Industrial facilities in Texas released more than 46 million pounds of illegal air pollution in 2020 – a decrease of 54 percent from 2019 and significantly below the average of 72 million pounds over the last five years. The analysis of the unauthorized, unpermitted emissions self-reported to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was conducted by Environment Integrity Project and Environment Texas Research and Policy Center. “Every year oil, gas and petrochemical operations across Texas release millions of pounds of unauthorized air pollution in violation of their permits during equipment malfunctions, shutdowns and startups,” the report said. “Texas industrial plants release a number of different dangerous pollutants.”
The report attributed a decline in production to “a recession across the oil, gas and petrochemical industries caused in part by the pandemic,” and the decline in production led to a drop in unauthorized emissions. Midland region reported the largest quantity of unauthorized emissions at 30.7 million pounds.
The report concluded that “Texas should more vigorously and consistently penalize facilities that report unauthorized emissions events to create a stronger financial incentive for plant owners to operate and maintain or upgrade their facilities and protect public health” and “Texas should establish additional pollution monitors to accurately measure air quality impacts.”