Environmental Justice

The Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as “the fair treatment for people of all races, cultures, and incomes regarding the development of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” Still, environmental inequities are, more frequently than not, found in minority and low-income communities. A concentration of industrial polluters, waste disposal facilities, and a higher number of contaminated sites are usually located in or near such neighborhoods.

Air pollution on the east side of Houston, the location of numerous industrial plants and refineries, presents serious problems for the entire region, but is of particular concern when the question is one of environmental justice. The industrial rail system has also been receiving attention because of the manner in which it is operated and because of where new lines are being constructed. Certain areas have encountered more problems than others, such as blockage of roads and intersections, industrial spills from rail cars, and encroaching new lines.

TCEQ Lawsuit

The Galveston/Houston Association for Smog Prevention and the Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation Association are currently challenging the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality concerning air quality issues. The environmental groups filed a lawsuit under a citizens’ provision of the Clean Air Act, which allows anyone with standing (anyone who is directly affected) to take legal action against a state agency. The GBCPA claims the TCEQ has failed to clean the region’s air. The lawsuit rests on the fact that the air remains unsafe to breathe, and the fact that the TCEQ has violated the EPA’s order to comply with the Clean Air Act within the designated time period.

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