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</style><p>Watch <b>VICE News Tonight</b> on HBO weekdays at 7:30.</p></aside></nav></div></div></header><section class="dy l dz ea"><div class="o"><article class="a l eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei ej ek"><div class="a cd el em en eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey ez fa fb fc fd"><div class="label-topic fe ff dm cx bd bm fg ds">Environmental rollback</div></div><div><div><div class="frames a l j u v fh fi fj fk"><div class="frame k h dv i br o"><div class="background-layer k fl h dv fm fn fo fp fq fr fs"><div class="k i br h dv ft fu fv fw"><div class="background cd k h i j cf fx fy fz ga dv br gb gc gd ge gf gg gh fv fw ft fu gi gj gk"></div></div></div><div class="headline-layer k fl h dv fm fn gl gm gn fr fs"><div class="k i go h dv ft gp fv fw"><div class="alignment k j gq"><h2 class="headline gr gs bb gt bd ds bm gu gv gw gx gy gz ha hb hc hd"><span class="a he">3 ways Trump made Hurricane Harvey more toxic for Houston</span></h2></div></div></div></div></div><div class="subhead dd de cd hf hg"></div></div></div></article></div><article class="a bh"><h1 class="k hh hi">3 ways Trump made Hurricane Harvey more toxic for Houston</h1><div class="hj v dd de hk hl"><div class="av"><div class="hm"><a class="fe hn ho hp"><img src="https://vice-news-statics-cdn.vice.com/static/images/facebook-icon.svg" alt="Share on Facebook" class="cd ce cf cg"/></a><a class="fe hn ho hp"><img src="https://vice-news-statics-cdn.vice.com/static/images/twitter-icon.svg" alt="Share on Twitter" class="cd ce cf cg"/></a><a href="mailto:?subject=From%20VICE%20News%3A%203%20ways%20Trump%20made%20Hurricane%20Harvey%20more%20toxic%20for%20Houston&amp;body=https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/9kdg5e/3-ways-trump-made-hurricane-harvey-more-toxic-for-houston" class="fe hn ho hp"><img src="https://vice-news-statics-cdn.vice.com/static/images/email-icon.svg" alt="Share via email" class="cd ce cf cg"/></a></div></div><div class="hq bt dn hr">By <a class="hs b an dr ds" href="/en_us/contributor/sarah-sax">Sarah Sax</a> Sep 8, 2017</div></div><style scoped="">
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</style><div class="a l"><div class="post-content ht"><div style="clear: both"></div><p><span>Houston has so many tightly clustered chemical facilities, you can’t even see them all on a map. </span></p><p><span>After Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas city with record-breaking rainfall, many of the </span><a href="http://comingcleaninc.org/assets/media/images/Reports/Who%27s%20in%20Danger%20Report%20FINAL.pdf"><span>100 or so</span></a><span> oil, gas, and chemical facilities in Houston were flooded or forced to shut down. In total, the storm caused the release of more than five million pounds of air pollution above usual amounts, according to </span><a href="http://www2.tceq.texas.gov/oce/eer/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.getDetails&amp;target=266261"><span>official reports.</span></a><span> As the Trump administration continues to </span><a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/03/how-trump-is-changing-science-environment/"><span>rollback environmental regulations </span></a><span>— many of which aimed to protect people from the risk of industrial pollution — future storms could have even worse effects.</span></p><div class="odd-unit__container__container"><div class="vmp-ad"></div></div><div data-ref="article" data-pos="rec-article" data-sharethrough-id="TRvu6FWtytUDF777ZkvU2Fyu"></div><p><span>Three regulations in particular — the Risk Management Plan; the Startup, Shutdown, and Maintenance requirement; and the </span><span>New Source Performance Standards — all had amendments added to them under President Barack Obama, specifically designed to help reduce toxic air emissions and communities exposure to them. As with many other environmentally hazardous industries, the communities affected are disproportionately </span><a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/center-science-and-democracy/connecting-scientists-and-communities/double-jeopardy?_ga=2.106264323.1812053925.1504201319-1172892748.1498071866#.WahL862ZOCR"><span>minorities</span></a><span>.</span></p><p><span>But Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, who’s come under fire for his coziness with the </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/22/oklahoma-attorney-generals-office-releases-7500-pages-of-emails-between-scott-pruitt-and-fossil-fuel-industry/?utm_term=.95cdd1a6d3c5"><span>fossil fuel industry</span></a><span>, has tried to demolish all three — and succeeded with two. </span></p><h1><b>Concealing chemicals </b></h1><p><span>When the steadily rising waters from Harvey blew out the energy lines supplying power to the Arkema chemical plant’s cooling system, highly volatile organic peroxides at the plant started to warm. They eventually exploded, sending thick, black plumes of smoke into the sky. </span></p><div style="clear: both"></div></div><div class="a bh hu hv hw bu hx"><button class="hy ds hz ba b ia an dr ib ic">Read more</button></div><div class="k id ie if ig o"><p>Houston has so many tightly clustered chemical facilities, you can’t even see them all on a map. </p><p>After Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas city with record-breaking rainfall, many of the 100 or so oil, gas, and chemical facilities in Houston were flooded or forced to shut down. In total, the storm caused the release of more than five million pounds of air pollution above usual amounts, according to official reports. As the Trump administration continues to rollback environmental regulations — many of which aimed to protect people from the risk of industrial pollution — future storms could have even worse effects.</p><p>Three regulations in particular — the Risk Management Plan; the Startup, Shutdown, and Maintenance requirement; and the New Source Performance Standards — all had amendments added to them under President Barack Obama, specifically designed to help reduce toxic air emissions and communities exposure to them. As with many other environmentally hazardous industries, the communities affected are disproportionately minorities.