AUSTIN Texas It’s known as the “Terrible 12”. This is the list you don’t want on.
Texas Campaign for the Environment The names have been released Texas’ top polluters is made up of some of the most prominent oil and gas companies in Texas and some of the biggest in the industry globally.
Climate change has caused Texas to experience more severe weather than ever. Global leaders warn that carbon emissions can only get worse if they are not contained.
Although the U.S. had made some progress towards reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, an EPA report ranks it second to China in terms of the largest greenhouse gas emitter. Texas plays an important role in this.
According to the U.S Energy Information Administration, Texas is the country’s largest producer of carbon dioxide. TCE claims that the Terrible Twelve are the largest contributors of carbon dioxide emissions. They are major exporters of crude oil, natural gas, and mainly operate on the Gulf Coast.
This pollution affects the entire state, including green cities like Austin. Communities of color are hardest hit. That includes Marcos deLeons neighborhood.
The Austin native grew in Barrio in East Austin, a historically Hispanic area. Although he lives hundreds of miles away from the nearest oil refinery, he can see the effects of pollution in his neighborhood every single day and only needs to walk a few steps to be reminded.
He said that people were piggybacking on our misery.
DeLeons home is just a few blocks from the Holly Power Plant. It polluted his community for many decades. They fought until it was shut off in 2007.
These fine particles can get into your lungs and cause cancer, he stated.
DeLeon said that he now understands the harm these factories can cause to Texans, even though they aren’t right next door.
He said that the pollution it emits and the particles it produces is very harmful.
Robin Schneider, Executive Director of Texas Campaign for the Environment, says it’s time to infamy the companies responsible.
We are all affected by it and we need mobilization and to put pressure upon these companies, she said.
TCEs Save Texas’ Terrible 12 List is a part of the campaign.
Schneider says TCE chose these companies based upon several factors:
- High Emissions and Exports
- Low safety records
- Frequent encounters between federal regulators
- Record of fatal disasters
- History of BIPOC communities being harmed
Whole communities are dismissed as if they have one polluting facility. Let’s give them another. Schneider stated that this is unfair. And it is often communities that are of color that have been neglected for many generations.
Spectrum News 1 reached 12 companies to get their comments. Four companies responded: Sempra and Sentinel Midstream, Freeport LNG and Enbridge.
This written statement was sent to us by Sempra’s spokesperson:
Sempra Infrastructure strongly disagrees with the claim that natural gas exports are harmful to the environment and Texas. This is especially true when we consider the need to supply natural gas to our allies. US LNG to Asian markets and European markets reduces greenhouse gases emissions by almost 50% when used as a substitute for coal and has a lower emission profile that Russian natural gas. We are actively seeking to reduce emissions further using technologies such as electric driven compressors and carbon sequestration. Port Arthur LNG will bring thousands in good-paying operations and construction jobs to an area with a high unemployment rate. We appreciate the support from the Port Arthur community. We are proud of our community involvement at Port Arthur. Since 2015, we have donated more than $1 million to community charities.
Sentinel Midstream President & CEO Jeff Ballard wrote:
I encourage both the list’s creators and the public to learn more about the many benefits of deepwater ports such as Texas GulfLink. Texas GulfLink is significantly more environmentally friendly than the crude oil loading process. Among other advantages, Texas GulfLink would reduce carbon emissions by ~80% when compared to the cumulative effects of the current loading process. It would also mitigate existing air quality impacts to local portside communities in the Greater Houston area. I invite you to visit our website for more information. www.texasgulflink.com.
Enbridge spokesperson stated:
The claims made in this list are false. We invite you to read our recent Sustainability Report which details our commitment to and progress in reducing emissions net zero emissions by 2050 collaborating with Indigenous tribes in both the US and Canada, and protecting the environment while keeping critical energy flowing. We are committed to being a steward of the environment, a safe operator of essential energy infrastructure and a diverse employer.
For more information on our ESG efforts, please see our Sustainability Report.
https://www.enbridge.com/about-us/our-values/sustainability.
Freeport LNG responded: We don’t have any comment.
Texas Oil and Gas Association ReportsThere has been an increase in employment in upstream oil, natural gas and other downstream sectors in the state. It states that upstream jobs increased by 5,100 in February 2022, the highest increase in over a decade.
Todd Staples, president of Texas Oil and Gas Association was the keynote speaker at the Northeast Texas Energy Summit. Was quoted According to Texas’s own words, Texas would be the third largest natural-gas producer and fourth largest crude oil producer in America if it were a nation.
Schneider claims that the environmental damage done by pollution is far greater than its economic benefits. These jobs could easily be replaced with sustainable energy production, which is growing in Texas.
She stated that Texas has suffered more climate disasters, and more billion-dollar climate losses than any other state. It is very costly for us in terms of both the environmental and health costs.
DeLeon claims that these companies are only interested in profit and that the government is not doing enough to reduce pollution.
He said that they put economics before all else. If you do harm to people, you must be held accountable.
