

The regulations help though. And, they have been rolled back by Trump.

https://www.apnews.com/faca868339eb413f9a446ccb990dba05

METHANE EMISSIONS: Administration wants to eliminate 2016 Environmental Protection Agency rule requiring energy companies to reduce flaring of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Industry savings: $380 million-$484 million (2019-2025)

Impacts: Emission increases of 380,000 tons of methane, 100,000 tons of volatile organic compounds, 3,800 tons of hazardous air pollutants; adverse health effects including premature deaths, heart attacks, and respiratory problems; potential reductions in visibility.

Status: Pending

METHANE EMISSIONS: Administration largely eliminated Interior Department’s 2016 “waste prevention rule” that required companies to reduce the flaring of methane on public and tribal lands.

Industry savings: $1.4 billion-$2.1 billion (2019-2028)

Impacts: Emission increases of 1.8 million tons of greenhouse gas methane; 800,000 tons of volatile organic compounds that can harm health; unspecified public health and welfare impacts.

Status: Final

REFINERY SECTOR: At request of oil industry, administration gave companies more flexibility in reporting air pollution releases under 2015 EPA rule restricting toxic air pollution from refineries.

Industry savings: $89 million-$110 million (2019-2026)

Impacts: Administration says no appreciable emission increases expected; critics say companies can now delay reports of toxic chemical releases into the air, putting communities at risk.

Status: Final

[kemahkami]

Originally Posted by TheMoreYouKnow

It's called jumping the gun without any information, that's what the current Harris County leaders do but we should be better than this.

No, that's called logic and common sense. Whatever caused the explosion clearly relates to systems in the factory. Which could have been taken care of with the proper regulations.

[detachable arm]

Originally Posted by nana053

The regulations help though. And, they have been rolled back by Trump.

https://www.apnews.com/faca868339eb413f9a446ccb990dba05

Orange man bad.

[nana053]

This particular plant in Crosby pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act in 2016.

The county says the plant should not be allowed to re-open.

https://abc13.com/kmco-thorn-in-our-...ounty/5231291/

Harris County is currently suing KMCO, alleging air, water and nuisance violations. The case, scheduled for trial in June, currently aims to force the company into compliance. Owens says the case could be amended to seek a long-term closure.

In 2016, KMCO's parent company pleaded guilty to "knowing" and "negligent" violations of federal environmental laws. Among the violations, federal prosecutors allege in court documents, "the company failed to perform any leak detection monitoring of facility processing components for fugitive VOC emissions." Prosecutors allege it continued from 2008 to 2012. KMCO's parent company paid a $3.5 million fine in conjunction with its guilty pleas.

An employee apparently falsified their emission records.

[crone]

Is this the same plant that polluted all the water during the storm when it flooded?

My hero Barry Goldwater was an environmentalist. Many Republicans were back in the day.

He said any business that couldn't operate without causing harm had no business in business.

When did Americans start measuring the benefit of providing jobs and producing stuff against clean air and water and life?

[kemahkami]

Originally Posted by detachable arm

Orange man bad.

Bigly bad.

[vwgto]

Originally Posted by crone

Is this the same plant that polluted all the water during the storm when it flooded?

My hero Barry Goldwater was an environmentalist. Many Republicans were back in the day.

He said any business that couldn't operate without causing harm had no business in business.

When did Americans start measuring the benefit of providing jobs and producing stuff against clean air and water and life?

And with many of these plants, the number of jobs is small - - especially considering the risks to the community.

[detachable arm]

Originally Posted by ScrappyJoe

Bigly bad.

YUUUGELY bad. Doesn’t matter if a bunch of dumbass rednecks have been running it into the ground for several years... it’s still Mr Tiny Hands’ fault.

[GreenBouy]

Originally Posted by vwgto

Are you suggesting regulations automatically protect us? Violation fines just become a cost of doing business.

Not at all, just as traffic laws don’t prevent you from getting into an acccident. In all my years I have never seen a corporate culture that excepts fines as a cost of doing business. There is no company that wants their plant burning to the ground. The reality is they are operated by humans and stuff happens.

[vwgto]

Originally Posted by GreenBouy

Not at all, just as traffic laws don’t prevent you from getting into an acccident. In all my years I have never seen a corporate culture that excepts fines as a cost of doing business. There is no company that wants their plant burning to the ground. The reality is they are operated by humans and stuff happens.

Accepting fines for lax controls that save you multiples more than the fines is not saying they don’t care if the plant burns down. That extreme is obviously a money losing proposition.