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Related: About this forumHarvey Update: Flooded Chemical Plant Explodes. Trump Policies Increase Future Risk
Harvey Update: Flooded Chemical Plant Explodes. Trump Policies Increase Future Risk
September 1, 2017
Cable news and newspapers across the country are headlining the continuing explosions at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, that was flooded by Hurricane Harvey. The plant was evacuated after power failed and several containers full of volatile chemicals that required cooling threatened to explode when power was lost and the generators failed. At 1:00 am early Thursday morning, the first of the nine containers exploded, sending a plume of black smoke into the community. The other eight containers are also expected to explode.
This Incident Raises a Number of Issues
During an interview with Hallie Jackson on MSNBC yesterday, I tried to outline some of the issues that concerned me beyond the immediate threat of the plant. You can view a slightly edited video and a full written transcript of the interview below:
{snip}
My major concern is that there is a huge concentration of chemical facilities on the Gulf Coast containing volatile chemicals much more hazardous than the chemicals exploding at the Arkema plant. Hydrogen flouride (HF) for example, can damage skin, eyes, lungs, bones and the heart in humans. Exposure can be fatal, and HF acid can form into vapor clouds that are able to spread over large distances. Explosions are easy to see, but no one knows at this point the less visible damage being done by leaking pipes, failed valves, overflowing tanks and swamped Superfund sites.
What the Trump administration fails to recognize is that you can deny climate change all you want, but the fact is that its here; its happening and the Gulf Coast and its vulnerable chemical infrastructure will inevitably experience great and more damaging storms. Gulf Coast states and chemical facilities need to prepare, and the federal government is betraying its duty to the American people if it doesnt play a leading role in protecting workers and communities from the damage that these storms will continue to do to the areas chemical facilities.
September 1, 2017
Cable news and newspapers across the country are headlining the continuing explosions at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, that was flooded by Hurricane Harvey. The plant was evacuated after power failed and several containers full of volatile chemicals that required cooling threatened to explode when power was lost and the generators failed. At 1:00 am early Thursday morning, the first of the nine containers exploded, sending a plume of black smoke into the community. The other eight containers are also expected to explode.
This Incident Raises a Number of Issues
During an interview with Hallie Jackson on MSNBC yesterday, I tried to outline some of the issues that concerned me beyond the immediate threat of the plant. You can view a slightly edited video and a full written transcript of the interview below:
{snip}
My major concern is that there is a huge concentration of chemical facilities on the Gulf Coast containing volatile chemicals much more hazardous than the chemicals exploding at the Arkema plant. Hydrogen flouride (HF) for example, can damage skin, eyes, lungs, bones and the heart in humans. Exposure can be fatal, and HF acid can form into vapor clouds that are able to spread over large distances. Explosions are easy to see, but no one knows at this point the less visible damage being done by leaking pipes, failed valves, overflowing tanks and swamped Superfund sites.
What the Trump administration fails to recognize is that you can deny climate change all you want, but the fact is that its here; its happening and the Gulf Coast and its vulnerable chemical infrastructure will inevitably experience great and more damaging storms. Gulf Coast states and chemical facilities need to prepare, and the federal government is betraying its duty to the American people if it doesnt play a leading role in protecting workers and communities from the damage that these storms will continue to do to the areas chemical facilities.
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Harvey Update: Flooded Chemical Plant Explodes. Trump Policies Increase Future Risk (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Sep 2017
OP
Imagine what could have happened if they'd had a nuclear reactor near the shore.
Binkie The Clown
Sep 2017
#2
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,841 posts)1. Not just Trump policies.
Texas as a state is adamantly against any sorts of regulations. Like zoning. I know that Houston is inordinately proud of having no zoning rules whatsoever. So you can build anything anywhere. Like a dangerous chemical plant near schools and nursing homes.
The company itself has done its best to not have any sorts of regulations.
Rachel Maddow did a story a couple of days ago about this topic.
Oh, and apparently in Texas evacuation orders cannot be mandatory.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)2. Imagine what could have happened if they'd had a nuclear reactor near the shore.
We'd be looking at another Fukushima.