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Texas, we need your help. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is considering a permit for the expansion of the Equistar/Lyondell Channelview Complex in Harris County, just 20 miles from Houston. This facility already contributes to significant air pollution, and with Harris County classified by the EPA as a nonattainment area for ozone, approving this expansion would worsen air quality and harm public health.
Use your voice—urge TCEQ to reject this permit and protect our communities!
Here’s what you need to know: If approved, the expansion would increase the risk of community exposure to toxic chemicals such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. These pollutants can aggravate respiratory conditions, worsen cardiovascular health, and disproportionately impact Black and low-income communities. The development would also add 2.5 million tons of greenhouse gases annually—equivalent to the emissions from 455,000 gas-powered cars—further accelerating climate change and imposing $388 million in projected climate-related social costs.
Submit a Public Comment Online:
- Visit TCEQ’s eComment page.
- Enter “174650” in the search field.
- Complete the eComment form.
To get you started, here is a sample comment (Feel free to personalize to make it your own):
Dear Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,
I strongly oppose the proposed permit for the expansion of the Equistar/Lyondell Channelview Complex. Harris County already suffers from high levels of air pollution, and the EPA has flagged it for exceeding national ozone standards. Approving this expansion would worsen the air quality crisis, further endangering the health of nearby residents—89% of whom are people of color and 38% of whom are low-income.
The project will significantly increase emissions of hazardous air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter, all of which are linked to respiratory illnesses, heart disease, and premature death. Additionally, the expansion’s projected greenhouse gas emissions will worsen climate change and impose hundreds of millions of dollars in social and healthcare costs.
The TCEQ has a duty to protect public health, not polluters. I urge you to reject this permit and prioritize environmental justice by ensuring Harris County residents have clean air to breathe.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Address] OR [Email]
We must take action now. Every voice matters in the fight for clean air and to protect the health of nearby communities.