A ship passes under the Fred Hartman bridge on the Houston Ship Channel. (Photo: USCG/James Dillard Date/Public Domain)
Mar 10, 2015
An unknown quantity of dangerous chemicals spilled into the Houston Ship Channel on Monday after two 600-foot ships collided in foggy conditions, raising alarm among nearby residents who have suffered repeated hazards in this highly industrialized area.
One of the ships involved in the collision was carrying hundreds of thousands of gallons of MBTE (Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether), a highly-flammable gasoline additive with a strong odor, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that MTBE is a potential carcinogen for humans.
"This is not a cargo chemical that is easy to clean up," said Brian Penoyer, commander of the Houston-Galveston Coast Guard District.
While there were no direct injuries reported from the collision, it was not immediately clear what the long-term impacts will be. The National Transportation Safety Board announced Monday it is sending a team to investigate the accident.
The Houston Channel is a major conduit connecting the Houston Port with the Gulf of Mexico. Surrounded by numerous refineries, and not far from oil fields, the channel handles bulk transport of petrochemicals and other products.
Nearby residents and environmental organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the harmful impacts of frequent spills on human health, wildlife, and the marine ecosystem. The Healthy Port Communities Coalition released a statement Monday calling on "Houston's petrochemical giants to act now to protect their neighbors."
"Houston's petrochemical industry is often called the 'economic engine' in the region," said Adrian Shelley, director of Air Alliance Houston. "For many residents of ship channel communities, though, the industry is an engine of uncertainty and fear. It is disproportionately low-income and minority communities that suffer these negative impacts."
The risks go beyond ship collisions, local residents warn.
"Dangerous and deadly chemicals are also transported daily through our communities by trains," said Juan Parras, director of Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services. "Residents do not know what is in the trains passing through their communities, what safeguards are in place to protect them, and what potential disasters could mean for them and their neighbors."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
An unknown quantity of dangerous chemicals spilled into the Houston Ship Channel on Monday after two 600-foot ships collided in foggy conditions, raising alarm among nearby residents who have suffered repeated hazards in this highly industrialized area.
One of the ships involved in the collision was carrying hundreds of thousands of gallons of MBTE (Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether), a highly-flammable gasoline additive with a strong odor, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that MTBE is a potential carcinogen for humans.
"This is not a cargo chemical that is easy to clean up," said Brian Penoyer, commander of the Houston-Galveston Coast Guard District.
While there were no direct injuries reported from the collision, it was not immediately clear what the long-term impacts will be. The National Transportation Safety Board announced Monday it is sending a team to investigate the accident.
The Houston Channel is a major conduit connecting the Houston Port with the Gulf of Mexico. Surrounded by numerous refineries, and not far from oil fields, the channel handles bulk transport of petrochemicals and other products.
Nearby residents and environmental organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the harmful impacts of frequent spills on human health, wildlife, and the marine ecosystem. The Healthy Port Communities Coalition released a statement Monday calling on "Houston's petrochemical giants to act now to protect their neighbors."
"Houston's petrochemical industry is often called the 'economic engine' in the region," said Adrian Shelley, director of Air Alliance Houston. "For many residents of ship channel communities, though, the industry is an engine of uncertainty and fear. It is disproportionately low-income and minority communities that suffer these negative impacts."
The risks go beyond ship collisions, local residents warn.
"Dangerous and deadly chemicals are also transported daily through our communities by trains," said Juan Parras, director of Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services. "Residents do not know what is in the trains passing through their communities, what safeguards are in place to protect them, and what potential disasters could mean for them and their neighbors."
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
An unknown quantity of dangerous chemicals spilled into the Houston Ship Channel on Monday after two 600-foot ships collided in foggy conditions, raising alarm among nearby residents who have suffered repeated hazards in this highly industrialized area.
One of the ships involved in the collision was carrying hundreds of thousands of gallons of MBTE (Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether), a highly-flammable gasoline additive with a strong odor, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that MTBE is a potential carcinogen for humans.
"This is not a cargo chemical that is easy to clean up," said Brian Penoyer, commander of the Houston-Galveston Coast Guard District.
While there were no direct injuries reported from the collision, it was not immediately clear what the long-term impacts will be. The National Transportation Safety Board announced Monday it is sending a team to investigate the accident.
The Houston Channel is a major conduit connecting the Houston Port with the Gulf of Mexico. Surrounded by numerous refineries, and not far from oil fields, the channel handles bulk transport of petrochemicals and other products.
Nearby residents and environmental organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the harmful impacts of frequent spills on human health, wildlife, and the marine ecosystem. The Healthy Port Communities Coalition released a statement Monday calling on "Houston's petrochemical giants to act now to protect their neighbors."
"Houston's petrochemical industry is often called the 'economic engine' in the region," said Adrian Shelley, director of Air Alliance Houston. "For many residents of ship channel communities, though, the industry is an engine of uncertainty and fear. It is disproportionately low-income and minority communities that suffer these negative impacts."
The risks go beyond ship collisions, local residents warn.
"Dangerous and deadly chemicals are also transported daily through our communities by trains," said Juan Parras, director of Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services. "Residents do not know what is in the trains passing through their communities, what safeguards are in place to protect them, and what potential disasters could mean for them and their neighbors."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.