Air pollution adds to woes of the Texas freeze
By Emily Foxhall, Staff writer
Residents huddled under blankets in freezing homes following massive power outages. Vaccination plans were scrambled, delaying efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. And, adding to the injury, Houston-area refineries and plants emitted hundreds of thousands of pounds of pollutants while state air monitors went offline.
Facilities released roughly 700,000 pounds of excess emissions between Feb. 11 and Feb. 18, according to early company estimates reported to the state and analyzed by the Houston Chronicle. The data reinvigorated calls from environmental advocates for better preparation ahead of storms, which climate change is expected to make more likely.