Citizens for Environmental Justice • National Refinery Reform Campaign

For Immediate Release
Media Release
February 16, 2005

Contact:
Suzie Canales, Citizens for Environmental Justice (CFEJ): 361-334-6764
or Denny Larson, National Refinery Reform Campaign (RRC): 415-845-4705.

Real Time Air Monitor Shows High Levels of Toxic Chemicals in Corpus Christi Neighborhoods
Groups Demand TCEQ Investigate and Enforce Excess Pollution at Refineries

(Corpus Christi, Texas) Community air sampling advocates launched their latest high-tech weapon along refinery row to expand the community’s right to know. The Corpus Christi Bucket Brigade, a project of Citizens for Environmental Justice (CFEJ), working in conjunction with the National Refinery Reform Campaign and Community In-power and Development Association (CIDA), a Port Arthur environmental justice group, deployed an ultraviolet (UV) air monitoring device that takes real-time toxic readings. Within minutes of getting downwind of industrial plants, on public roads and community subdivisions, the environmental justice activists smelled overpowering and offensive odors that was registering hits of 1,3 butadiene and sulfur dioxide on the UV monitor.

"For years TCEQ and the refineries have been controlling the monitors and the data to paint a pretty picture of how safe Corpus Christi air is," said Suzie Canales of Citizens for Environmental Justice. "But now that the citizens have access to their own monitors, we are seeing a true picture of what we are breathing, and its not good."

During a one-hour period in the Buena Vista trailer park community, the UV monitor was registering hits that exceeded 49 ppb of 1,3 butadiene and exceeding 60 ppb of Sulfur Dioxide. The trailer park is downwind from neighboring tank farms and Valero East on Cantwell. Valero East is a producer of 1,3 butadiene.

"The air monitoring system used in Corpus Christi by TCEQ and industry working in concert has been intentionally constructed to hide the truth about toxic air from residents," said Denny Larson of National Refinery Reform Campaign. "We are demanding that TCEQ bring its mobile monitors and enforcement team to refinery row in Corpus Christi and bust the refineries for excess emissions."

The EPA screening level for this toxic chemical is set at .0057 and the state of Louisiana Ambient standard is set at .767. Texas has set a screening level for 1,3 Butadiene at 9.18 ppb (long term). The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) states: Animal studies show that breathing 1,3-butadiene during pregnancy can increase the number of birth defects. Other effects seen in animals that breathed low levels of 1,3-butadiene for one year include kidney and liver disease, and damaged lungs. Some of the animals died.

Jonathan Ward, Jr., PhD, toxicologist and faculty member at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (UTMB), told the Houston city council last week, "Butadiene in humans as well as animal models is a hazardous air pollutant."

In conjunction with the National Refinery Reform Campaign, of which CIDA is an active member, Mr. Kelley will be targeting refinery toxic hotspots for surprise testing through out the month of February. Areas that the monitoring will focus on include Houston, Port Arthur, Beaumont and Corpus Christi, Texas. Last year, CIDA won two high tech UV real time toxic monitors in lawsuit settlement over air pollution in the region. Results of the toxic monitoring will be posted at www.refineryreform.org daily during targeted testing.

Mr.Kelley is the Director of the Jefferson County Environmental Justice group, Community In-power and Development Association (CIDA) and has been active in Southeast Texas with community air monitoring programs for several years.

CIDA, Corpus Christi’s CFEJ, and about 2 dozen other industrial communities use low tech grab samplers housed in simple 5 gallon buckets to trap toxic air during pollution episodes to prove exposure. The "bucket brigades" are the brainchild of Global Community Monitor (GCM), a non profit group based in San Francisco, who provides training and assistance to groups like CIDA and CFEJ. GCM is also home to the National Refinery Reform Campaign. The project is using a Cerex UV hound device manufactured by Cerex Environmental Services of Atlanta, Georgia. (http://cerexenv.com/)

Real Time "Bucket Brigade" Launched in Texas Results Show High Levels Prior to Houston Townhall Meeting on Toxic Air

February 3, 2005

Contact: Hilton Kelley: 409-498-1088 or Denny Larson: 415-845-4705

(Houston, TX) Community air sampling advocates launched their latest high tech weapon along the Houston ship channel yesterday to expand industrial neighbor’s right to know. Shortly before a town hall meeting on toxic air called by local elected officials was to begin in Milby High School, activists were taking their own measurements nearby documenting high levels of harmful industrial chemicals.

Port Arthur Environmental Justice activist, Hilton Kelley, supported by the National Refinery Reform Campaign, deployed an ultraviolet (UV) air monitor device in to the Manchester, Texas, neighborhoods where a recent Houston Chronicle report found high levels of toxic chemicals. Within minutes of getting downwind of petrochemical facilties surrounding the neighborhoods, Mr. Kelley detected a strong and sickening odor that was registering hits of 1,3 Butadiene on the UV monitor.

During 15 minute period, levels of 1,3 Butadiene were recorded at levels between 4 and 40 parts per billion (ppb). The average of readings was approximately 14 ppb. The EPA screening level for this toxic chemical is set at .0057 and the state of Louisiana Ambient standard is set at .767. Texas has set a screening level for 1,3 Butadiene at 9.18 ppb (long term). The Houston Chronicle did its own air monitoring in the area and found between .9 and 11 ppb of 1,3-Butadiene present.

In conjunction with the National Refinery Reform Campaign, of which CIDA is an active member, Mr. Kelley will be targeting refinery toxic hotspots for surprise testing through out the month of February. Areas that the monitoring will focus on include Houston, Port Arthur, Beaumont and Corpus Christi, Texas. Last year, CIDA won two high tech UV real time toxic monitors in lawsuit settlement over air pollution in the region.

Results of the toxic monitoring will be posted at www.refineryreform.org daily during targeted testing.

Mr. Kelley is the Director of the Jefferson County Environmental Justice group, Community In-power and Development Association (CIDA) and has been active in Southeast Texas with community air monitoring programs for several years. CIDA and about 2 dozen other industrial communities use low tech grab samplers housed in simple 5 gallon buckets to trap toxic air during pollution episodes to prove exposure. The "bucket brigades" are the brainchild of Global Community Monitor (GCM), a non profit group based in San Francisco, who provides training and assistance to groups like CIDA. GCM is also home to the National Refinery Reform Campaign.

The project is using a Cerex UV hound device manufactured by Cerex Environmental Services of Atlanta, Georgia (http://cerexenv.com/).