</p><p>But Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, who’s come under fire for his coziness with the fossil fuel industry, has tried to demolish all three — and succeeded with two. </p>Concealing chemicals <p>When the steadily rising waters from Harvey blew out the energy lines supplying power to the Arkema chemical plant’s cooling system, highly volatile organic peroxides at the plant started to warm. They eventually exploded, sending thick, black plumes of smoke into the sky. </p><p>Although people living within a 1.5 radius of the plant were evacuated, at least 15 first-responders were admitted to the hospital after inhaling the chemicals. But the public, including doctors, had no way of knowing exactly what chemicals they had been exposed to — or their potential effects. Under current laws, Arkema doesn’t have to reveal what chemicals they store and use.</p><p>Had amendments to the Risk Management Plan — enacted Obama in 2016 — been in place, Arkema would have had to monitor and report the chemicals in its facility to the neighboring communities and invest in safer storage methods. Then, both first-responders and the surrounding community would have known what regulated substances, if any, they were being exposed to, how to protect themselves, and if they needed to evacuate. </p><p>The current administration, however, overturned those amendments in June.</p>More methanePlants owned by Shell, Chevron, Exxon-Mobil and other industry giants reported more than 1.5 million pounds (680 metric tons) of extraordinary emissions over eight days beginning Aug. 23, to the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality in Harris County, which encompasses Houston.<p>East of Houston, a Chevron chemical plant in Cedar Bayou was releasing 28,000 pounds of benzene, 56,000 pounds of acid-rain forming nitrogen oxide gases, and 40,000 pounds of various other chemicals from “miscellaneous” sources. Gas facilities, like the Chevron plant, can also emit large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas with detrimental health effects, especially to children.</p><p>Another 2016 Obama-era rule, the New Source Performance Standards, capped the amount of methane that oil and gas facilities were allowed to emit. The rule, which also sought to reduce gas leaks of other environmental air pollutants, could have reduced methane emissions equivalent to 10.8 million tons of carbon dioxide. </p><p>Just days after the standards were supposed to go into effect in June, however, Pruitt implemented a 90-day stay of key provisions to the New Source Performance Standards and now seeks to pause the methane rule for two years to “look broadly” at regulations and review their impact.</p><p>He even gave the American Petroleum Institute — the lobbying arm of the oil, gas, and chemical industry, a head’s up.</p>No emergency plans <p>A few miles down the road, refineries, such as those in the ExxonMobil Baytown Complex along with at least 24 other plants in the area, shutdown to avoid more damage. Soon afterward, many residents started complaining of strong chemical odors in the air.</p><p>When refineries shut down quickly, they often emit excess air pollutants. As a result of immediate shutdowns during Harvey, 2 million pounds of extra air pollution was released into the air. Many of the chemicals pose known threats to human health, such as benzene and acetaldehyde. Both can cause cancer and respiratory problems. </p><p>In emergency situations like Harvey, the Startup, Shutdown, and Malfunctions Emissions requirement, passed by Obama in 2015, would have mandated that industries must maintain and monitor their facilities so any event, planned or unplanned, wouldn’t cause excessive air pollution. The EPA estimated that implementing these rules would have reduced exposure to smog-causing volatile organic compounds by 50,000 tons per year.</p><p>But after the American Petroleum Institute made revoking the standard a priority, Pruitt tried to end it. The emissions requirement now hangs in limbo as a lengthy court battle plays out.</p>A sea of hurricanes<p>Harvey took 70 lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and will cost at least $125 billion in recovery. And it won’t be the last disaster of its kind. Climate change, accelerated in large part by the carbon-emitting oil, gas, and chemical industries, only increases the frequency and severity of flooding and hurricanes. </p><p>Just days after Harvey, Hurricane Irma, the strongest storm to ever come out of the Atlantic, will soon hit Florida. Hurricanes Katia and Jose are trailing close behind. </p><p>Read next: Aerial views show how much Irma leveled Caribbean islands</p></div></div></article><div class="article-od-wrapper bq"><div class="ad-container cd ih ii ij bu ik il"><div class="v im u dm in bd gq">Advertisement</div></div></div><section class="o io ip"></section></section><div class="cd iq v o" id="OneByOneAd_post_9kdg5e"></div></div></div><script>window.VN_DATA={props:{"unit":{"id":"9kdg5e","title":"3 ways Trump made Hurricane Harvey more toxic for Houston","topic":"Environmental rollback","allTopics":["environment","news","energy","climate-change","trump","donald-trump","epa","houston","weather","emissions","scott-pruitt","hurricane-harvey","hurricane-irma","environmental-regulations"],"dek":"As the Trump administration continues to rollback environmental regulations, future storms could have even worse effects.","slug":"3-ways-trump-made-hurricane-harvey-more-toxic-for-houston","locale":"en_us","streamFormat":"custom","postFormat":"short-form","type":"post","date":1504879235000,"url":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/9kdg5e/3-ways-trump-made-hurricane-harvey-more-toxic-for-houston","coauthors":[{"id":"5996f37bac3d2f5a7bb27e0f","slug":"sarah-sax","display_name":"Sarah Sax"}],"editors":[],"displayTitle":false,"wordCount":null,"uid":"5a3435af9c292506d187339e","nsfw":false,"primaryCategory":{"id":"5a3435ae9c292506d187336b","name":"Environmental rollback","slug":"environmental-rollback"},"content":{"fullPost":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHouston has so many tightly clustered chemical facilities, you can’t even see them all on a map. