Petrochemical Expansion in Texas Will Fall Heavily on Communities of Color, Study Finds
Researchers in Houston analyzed the locations of 114 proposed industrial projects related to oil and gas in Texas, most of them involved in plastics production.
port arthur
Two Years After Hurricane Harvey, Port Arthur Remains in Disaster Recovery Limbo
The storm-ravaged coastal city is trying to move some people out of harm’s way while begging others to return.
Can a $2.5 Billion Bond Deal Fix Harris County’s Inequitable Flood Control?
The uneven patchwork of drainage infrastructure in Harris County means that some of Houston’s poorest neighborhoods are still waiting for basic flood protections.
TCEQ Report Could Pave the Way for Chemical Plants to Emit More Hazardous Air Pollutants
A new assessment from the agency downplays the risks of ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen.
The EPA Told Texas to Crack Down on Dangerous Air Emissions in 2015. The State Never Did, and Now It Won’t Have to.
Trump’s EPA rescinded a rule that would have forced Texas to close a loophole exploited by industrial polluters in 97 percent of illegal emission events.
Governor Abbott’s Sales Tax Ploy Diverts from the Real Problem: Huge Tax Breaks for Corporations
The Big Three’s proposed sales tax hike obscures the real culprit behind the state’s broken property tax system: corporate plunder.
The Texas Observer’s Best Features of 2018
Our favorite longreads of the year.
Professor Trill
Rapper Bun B on Port Arthur, resilience and the meaning of trill.
Port of No Return
A year after Hurricane Harvey, Port Arthur is fighting for survival. Will Texas' disaster recovery process push residents deeper into despair, or help lift them out of it?
Industrial Wood Processor Accused of Making East Texans Sick May Get to Pollute Even More
Residents near German Pellets facilities in Woodville and Port Arthur allege that air pollution and fires have made them sick, but the state regulatory agency has done little to help, the Sierra Club says.