HOUSTON — On Monday the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality hosted a public hearing about plans to renew a permit for one of Valero’s tank farms on Houston’s east side.
Residents of the Manchester community have been critical of the plant for years because of the air pollutants emitted into surrounding neighborhoods as well as a chemical leak during Hurricane Harvey.
On Aug. 27, 2017, Valero said heavy rains from Harvey submerged one of their tank’s floating roofs and benzene and crude oil were released.
During Monday’s hearing, many residents asked the TCEQ to demand more safety precautions be put in place before extending Valero’s five-year permit. Demands include tank weatherization, additional air quality monitors, and real-time monitoring of what’s being released into the air when it’s being released into the air. Currently, according to Valero representatives at the hearing, it takes about two weeks for that information to be made public.
“No matter where you live, no matter where you work, play, go to go to school, we all have the right to breathe clean air,” executive director of Air Alliance Houston Jennifer Hadayia said. “And unless we hold the sources of pollution accountable for that, it affects our entire region.”
There were several community representatives who came to the hearing to support Valero because of the jobs it provides and community outreach programs including scholarships.
“So, every scholarship in the world is fine,” said one resident who addressed the hearing, “but we ought not to consider a good neighbor one that could potentially give us cancer.”
The TCEQ won’t make its decision on whether to grant Valero’s permit request until at least mid-January.