News

Jun 27, 2025

Federal rollbacks threaten health protections in Texas petrochemical communities - EHN

In the early months of President Trump’s second term, his administration has dismantled or delayed key environmental rules, putting heavily polluted communities like Channelview, Texas, at greater

In the early months of President Trump’s second term, his administration has dismantled or delayed key environmental rules, putting heavily polluted communities like Channelview, Texas, at greater risk.

Savanna Strott reports for Public Health Watch.

In short:

Key quote:

“It’s a leg-up to the polluters. It’s a double-whammy on the communities that are going to bear the burden of that pollution the most.”

— Jennifer Hadayia, executive director of Air Alliance Houston

Why this matters:

Industrial communities along the Gulf Coast face mounting health threats as regulatory protections unravel. Channelview sits in the heart of one of the country’s largest petrochemical corridors and already ranks in the top percentile for cancer risk from air pollution. When federal safeguards are stripped away, local and state governments often lack the will or resources to fill the gap. The rollback of rules governing toxic air pollutants, flood risk, and emergency response puts people in greater danger — especially during storms, accidents, or facility shutdowns. In areas where children play next to chemical tanks and benzene hangs in the air, policy shifts in Washington have real consequences for lives, lungs, and futures.

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