Happy to see it has finally been extinguished, my heart goes out to all the people affected in that area.
Again, sincerely my heart goes out to all those affected. ...but LMAO this reaction is hilarious. @KingCheetah
https://www.npr.org/2019/12/05/7850...eave-their-homes-near-site-of-plant-explosion Very sad, and how can they list nervous system damage and then go on to say no long term health effects? Bull ****.
...because this is Texas, where regulations, the public interest and general welfare take a backseat to industry and dollar signs.
If you ask me, I'm sure they have been breathing in these chemicals for over a week, that fire was massive, lasted a week with an insane amount of smoke, the pipes/tanks also had asbestos insulation that likely was likely blown across the city during the initial explosion... but "action level" high readings of the chemicals were only reported for yesterday.
Yes, I'm quoting myself: In the past decade, a historic industrial buildout has taken hold in Texas — thanks to the fracking revolution — and has created vast wealth and greatly increased the need for government permitting of new facilities, as well as pollution monitoring. But during the same time period, Texas lawmakers cut funding to the state agency responsible for doing those things by 35%, according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded by former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials. That funding reduction, adjusted for inflation, came even as the state budget grew by 41%. https://www.texastribune.org/2019/1...-second-budget-cuts-environmental-protection/ The TCEQ has been a toothless regulatory agency for years, but the Texas Republicans turned it into a rubber stamp for all manner of industry.