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas city with record-breaking rainfall, many of the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://comingcleaninc.org/assets/media/images/Reports/Who%27s%20in%20Danger%20Report%20FINAL.pdf\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e100 or so\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e oil, gas, and chemical facilities in Houston were flooded or forced to shut down. In total, the storm caused the release of more than five million pounds of air pollution above usual amounts, according to \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www2.tceq.texas.gov/oce/eer/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.getDetails\u0026amp;target=266261\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eofficial reports.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e As the Trump administration continues to \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/03/how-trump-is-changing-science-environment/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003erollback environmental regulations \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— many of which aimed to protect people from the risk of industrial pollution — future storms could have even worse effects.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv data-ref=\"article\" data-pos=\"rec-article\" data-sharethrough-id=\"TRvu6FWtytUDF777ZkvU2Fyu\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThree regulations in particular — the Risk Management Plan; the Startup, Shutdown, and Maintenance requirement; and the \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNew Source Performance Standards — all had amendments added to them under President Barack Obama, specifically designed to help reduce toxic air emissions and communities exposure to them. As with many other environmentally hazardous industries, the communities affected are disproportionately \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.ucsusa.org/center-science-and-democracy/connecting-scientists-and-communities/double-jeopardy?_ga=2.106264323.1812053925.1504201319-1172892748.1498071866#.WahL862ZOCR\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eminorities\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, who’s come under fire for his coziness with the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/22/oklahoma-attorney-generals-office-releases-7500-pages-of-emails-between-scott-pruitt-and-fossil-fuel-industry/?utm_term=.95cdd1a6d3c5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003efossil fuel industry\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, has tried to demolish all three — and succeeded with two. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eConcealing chemicals \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen the steadily rising waters from Harvey blew out the energy lines supplying power to the Arkema chemical plant’s cooling system, highly volatile organic peroxides at the plant started to warm. They eventually exploded, sending thick, black plumes of smoke into the sky. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough people living within a 1.5 radius of the plant were evacuated, at least 15 first-responders were admitted to the hospital after inhaling the chemicals. But the public, including doctors, had \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://news.vice.com/story/arkema-doesnt-need-to-tell-public-what-chemicals-it-uses\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eno way of knowing\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e exactly what chemicals they had been exposed to — or their potential effects. Under current laws, Arkema doesn’t have to reveal what chemicals they store and use.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHad amendments to the Risk Management Plan — enacted Obama in 2016 — been in place, Arkema would have had to monitor and report the chemicals in its facility to the neighboring communities and invest in safer storage methods. Then, both first-responders and the surrounding community would have known what \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/rmp/list-regulated-substances-under-risk-management-plan-rmp-program\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eregulated substances\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, if any, they were being exposed to, how to protect themselves, and if they needed to evacuate. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe current administration, however, \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/rmp/final-amendments-risk-management-program-rmp-rule\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoverturned\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e those amendments in June.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eMore methane\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"article__media col-12-xs feed-width\"\u003e\u003cpicture class=\"article__image\"\u003e\u003csource srcset=\"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/AP_17250657243196.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/AP_17250657243196.jpg\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c/picture\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"article__image-caption\"\u003ePlants owned by Shell, Chevron, Exxon-Mobil and other industry giants reported more than 1.5 million pounds (680 metric tons) of extraordinary emissions over eight days beginning Aug. 23, to the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality in Harris County, which encompasses Houston.\u003cspan\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEast of Houston, a Chevron chemical plant in Cedar Bayou was \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www2.tceq.texas.gov/oce/eer/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.getDetails\u0026amp;target=266261\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereleasing\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 28,000 pounds of benzene, 56,000 pounds of acid-rain forming nitrogen oxide gases, and 40,000 pounds of various other chemicals from “miscellaneous” sources. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGas \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/08/least-10-houston-area-chemical-facilities-and-oil-and-gas-refineries-have\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003efacilities\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003el\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ei\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ek\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ee\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003et\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eh\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ee\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Chevron plant, can also emit large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas with\u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://thinkprogress.org/epa-proposes-two-year-methane-rule-delay-7ef37949a2c8/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e detrimental health effects\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, especially to children.