Harris County Pollution Control Department Leads The Way For - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Harris County Pollution Control Department Leads The Way For Local Government Community Monitoring & Environmental Enforcement

October 31, 2019 H-GAC- Regional Air Quality Planning Advisory Committee Presented by: Latrice Babin, PhD

Goals

• Provide

a historical

• verview
• Sections

and activity

• Introduce

monitoring plan & initiatives

• Summary
• Conclusion

Historical Overview

Harris County Health Department Stream and Air Pollution Control Section Harris County Pollution Control Public Health & Environmental Services Pollution Control division (1998) Harris County Pollution Control

Organizational Structure

• Administration
• Technical

Services

• Laboratory
• Emergency

Response

• Field

– Air – Water – Solid Waste

• Stormwater
• Compliance

General Activities

Routine Tasks

• Respond

to Citizen Complaints

• Investigations

(routine and complaint)

• Review

air quality permit applications and submit comments to TCEQ

• Conduct

site reviews as part

• f

the permit review process

• Conduct

Emission Event investigations

• Comment
• f

TCEQ Rule Making

• Comment
• n

Proposed Legislation and provide SME testimony as needed

• Participate
• n

regional committees

• Ozone

Monitoring Network (presently part

• f

TCEQ’s network)

• Enforcement
• Civil

enforcement

• Criminal

enforcement

Routine Tasks

• Cont’d

Data available at: https://tceq.texas.gov

Cleaner Air Shed

• Exxon

Fire

• ITC

Fire

• KMCO

Explosion

• Kirby

Barge Collision

• Exxon

Explosion

• Canal

Barge Collision

• ITC

Spill

Recent Environmental Quality Challenges

Photo credit: Jon Shapley, staff photographer, Houston Chronicle

Moving Forward In Protection

Community Monitoring Plan

Photo credit: Aeroqual

Funding Provided

• Harris

County Commissioner’s Court has authorized funding Pollution Control Services

• Over

the next 24 months

• $5.9M

– 29 staff – Monitoring equipment – Mobile monitoring vehicle – Assets to augment current daily capabilities

Taken from the Penta Gap Analysis report via ATLAS

Tier II Chemical Facilities located in Harris County

Extremely Hazardous Substances at Facilities in Harris County

Extremely Hazardous Substances at Facilities in Harris County

Monitoring Strategy

• Centralization
• f

current data

• Focused

identification

• f

prevailing toxins

• Engagement
• f

Stakeholders

• Enhanced

monitoring – Blue sky – Emergency

• Education

and PR

Data available at: https://pcs.harriscountytx.gov

New Initiatives

Advancing Normal Operations

• Permit

Reviews – Moving beyond the norm

– Facility inspections – Increase frequency

• f

facility paperwork inspections for waste disposition – Title V review

• Facility

Tank Inspections

– Fugitive emissions – Seal gap inspections

• Concrete

Batch Plant

– Initiating a pilot program – Compliance profile

PCS Efforts

• Unauthorized

emissions

• Authorized

Emissions

Timely response to e-merge notifications Reviews

• f

e-merge notifications from EE perspective (non-reportables)

UEs

Title V Permits Permit Apps (new, renewal, amendment) Continued Focus

• n

High Profile Sources Enforcement

AEs

Enforcement

Coordinated Enforcement Focus

• Meetings

with Subject before enforcement action recommendation

• Monthly

meetings with CAO and DA

• Injunctive

relief and civil penalties

• Criminal

charges

• Citizen

Suit

Compliance

• 426

VNs this CY

• 486

VNs 2018 (same time)

152 82 252 157 84 185

Air Waste Water Violation Notices 2018 2019

Enforcement Referrals

• County

Attorney’s Office

• District

Attorney’s Office

6 14 2 7

2018 2019 Referrals CAO DAO

Questions

Contact Information

Latrice Babin, PhD Director (713) 274-6413 Latrice.babin@pcs.hctx,net