Houston-Area Refineries, Plants Emitted Thousands Of Pounds Of Additional Air Pollution During The Winter Freeze
State documents show facilities released some 700,000 pounds of excess air pollutants last week, as they faced electrical outages and equipment failures due to the severe winter weather.
February 24, 2021, 2:14 PM
More than 40 facilities in the Houston area emitted excess pollution during last week’s winter freeze.
Refineries and petrochemical plants in the Houston area released thousands of pounds of excess pollution into the air during the winter storm last week, according to state environmental records analyzed by Houston Public Media.
In numerous instances, facilities had to burn off excess gases, causing the Houston Ship Channel to light up with flaring from nearby industrial plants as the rest of the area went dark.
Power outages disrupt Midcontinent and Gulf Coast petroleum markets
2/25/2021
Beginning February 13, 2021, a major winter weather system characterized by extreme cold spread across much of the central United States, disrupting energy systems and causing serious health and safety issues. The extreme weather particularly affected Texas, where utility customers experienced widespread outages and rolling blackouts. The severe weather persisted through much of the week, putting significant pressure on the petroleum complex along the U.S. Gulf Coast, where the infrastructure has rarely needed to accommodate sub-zero temperatures, as well as some states in the Midcontinent. Several Texas refineries accounting for a significant share of total U.S. refining capacity fully or partially shut down, numerous inland crude oil wells closed, and oil pipeline infrastructure was disrupted. The extreme cold also affected petroleum product pipelines; production and refinery operations in the Midwest
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says state utilities can NOT stick customers with huge bills after deadly winter storm caused widespread blackouts
Posted on
Texas utility regulators will temporarily ban power companies from billing customers or disconnecting them for non-payment, after the deadly winter storm that caused widespread blackouts, Governor Greg Abbott said on Sunday.
Abbott called an emergency meeting with state lawmakers on Saturday after reports of many customers receiving bills for thousands of dollars for just a few days of electricity service while Texas was gripped by frigid temperatures. Texans who have suffered through days of freezing cold without power should not be subjected to skyrocketing energy bills, Abbott told reporters on Sunday in San Antonio.