Findings on Deer Park fire underscore why penalties for environmental failures must be steep [Editor

[Elderberry]

Houston Chronicle Nov. 7, 2019

Findings on Deer Park fire underscore why penalties for environmental failures must be steep [Editorial]

New information about the Intercontinental Terminals Co. chemical fire that shut down the Houston Ship Channel for three days in March makes it even clearer that Texas must come down harder on companies that consistently break environmental and workplace safety rules.

A preliminary report by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said the petrochemical company’s tank farm in Deer Park didn’t have a remote emergency shutoff valve that could have stopped the release of thousands of gallons of naphtha, a highly flammable chemical used to produce gasoline that spilled for nearly 30 minutes before catching on fire. Nor did the fires set off any alarms to alert workers that there was a problem before the leaking chemical erupted, the report said. Fortunately, no injuries occurred. However, toxic smoke from the blaze spread across much of area just southeast of downtown Houston, causing nearby schools to close and residents to stay inside their homes. When a dike wall at the plant failed, thousands of gallons of contaminated water gushed out into nearby streams, including the Houston Ship Channel.

Scientists for the Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas A&M Superfund Research Center who’ve analyzed water samples say it’s uncertain whether that pollution will affect human or aquatic life. But even the possibility that years from now a public health or food supply problem might be traced to the ITC fire is mind-boggling. It’s yet another reason why ITC, which had been fined only $65,000 in civil penalties since 2009 for multiple violations of environmental and workplace safety rules, should not get off so easily this time.

More: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Findings-on-Deer-Park-fire-underscore-why-14815104.php

[PeteS in CA]

IMO, penalties for "environmental failures" should be proportional to the consequences of the failure. Not weapons to crush people and businesses for minor failures and failure to cross the right "T". From what I've seen - very little - the consequences of the ITC environmental failure were significant, and therefore the consequences should be, too. But many Envirocrats are ravening dogs that need to be kept on a short, stout, leash.

[thackney]

IMO, penalties for "environmental failures" should be proportional to the consequences of the failure. Not weapons to crush people and businesses for minor failures and failure to cross the right "T". From what I've seen - very little - the consequences of the ITC environmental failure were significant, and therefore the consequences should be, too. But many Envirocrats are ravening dogs that need to be kept on a short, stout, leash.

You should value the time of the hundreds of thousands of people who could not work because of the fire.  The work loss for this area was immense.

[PeteS in CA]

You should value the time of the hundreds of thousands of people who could not work because of the fire.  The work loss for this area was immense.

I didn't "value the time of the hundreds of thousands of people ..."? That isn't a "consequence" of the failure? Though how paying a fine to the State of Texas compensates them eludes me, unless the fine is put in a fund for that purpose.

[thackney]

I didn't "value the time of the hundreds of thousands of people ..."? That isn't a "consequence" of the failure? Though how paying a fine to the State of Texas compensates them eludes me, unless the fine is put in a fund for that purpose.

Often punishment for causing harm to others does not compensate the victims.  But punishment should be massive when the harm to others is massive.  Massive not individually but the overall impact to the community.

In this case, do not try to save money not putting in adequate safety features the rest of the industry deems required.  The punishment should be such that it becomes more cost effective to install those reasonable features.

[thackney]

Not weapons to crush people and businesses for minor failures and failure to cross the right "T".

This wasn't a minor failure or a failure to cross the right "T".  This was failure to follow basic safety that was common even in third world facilities decades ago.

[PeteS in CA]

This wasn't a minor failure or a failure to cross the right "T".  This was failure to follow basic safety that was common even in third world facilities decades ago.

You read into my post something that was not there. Did you notice my use of the word "proportional"? I should not have to explain it.

[thackney]

You read into my post something that was not there. Did you notice my use of the word "proportional"? I should not have to explain it.

And damages by ITC is not limited to environmental issues alone.