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Three-term Houston Mayor Bill White has recently found a creative way to try to force certain industries into making changes that would reduce their excessive benzene emissions – by interfering with the renewal of their operating permits.
In October 2008, White petitioned the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and asked its officials to hold a hearing in which Lyondell Chemical (a chemical manufacturer) would have to defend its excessive benzene emissions before getting its permit renewed.
White has spent much of his time in office trying to get local industries to reduce their toxic benzene emissions.
Lyondell's operating permit, which was first issued in 1999, is set to expire in February 2009. White's request for a judicial hearing before this renewal is a rare move, as operating permits are typically renewed automatically.
However, as White pointed out in his written request, Lyondell's refinery in the Houston Ship Channel is currently responsible for emitting more benzene than any other refinery in the U.S.
To support this claim, White highlighted the fact that the refinery's benzene emissions have exceeded federal regulations of "one in a million person cancer risk" throughout 2007. Monitors at homes, a park and a school near the refinery confirmed such claims.
Benzene, a sweet-smelling gas derived from crude oil, is often used in the production of plastics, paints, rubbers and other synthetic materials. However, benzene is incredibly toxic, as short-term exposure can cause:
Over a longer period of time, benzene exposure results in serious, irreversible health problems, including:
If TCEQ approves the hearing, Lyondell will have to prove to a judge that either:
White and Houston's residents are still eagerly awaiting the TCEQ's decision, which is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
(Source: Houston Chronicle)
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