State agency unveils new technology aimed at closing air quality monitoring gap
HOUSTON โ Channel 2 Investigates uncovered a lapse in a safety net that so many of our communities depend on. A gap in air quality monitoring where dangerous chemicals could be released into the air. Nearly two months after our report, the Texas Commission On Environmental Quality is unveiling new technology aimed at improving that effort. Network of 200 Stationary Air MonitorsOne of the criticisms has been, right before a hurricane rolls in, the fixed air monitoring stations would go offline when theyโre needed most as plants and refineries burn off excess chemicals as theyโre being shut down. โGet real time data about the air, not just where our stationary air monitors are but all around the facility is going to be a game changer for us,โ Baker said.
8M pounds of pollutants released before and after Hurricane Laura but air quality monitors were taken offline
HOUSTON โ As Hurricane Laura barreled toward the Gulf Coast a few weeks ago, in and around Houston, plants and refineries scrambled to shut down. During the shutdown and restart process surrounding Hurricane Laura, energy companies reported to TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) that 8 million pounds of emissions were released in Harris, Brazoria, Jefferson and Orange counties. Thereโs some opinion there but hereโs a fact:During that exact same period that refineries shut down for Hurricane Laura, the state of Texas unplugged its air quality monitors in the stormโs path. Our stateโs version of the Environmental Protection Agency is the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). See what TCEQ did in response to Hurricane Laura.