Las Brisas: Economic Development or Ecologic Disaster

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Las Brisas Economic Development or Ecologic
Disaster?
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The Questions

• Is there already a problem in Corpus Christi?
• Las Brisas What, Where, Why?
• The EPA and the TCEQ say its OK. Why the
  controversy?

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Is there already a problem in Corpus Christi?

• There are twice as many pediatric emergency room
  visits for acute asthma symptoms per capita in
  Corpus Christi than the average in the rest of
  the State of Texas. Those children tend to live
  in zip codes near the refineries.
• Seven schools in the Coastal Bend area rank in
  the top 10 in the US for exposures to toxins and
  carcinogens based on EPA studies.
  http//content.usatoday.com/news/nation/environmen
  t/smokestack/search/TX
• Ozone levels in our community are episodically
  near non-attainment of the recently changed
  limits. Non-attainment results in lost federal
  funds and more costly vehicle inspections.
• A study by the Texas Department of Health in July
  2006 found that Corpus Christi has the highest
  rate of birth defects in Texas.
• Texas Birth Defects Epidemiology and
  Surveillance Branch of the Texas Department of
  State Health Services.

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• Dr. Peter Langlois, PhD., a Senior Epidemiologist
  at the Birth Defects Epidemiology and
  Surveillance Branch from the Texas Department of
  State Health Services, examined the data and
  found that

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Nueces County Birth Defects
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Texas Birth Defects Rates comparing 6 of 20
Counties with the greatest number of live births,
1999-2003 ( Numbers per 10,000 live births)

• VSD, ventricular septal defect TOGV,
  transposition of great vessels
• PDA, patent ductus arteriosus
• ObG, obstructive genitourinary defect
• H/E, hypospadia or epispadia
• CoA, coarctation of the aorta
• ASD, atrial septal defect
• Gastro, gastroschisis.

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States reporting high rates in three heart defect
categories for 2000-2004 (defect per 10,000
live births)
VSD, ventricular septal defect ASD, atrial
septal defect PDA, patent ductus arteriosus
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Nueces County Environmental Concerns

• 46 landfills
• 23 refineries or chemical manufacturing plants
• the highest concentration of oil refineries in
  the nation
• 3rd highest refinery capacity in the US.
• 3 military airfields
• 3 potentially dangerous sites
• the old city incinerator
• toxic injection well
• battery recycling plant

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Las BrisasWhat, Where, Why?
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Las Brisas Energy Center, LLC

• Application was submitted to the Texas Commission
  on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on May 19, 2008
• State Air Quality Permit Number 85013 and
  Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Air
  Quality Permit Number PSDTX1138, would authorize
  construction of a Circulating Fluidized-Bed
  Petroleum Coke powered Steam Electric Generation
  Facility located on Joe Fulton Corridor, Corpus
  Christi.
• The facility will emit nitrogen oxides, sulfur
  dioxide, carbon monoxide, organic compounds,
  particulate matter including particulate matter
  less than 10 microns in diameter, sulfuric acid,
  ammonia, mercury, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen
  fluoride, lead and sodium hydroxide.

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What is Petroleum Coke?

• A by-product of oil refining
• Can be used as a fuel similar to coal
• Much less expensive than even the cheapest form
  of coal.
• Much of the petroleum coke produced by US
  refineries is shipped out of the country.

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Petroleum Coke
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Why petroleum coke?

• It is the least expensive fuel that can be used
  to generate electricity.

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Why put Las Brisas on the Corpus Christi Ship
Channel?

• Las Brisas can get 30-40 of the petroleum coke
  they will need from adjacent refineries, they
  will not even need to transport it.
• The cheapest fuel available, and they dont even
  have to pay to transport much of it.
• Additional petroleum coke could be off-loaded
  from ships directly to the plant with no
  additional cost for transportation.
• They can bring in additional fuel with minimal
  cost to transport it.

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Las Brisas

• Uniquely situated to maximize profit
• Using the least expensive fuel available
• Located to minimize even the costs of
  transporting that fuel.

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Las Brisas

• A 3 billion project which will produce
• 1200-1800 jobs during construction
• 80-120 long term jobs
• 30 million/year tax revenue to the city
• 20 million promised to the Port of Corpus
  Christi for upgrades

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Las Brisas

• Projected air flow studies, though showing a
  bothersome trend do not predict pollutant levels
  in excess of current EPA standards.
• They have been granted a preliminary permit for
  the amount of pollutants they are expected to
  produce

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Las Brisas Politics

• Our previous city leaders endorsed Las Brisas
  after listening to a Power Point presentation
  from the Corpus Christi Regional Economic
  Development Coorporation on behalf of LBEC.
• LBEC executives were present.
• The Mayor and Council members never requested any
  other input.
• They never asked some extremely important
  questions.

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Locations of Existing Coal Plants in Texas
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Las Brisas Unaddressed Questions

• There are no coal or pet coke powered electric
  plants that were built near urban areas in the
  state of Texas.
• Why not?

