[Texgreen] Houston's air poses great risks

[Roger Baker]

["Texas has the highest level of air pollution in the country, and  
yet it only uses a guideline that is considered when issuing business  
permits, said Victor Flatt, an environmental law professor at the  
University of Houston and one of the authors"  Although a month old,  
still important news if you live there or care about good government.  
-- Roger]


http://www.examiner.com/ 
a-314569~Report__Toxins_in_Houston_s_air_poses_great_health_risk.html


Report says Houston's air poses great risks

Authors call for enforceable standards, fewer cancer deaths.

by Rasha Madkour
_______________
Associated Press

Houston -- A slew of local academicians recommended Wednesday that  
Houston immediately lower its levels of air pollutants because the  
level is currently toxic enough to cause deaths by cancer.

The 245-page report's authors -- who span the fields of environmental  
health, engineering and law -- said the screening levels being used  
by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are inadequate, and  
that enforceable air quality standards need to be adopted.  The  
report also examined health consequences, and recommended pollution  
reduction strategies that other states and countries have implemented.

Texas has the highest level of air pollution in the country, and yet  
it only uses a guideline that is considered when issuing business  
permits, said Victor Flatt, an environmental law professor at the  
University of Houston and one of the authors.

"I'm hoping that when faced with data, and proven methods to control  
the sources, that the Legislature can respond to that -- or at least  
explain why they cannot," Flatt said.

However, Michael Honeycutt, manager of TCEQ's toxicology department,  
said state guidelines are enforced through the permit process and  
have lowered pollution levels.  Texas has the most extensive  
monitoring system in the country, Honeycutt added, and areas with  
high pollutant levels are subjected to focused inspections and more  
detailed permit reviews.

The study recommended Texas aim for 1 in 1 million additional cancer  
deaths due to long-term exposure, versus 1 in 100,000 as its goal now.

Honeycutt said that goal is unattainable.

"It's extremely difficult to enforce a standard everyone violates,"  
Honeycutt said.  "Anywhere you have automobile traffic, you're going  
to have higher than those 1 in 1 million levels."

Gasoline emissions are a main source of benzene, 1,3-butadiene and  
diesel particulate matter, three of the pollutants the report  
studied.  Formaldehyde, which is formed through chemical reactions in  
the atmosphere and emitted from various sources, was also studied.

Besides being carcinogenic, the four pollutants each pose additional  
health threats.

While the toxin levels are high in industrial areas, their reach  
extends across the city, said Matthew Fraser. a professor of civil  
and environmental engineering at Rice University and the principal  
investigator.

"People need to be aware of what the risks are." Fraser said.

Elena Marks, director of Health Policy for the city of Houston, has  
reviewed the study and said it was helpful in outlining how other  
jurisdictions have regulated air toxins, such as anti-idling laws.

The city has tried some strategies and is looking to trying others,  
Marks said.  It secured an emission reduction agreement from Texas  
Petrochemicals and is working to enlist other industrial sources, she  
said.

"We clean up the environment when we have to, not before then,"   
Marks said, emphasizing the need to enact laws.