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnother 2016 Obama-era rule, the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-first-ever-standards-cut-methane-emissions-oil-and-gas-sector\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNew Source Performance Standards\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e capped the amount of methane that oil and gas facilities were allowed to emit. The rule, which also sought to \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.edf.org/energy/defending-standards-cut-methane-waste\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereduce gas leaks\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of other environmental air pollutants, could\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003ehave reduced methane emissions \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-first-ever-standards-cut-methane-emissions-oil-and-gas-sector\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eequivalent\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to 10.8 million tons of carbon dioxide. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust days after the standards were supposed to go into effect in June, however, Pruitt implemented a 90-day stay of key provisions to the New Source Performance Standards and \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003enow seeks to pause the methane rule for \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-07-03/dc-appeals-court-orders-epa-to-move-ahead-with-methane-rule\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003etwo years\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to “look broadly” at regulations and review their impact.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe even gave the American Petroleum Institute — the lobbying arm of the oil, gas, and chemical industry, a head’s up.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo emergency plans \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA few miles down the road, refineries, such as those in the ExxonMobil Baytown Complex along with at least \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.icis.com/resources/news/2017/08/28/10137268/refineries-plants-shut-amid-hurricane-harvey-rains-floods/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24 other plants\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in the area, \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/29/exxonmobil-refineries-damaged-in-hurricane-harvey-releasing-hazardous-pollutants/?utm_term=.af8b89027950\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshutdown\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to avoid more damage. Soon afterward, many residents \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2017/08/30/547219385/flooded-texas-chemical-plants-raise-concerns-about-toxic-emissions\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003estarted complaining\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of strong chemical odors in the air.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen refineries shut down quickly, they often emit excess air pollutants. As a result of immediate shutdowns during Harvey,\u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.environmenttexas.org/news/txe/petrochemical-facilities-release-more-two-million-pounds-pollution-during-hurricane-harvey\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 2 million pounds\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of extra air pollution was released into the air. Many of the chemicals pose known threats to human health, such as benzene and acetaldehyde. Both can cause cancer and respiratory problems. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn emergency situations like Harvey, the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-quality-implementation-plans/startup-shutdown-malfunction-ssm-emissions-industrial-facilities\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStartup, Shutdown, and Malfunctions Emissions\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e requi\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003erement, passed by Obama in 2015, would have mandated that industries must maintain and monitor their facilities so any event, planned or unplanned, wouldn’t cause excessive air pollution. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe EPA \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/petroleum-refinery-sector-risk-and-technology-review-and-new-source\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eestimated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e that implementing these rules would have \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereduced exposure to smog-causing volatile organic compounds by 50,000 tons per year.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut after the American Petroleum Institute made revoking the standard a \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.api.org/~/media/Files/News/Letters-Comments/2017/5-15-17-API-Comments-on-specific-regulations.pdf\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003epriority\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Pruitt \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.environmentallawandpolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/186/2017/04/epa2017_0777.pdf\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003etried to end it\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The emissions requirement now hangs in limbo as a lengthy court battle plays out.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eA sea of hurricanes\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarvey took 70 lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and will cost at least $125 billion in recovery. And it won’t be the last disaster of its kind. Climate change, accelerated \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ein large part\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by the carbon-emitting oil, gas, and chemical industries, only increases the frequency and severity of flooding and hurricanes. