Texas Expands Petrochemical Industry Amid Health Warnings

Texas is proceeding with extensive expansion of its petrochemical industry despite documented health and environmental concerns. The state currently accounts for 75 percent of all petrochemical production in the United States and releases tens of millions of pounds of toxic pollutants into the air annually.

Since 2013, 57 petrochemical facilities have been constructed or expanded in Texas. Over the next five years, 18 new plants and 23 additional expansions are planned or already underway. These 41 projects collectively will be permitted to release 38.6 million pounds of the Environmental Protection Agency's highest-priority pollutants, including carcinogens and respiratory irritants. Twelve of these projects alone will emit greenhouse gases equivalent to 41 natural gas-fired power plants.

The expansion occurs despite Texas already being responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than Saudi Arabia and the global maritime industry combined. Oil and gas operations contributed $249 billion to the state's economy and supported 661,000 jobs in 2021, providing strong economic incentives for continued growth.

Many new facilities are sited in majority-minority neighborhoods, particularly in Jefferson County and Harris County, including the Channelview area. Residents in these communities face elevated risks of cancer, respiratory illness, reproductive effects, and other serious health conditions due to deteriorating air quality.

Texas leads the nation in petrochemical production while generating more greenhouse gas emissions than Saudi Arabia or the global maritime industry. The state's oil, gas, and petrochemical operations discharge tens of millions of pounds of toxic pollutants into the air each year, representing nearly one-fifth of all such releases in the United States.

The state is the top emitter of three specific carcinogens:

• Benzene
• Ethylene oxide
• 1,3-butadiene

Texas accounts for 75 percent of all petrochemicals manufactured in the U.S. and serves as the engine for the global plastics industry. Plastic products from these facilities eventually break down into microplastics that infuse human bodies with potentially dangerous particles, while also clogging oceans and landfills.

Despite these environmental impacts, the state's commitment to fossil fuel infrastructure remains unwavering, driven primarily by economic considerations. Oil and gas extraction, transportation, and processing contributed $249 billion to the state's gross domestic product in 2021 and supported 661,000 jobs, according to official state reports.

An industrial construction boom has continued for more than a decade with little indication of slowing. Since 2013, 57 petrochemical facilities have been built or expanded in Texas, according to tracking data from an environmental monitoring organization.

Over half of these facilities are located in majority-minority neighborhoods, raising environmental justice concerns. The next five years will see additional growth with:

• 18 new plants planned or under construction
• 23 expansions of existing facilities

Company filings with the state indicate that twelve of these projects will collectively be allowed to release greenhouse gases equivalent to 41 natural gas-fired power plants. All 41 projects combined are permitted to release 38.6 million pounds of the EPA's highest-priority pollutants.

Additional projects have been announced but have not yet begun the permitting process. Companies have declared dozens more projects, including seven near Channelview, though these remain in early stages.

Residents of Jefferson County and Harris County face deteriorating air quality that increases risks of cancer, respiratory illness, reproductive effects, and other life-altering conditions. The Channelview area in Harris County experiences particularly high levels of cancer-causing benzene and increased barge traffic on the San Jacinto River, which contributes to air pollution.

Five projects are planned within a five-mile radius of Channelview, an unincorporated area already plagued by poor air quality. Local residents have expressed strong opposition to new facilities.

Reanna Panelo, a lifelong Nederland resident, wrote to environmental regulators: "It is not fair nor is it morally right to build such a monstrous and horrendous plant designed to kill the surrounding area, residents, and environment, for company gain." Panelo noted that generations of her family had been tormented by cancer.

In Jefferson County, officials have embraced industrial expansion. The county granted Woodside Energy a 10-year property-tax exemption and a $209 million tax abatement from the Beaumont Independent School District for a new ammonia production facility. Four people formally objected to this expansion but were unable to stop it.

The Woodside facility is authorized to release almost 80,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides annually, which can cause acute and chronic respiratory distress and contributes to ground-level ozone pollution. About two miles away, Energy Transfer wants to build an ethane cracker that would release nearly 10 million pounds of volatile organic compounds annually.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) serves as the primary regulatory body for air permits required for new facilities. The agency's approval rate suggests high odds for new applications.

Over the past quarter-century, TCEQ has denied less than 0.5 percent of new air permits and amendments. This approval rate applies to permits required for plant expansions and new construction.

TCEQ officials have stated that certain projects are "protective of human health and the environment and no adverse effects are expected to occur." The agency continues processing permit applications despite objections from residents and scientific experts.

The TCEQ executive director is currently processing Energy Transfer's permit application for the ethane cracker, despite comments submitted in October by environmental groups. The regulatory agency maintains that permitted emission levels are within acceptable ranges for public health.