Judge finds Formosa liable for plastic pollution at Texas plant

(Houston Chronicle Editorial Board, Updated 06/29/19. Photo by Jerry Lara.)

“A federal judge has found Formosa Plastics liable for spilling thousands of pounds of plastic pellets and powders into Texas Gulf Coast waters.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt sided with environmental activists Thursday, ruling that Formosa violated state and federal law when its Point Comfort plant spilled plastics into Lavaca Bay and Cox Creek, about halfway between Houston and Corpus Christi. The judge will next decide whether to penalize the Taiwanese company, which could face penalties of up to $162.2 million, according to the nonprofit Texas RioGrande Legal Aid.”

houstonchronicle.com

KMCO fined for pattern of environmental violations at Crosby plant

(Houston Chronicle Editorial Board, Updated 06/28/19. Photo by Nguyen Le.)

“The company that owns a Crosby chemical plant where one worker was killed and two others critically injured during an April explosion and fire was hit this week with nearly $80,000 in fines for an alleged pattern of past violations of environmental laws at the facility.

State environmental regulators on Wednesday approved the fine for KMCO for a string of violations going back to 2012. They cited the Crosby plant for failing to follow the Clean Air Act’s permitting and reporting procedures over five years, including problems with unpermitted flares, exceeding emissions and failing to conduct regular inspections, state documents show.” houstonchronicle.com

Teen activists host town hall on climate change

(Houston Chronicle Editorial Board, Updated 06/29/19. Photo by Steve Gonzales.)

“Saturday marked the first public event hosted by the nascent Houston chapter of the national Sunrise Movement. Founded in 2017, the organization is a coalition of young people who regularly participate in activism that aims to educate Americans about climate change, and fight back against man-made planetary harm. And Canfield is confident that Saturday’s consciousness raising will be the first of many actions Sunrise takes in her native city.

And not a moment too soon.”

houstonchronicle.com