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust days after Harvey, Hurricane Irma, the strongest storm to ever come out of the Atlantic, will soon hit Florida. Hurricanes Katia and Jose are trailing close behind. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead next:\u003c/b\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://news.vice.com/story/aerial-photos-show-how-irma-leveled-caribbean-islands\"\u003eAerial views show how much Irma leveled Caribbean islands\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","protected":false,"readMore":true,"readMoreExcerpt":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHouston has so many tightly clustered chemical facilities, you can’t even see them all on a map. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas city with record-breaking rainfall, many of the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://comingcleaninc.org/assets/media/images/Reports/Who%27s%20in%20Danger%20Report%20FINAL.pdf\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e100 or so\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e oil, gas, and chemical facilities in Houston were flooded or forced to shut down. In total, the storm caused the release of more than five million pounds of air pollution above usual amounts, according to \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www2.tceq.texas.gov/oce/eer/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.getDetails\u0026amp;target=266261\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eofficial reports.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e As the Trump administration continues to \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/03/how-trump-is-changing-science-environment/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003erollback environmental regulations \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e— many of which aimed to protect people from the risk of industrial pollution — future storms could have even worse effects.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv data-ref=\"article\" data-pos=\"rec-article\" data-sharethrough-id=\"TRvu6FWtytUDF777ZkvU2Fyu\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThree regulations in particular — the Risk Management Plan; the Startup, Shutdown, and Maintenance requirement; and the \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNew Source Performance Standards — all had amendments added to them under President Barack Obama, specifically designed to help reduce toxic air emissions and communities exposure to them. As with many other environmentally hazardous industries, the communities affected are disproportionately \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.ucsusa.org/center-science-and-democracy/connecting-scientists-and-communities/double-jeopardy?_ga=2.106264323.1812053925.1504201319-1172892748.1498071866#.WahL862ZOCR\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eminorities\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, who’s come under fire for his coziness with the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/22/oklahoma-attorney-generals-office-releases-7500-pages-of-emails-between-scott-pruitt-and-fossil-fuel-industry/?utm_term=.95cdd1a6d3c5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003efossil fuel industry\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, has tried to demolish all three — and succeeded with two. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eConcealing chemicals \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen the steadily rising waters from Harvey blew out the energy lines supplying power to the Arkema chemical plant’s cooling system, highly volatile organic peroxides at the plant started to warm. They eventually exploded, sending thick, black plumes of smoke into the sky. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","readMoreRemainder":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough people living within a 1.5 radius of the plant were evacuated, at least 15 first-responders were admitted to the hospital after inhaling the chemicals. But the public, including doctors, had \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://news.vice.com/story/arkema-doesnt-need-to-tell-public-what-chemicals-it-uses\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eno way of knowing\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e exactly what chemicals they had been exposed to — or their potential effects. Under current laws, Arkema doesn’t have to reveal what chemicals they store and use.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHad amendments to the Risk Management Plan — enacted Obama in 2016 — been in place, Arkema would have had to monitor and report the chemicals in its facility to the neighboring communities and invest in safer storage methods. Then, both first-responders and the surrounding community would have known what \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/rmp/list-regulated-substances-under-risk-management-plan-rmp-program\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eregulated substances\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, if any, they were being exposed to, how to protect themselves, and if they needed to evacuate. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe current administration, however, \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/rmp/final-amendments-risk-management-program-rmp-rule\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoverturned\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e those amendments in June.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eMore methane\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"article__media col-12-xs feed-width\"\u003e\u003cpicture class=\"article__image\"\u003e\u003csource srcset=\"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/AP_17250657243196.jpg\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/AP_17250657243196.jpg\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c/picture\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"article__image-caption\"\u003ePlants owned by Shell, Chevron, Exxon-Mobil and other industry giants reported more than 1.5 million pounds (680 metric tons) of extraordinary emissions over eight days beginning Aug. 23, to the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality in Harris County, which encompasses Houston.\u003cspan\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEast of Houston, a Chevron chemical plant in Cedar Bayou was \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www2.tceq.texas.gov/oce/eer/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.getDetails\u0026amp;target=266261\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereleasing\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 28,000 pounds of benzene, 56,000 pounds of acid-rain forming nitrogen oxide gases, and 40,000 pounds of various other chemicals from “miscellaneous” sources. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGas \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/08/least-10-houston-area-chemical-facilities-and-oil-and-gas-refineries-have\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003efacilities\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003el\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ei\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ek\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ee\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003et\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eh\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ee\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Chevron plant, can also emit large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas with\u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://thinkprogress.org/epa-proposes-two-year-methane-rule-delay-7ef37949a2c8/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e detrimental health effects\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, especially to children.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnother 2016 Obama-era rule, the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-first-ever-standards-cut-methane-emissions-oil-and-gas-sector\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNew Source Performance Standards\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e capped the amount of methane that oil and gas facilities were allowed to emit. The rule, which also sought to \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.edf.org/energy/defending-standards-cut-methane-waste\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereduce gas leaks\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of other environmental air pollutants, could\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003ehave reduced methane emissions \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-first-ever-standards-cut-methane-emissions-oil-and-gas-sector\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eequivalent\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to 10.8 million tons of carbon dioxide. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust days after the standards were supposed to go into effect in June, however, Pruitt implemented a 90-day stay of key provisions to the New Source Performance Standards and \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003enow seeks to pause the methane rule for \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-07-03/dc-appeals-court-orders-epa-to-move-ahead-with-methane-rule\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003etwo years\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to “look broadly” at regulations and review their impact.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe even gave the American Petroleum Institute — the lobbying arm of the oil, gas, and chemical industry, a head’s up.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo emergency plans \u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA few miles down the road, refineries, such as those in the ExxonMobil Baytown Complex along with at least \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.icis.com/resources/news/2017/08/28/10137268/refineries-plants-shut-amid-hurricane-harvey-rains-floods/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e24 other plants\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in the area, \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/08/29/exxonmobil-refineries-damaged-in-hurricane-harvey-releasing-hazardous-pollutants/?utm_term=.af8b89027950\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eshutdown\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to avoid more damage. Soon afterward, many residents \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2017/08/30/547219385/flooded-texas-chemical-plants-raise-concerns-about-toxic-emissions\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003estarted complaining\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of strong chemical odors in the air.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen refineries shut down quickly, they often emit excess air pollutants. As a result of immediate shutdowns during Harvey,\u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.environmenttexas.org/news/txe/petrochemical-facilities-release-more-two-million-pounds-pollution-during-hurricane-harvey\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 2 million pounds\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of extra air pollution was released into the air. Many of the chemicals pose known threats to human health, such as benzene and acetaldehyde. Both can cause cancer and respiratory problems. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn emergency situations like Harvey, the \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/air-quality-implementation-plans/startup-shutdown-malfunction-ssm-emissions-industrial-facilities\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStartup, Shutdown, and Malfunctions Emissions\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e requi\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003erement, passed by Obama in 2015, would have mandated that industries must maintain and monitor their facilities so any event, planned or unplanned, wouldn’t cause excessive air pollution. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe EPA \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/stationary-sources-air-pollution/petroleum-refinery-sector-risk-and-technology-review-and-new-source\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eestimated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e that implementing these rules would have \u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereduced exposure to smog-causing volatile organic compounds by 50,000 tons per year.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut after the American Petroleum Institute made revoking the standard a \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.api.org/~/media/Files/News/Letters-Comments/2017/5-15-17-API-Comments-on-specific-regulations.pdf\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003epriority\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Pruitt \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.environmentallawandpolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/186/2017/04/epa2017_0777.pdf\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003etried to end it\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The emissions requirement now hangs in limbo as a lengthy court battle plays out.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch1\u003e\u003cb\u003eA sea of hurricanes\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarvey took 70 lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and will cost at least $125 billion in recovery. And it won’t be the last disaster of its kind. Climate change, accelerated \u003c/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ein large part\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by the carbon-emitting oil, gas, and chemical industries, only increases the frequency and severity of flooding and hurricanes. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJust days after Harvey, Hurricane Irma, the strongest storm to ever come out of the Atlantic, will soon hit Florida. Hurricanes Katia and Jose are trailing close behind. \u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"odd-unit__container__container\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"vmp-ad\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead next:\u003c/b\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://news.vice.com/story/aerial-photos-show-how-irma-leveled-caribbean-islands\"\u003eAerial views show how much Irma leveled Caribbean islands\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","readMoreLabel":"Read more","searchable":"\u003cp\u003eHouston has so many tightly clustered chemical facilities, you can’t even see them all on a map. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas city with record-breaking rainfall, many of the 100 or so oil, gas, and chemical facilities in Houston were flooded or forced to shut down. In total, the storm caused the release of more than five million pounds of air pollution above usual amounts, according to official reports. As the Trump administration continues to rollback environmental regulations — many of which aimed to protect people from the risk of industrial pollution — future storms could have even worse effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThree regulations in particular — the Risk Management Plan; the Startup, Shutdown, and Maintenance requirement; and the New Source Performance Standards — all had amendments added to them under President Barack Obama, specifically designed to help reduce toxic air emissions and communities exposure to them. As with many other environmentally hazardous industries, the communities affected are disproportionately minorities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, who’s come under fire for his coziness with the fossil fuel industry, has tried to demolish all three — and succeeded with two. \u003c/p\u003eConcealing chemicals \u003cp\u003eWhen the steadily rising waters from Harvey blew out the energy lines supplying power to the Arkema chemical plant’s cooling system, highly volatile organic peroxides at the plant started to warm. They eventually exploded, sending thick, black plumes of smoke into the sky. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough people living within a 1.5 radius of the plant were evacuated, at least 15 first-responders were admitted to the hospital after inhaling the chemicals. But the public, including doctors, had no way of knowing exactly what chemicals they had been exposed to — or their potential effects. Under current laws, Arkema doesn’t have to reveal what chemicals they store and use.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHad amendments to the Risk Management Plan — enacted Obama in 2016 — been in place, Arkema would have had to monitor and report the chemicals in its facility to the neighboring communities and invest in safer storage methods. Then, both first-responders and the surrounding community would have known what regulated substances, if any, they were being exposed to, how to protect themselves, and if they needed to evacuate. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe current administration, however, overturned those amendments in June.\u003c/p\u003eMore methanePlants owned by Shell, Chevron, Exxon-Mobil and other industry giants reported more than 1.5 million pounds (680 metric tons) of extraordinary emissions over eight days beginning Aug. 23, to the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality in Harris County, which encompasses Houston.\u003cp\u003eEast of Houston, a Chevron chemical plant in Cedar Bayou was releasing 28,000 pounds of benzene, 56,000 pounds of acid-rain forming nitrogen oxide gases, and 40,000 pounds of various other chemicals from “miscellaneous” sources. Gas facilities, like the Chevron plant, can also emit large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas with detrimental health effects, especially to children.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother 2016 Obama-era rule, the New Source Performance Standards, capped the amount of methane that oil and gas facilities were allowed to emit. The rule, which also sought to reduce gas leaks of other environmental air pollutants, could have reduced methane emissions equivalent to 10.8 million tons of carbon dioxide. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJust days after the standards were supposed to go into effect in June, however, Pruitt implemented a 90-day stay of key provisions to the New Source Performance Standards and now seeks to pause the methane rule for two years to “look broadly” at regulations and review their impact.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe even gave the American Petroleum Institute — the lobbying arm of the oil, gas, and chemical industry, a head’s up.\u003c/p\u003eNo emergency plans \u003cp\u003eA few miles down the road, refineries, such as those in the ExxonMobil Baytown Complex along with at least 24 other plants in the area, shutdown to avoid more damage. Soon afterward, many residents started complaining of strong chemical odors in the air.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen refineries shut down quickly, they often emit excess air pollutants. As a result of immediate shutdowns during Harvey, 2 million pounds of extra air pollution was released into the air. Many of the chemicals pose known threats to human health, such as benzene and acetaldehyde. Both can cause cancer and respiratory problems. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn emergency situations like Harvey, the Startup, Shutdown, and Malfunctions Emissions requirement, passed by Obama in 2015, would have mandated that industries must maintain and monitor their facilities so any event, planned or unplanned, wouldn’t cause excessive air pollution. The EPA estimated that implementing these rules would have reduced exposure to smog-causing volatile organic compounds by 50,000 tons per year.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut after the American Petroleum Institute made revoking the standard a priority, Pruitt tried to end it. The emissions requirement now hangs in limbo as a lengthy court battle plays out.\u003c/p\u003eA sea of hurricanes\u003cp\u003eHarvey took 70 lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and will cost at least $125 billion in recovery. And it won’t be the last disaster of its kind. Climate change, accelerated in large part by the carbon-emitting oil, gas, and chemical industries, only increases the frequency and severity of flooding and hurricanes. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJust days after Harvey, Hurricane Irma, the strongest storm to ever come out of the Atlantic, will soon hit Florida. Hurricanes Katia and Jose are trailing close behind. \u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRead next: Aerial views show how much Irma leveled Caribbean islands\u003c/p\u003e"},"social":{"description":"As the Trump administration continues to rollback environmental regulations, future storms could have even worse effects.","title":"3 ways Trump made Hurricane Harvey more toxic for Houston","socialImg":"https://news2-images.vice.com/uploads/2017/09/GettyImages-841031122.jpg?crop=1xw:0.84375xh;center,center","categories":"environment, news, energy, climate change, trump, donald trump, epa, houston, weather, emissions, scott pruitt, hurricane harvey, hurricane irma, environmental regulations","standoutPost":false,"standoutPostURL":""},"customCover":{"version":1,"coverType":"layers","hideOverflow":true,"layers":[{"layerType":"background","layout":{"x":0,"y":0,"alignHoriz":"left","alignVert":"top","width":1,"height":1,"rotation":0,"scale":1,"opacity":1},"scaleDimension":"width","image":"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/GettyImages-841031122.jpg","animationStartLayout":null,"imgLarge":"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/GettyImages-841031122.jpg?resize=1024:*","imgMedium":"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/GettyImages-841031122.jpg?resize=960:*","imgSmall":"https://vice-prod-news-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/09/GettyImages-841031122.jpg?resize=768:*"},{"layerType":"headline","layout":{"x":0,"y":0.2,"alignHoriz":"left","alignVert":"top","width":0.5,"height":"auto","rotation":0,"scale":1,"opacity":1},"content":"3 ways Trump made Hurricane Harvey more toxic for Houston","color":"#000","bgColor":"#fff","font":"condensed","textAlign":"left","sizeClass":"text-size--smaller","subheadContent":"","animationStartLayout":null}]}},"title":"3 ways Trump made Hurricane Harvey more toxic for Houston \u0026ndash; VICE News","primaryNav":[{"title":"VICE News Tonight","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/vice-news-tonight"},{"title":"Money","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/money"},{"title":"Donald Trump","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/donald-trump"},{"title":"Technology","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/technology"},{"title":"Immigration","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/immigration"},{"title":"Drugs","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/drugs"},{"title":"Features","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/features"},{"title":"Terrorism","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/topic/terrorism"}],"secondaryNav":[{"title":"Featured reporters","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/page/featured-correspondents-and-reporters"},{"title":"Where to watch","path":"https://news.vice.com/en_us/page/where-to-watch-vice-news-tonight"}],"callout":"\u003cp\u003eWatch \u003cb\u003eVICE News Tonight\u003c/b\u003e on HBO weekdays at 7:30.\u003c/p\u003e","customLogo":null,"isInteractiveTakeover":false,"adUnit":"/16916245/news.vice.com","slug":"3-ways-trump-made-hurricane-harvey-more-toxic-for-houston","locale":"en_us","surrogateKeys":"articles/3 2/bn0xYCthujlkpkWA 6/b1n8uahIrdoLe6eg 22/b1n8tV1EXlLCVmeN 40/b1n8Tfa1bJ1rN_lo 40/b1n8Tpi2_6Z=ZTpF 40/b1n8_T=ypd7l_amT 40/b1n8_+6A8IWX82q5 40/b1n8Ut7fhdZ9p+tq 40/b1n8ZCc80wnF3Ka1 40/b1n91=3r9tJqTf3u 40/b1n95D-2lfTd8WzA 40/b1n9dYyw1Th==lAx 40/b6R20cUl9T=jnX99 40/b6T3BkLRM_4UeCW= 40/bi8.v69Kyb_8vS-Q 40/biEK-idqrhyr1ba3 40/bn0xYslfMQKmrRSj 40/bn0xYCthujlkpkWA 11/bhTNkFxh1sh9V5lV links/3 20/bn0B+LbJ8gIyt1P- 35/b1n8tKYDaS_EXTaw 20/bn0DAzzJE_2V.FTE 20/bn0DJNUiSlk2J=.5 20/bn0DMLHX4BVDYsia 20/bn0DOINaZraU47q6 20/bn0DRKtDnIxvPyM- 20/bn0DSWOzs8NJpPRl 20/bn0DUpsVC1j+ZBoU 20/bn6hxMpzY8Jvk-yd 20/bn6hDKfmmMqtsgd3 sites/single/3"}, page: "story"};</script><script src="https://vice-news-statics-cdn.vice.com/static/js/jquery-3.2.1.min.js" defer=""></script><script src="https://vice-news-statics-cdn.vice.com/static/js/arve-public.8.0.2.js" defer=""></script><script src="https://vice-news-statics-cdn.vice.com/_client/vice.bundle.ac05f03f4e263a6ecec7.js" async=""></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//vice-d.openx.net/w/1.0/jstag?nc=16916245-vicenews"></script><script type="text/javascript">var gs_channels="DEFAULT";
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