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Las Brisas Unaddressed Questions

• What effect could this plant have on the health
  of our community?
• The Las Brisas answer
• Pollution from this plant is not projected to
  exceed state and federal guidelines.
• That is not an answer.
• The answer from the Medical Societies
• Pollution from this plant will predictably
  exacerbate disease and cause premature deaths.

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The Dangers of CoalAnd Petroleum Coke

• The power industry actually uses formulae to
  predict Health costs based on how many people
  will die as a consequence of the operation of
  coal plants.

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In this study, we modeled the monetized damages
associated with 407 coal-fired power plants in
the United States, focusing on premature
mortality from fine particulate matter
(PM2.5) Recently, U.S. EPA determined a central
VSL (value of statistical life) estimate of 5.5
million (in 1999 dollars) based on 1990 income
distributions.
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• At the median of the plant-specific uncertainty
  distributions, damages across plants ranged from
• 30,000 to 500,000 per ton of PM2.5,
• 6,000 to 50,000 per ton of SO2,
• 500 to 15,000 per ton of NOx,
• 0.02 to 1.57 per kilowatt-hour of electricity
  generated.
• If these external costs were internalized, it
  would have significant ramifications for choices
  among competing fuels for electricity generation
  in the United States.

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• Variability in damages per kilowatt-hour was
  highly correlated with SO2 emissions, related to
  fuel
• Variability in damages per ton of emissions was
  almost entirely explained by population exposure
  

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EPA report Fuel / Mode / Emissions
Pet Coke produces 25 more SO2, and gt than 4
times more NOx than soft coal
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Las Brisas An Urban Electric Plant
Proposed site for Las Brisas
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Las Brisas
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After they minimize pollution coming from Las
Brisas What is the real truth?

• Las Brisas would be the largest source of
  industrial pollution in Nueces County by a huge
  margin
• There are 29 industrial facilities currently
  permitted by the TCEQ in Nueces County, including
  7 petroleum refineries.
• In 2007, the sum total of criteria emissions from
  all 29 facilities was 24,086 tons/year.
• Las Brisas alone would produce 19,844 tons of
  criteria emissions/year. That is significantly
  more than the emissions from all seven of our
  refineries combined (17,102)
• With Las Brisas, total industrial pollutants in
  Nueces County would increase by 82 from 2007
  levels, from 24,086 tons to 43,930 tons.
  (Source TCEQ)

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How Much is Too Much?

• Las Brisas will rank 1 in Nueces County for
• Nitrogen oxides (NOx -3,824 tpy),
• gt2x more than the largest existing source in
  Nueces County (Valero cb)
• Increasing levels by 40, (2007 TCEQ data)
• Sulfur dioxide (SO2 8,096 tpy)
• gt8 x more than the largest existing source (972
  tpy) in Nueces County. (Citgo)
• Increasing levels by 352, (2007 TCEQ data).
• PM10 (1,664 tpy)
• Almost 3x more than the largest existing source
  (597 tpy) in Nueces County. (Valero Refinery
  2007)
• Increasing total PM emissions by 70, (2007 TCEQ
  data).
• Carbon monoxide (CO - 5,977 tpy).
• Mercury 220lbs/yr
• CO2 over 10,000,000 tpy roughly equivalent to
  the emissions of 100,000 cars.

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Nitric Oxides and Ozone Health Effects

• NOx exposure
• Causes eye, nose and throat irritation at low
  levels
• At high exposure levels - damage to the tissues
  of the upper respiratory tract, fluid build-up in
  the lungs and death
• Ozone created by NOx and sunlight
• Potent respiratory irritant.
• At low levels coughing, wheezing, shortness of
  breath and chest pain.
• At higher concentrations lung tissue damage,
  reduced lung capacity, asthma exacerbation,
  hospitalization for asthma, bronchitis and other
  chronic respiratory symptoms, premature death.

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Ozone Health Effects

• Findings from a study of nearly half a million
  people
• every increase of 10 parts per billion (ppb) in
  average ozone concentrations was associated with
  about a four percent increase in dying from
  respiratory causes.
• This was the first (study) to show that
  long-term, low level exposure to the pollutant
  (ozone) can also be lethal.

M Jerrett UC Berkeley, Mar 12, 2009, New England
Journal of Medicine.
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Sulfur Dioxide Health Effects

• SO2 is the chemical pollutant associated with
  acid rain. It is one of the chemicals involved
  in the generation of particulate matter (PM) air
  pollution.
• SO2 is also a potent respiratory irritant known
  to cause asthma exacerbations. Elevated levels
  of SO2 trigger cough and shortness of breath in
  patients with asthma or COPD.
• Las Brisas will increase SO2 emissions in our
  area by over 352 from 2007 levels.

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Particulate Matter (PM,PM10,PM2.5)

• Some particles released directly as soot from
  smokestacks and from handling of Pet Coke. A
  greater amount is formed from atmospheric
  reactions of SO2 and NOx.
• Particulate matter may be the most harmful
  pollutant produced by coal-fired power plants.
  Elevations in PM associated with
• increased death from heart and lung disease,
• increased infant mortality,
• reduction in lung function growth in children,
• asthma attacks, hospitalizations, and days lost
  from school.

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Particulate Matter PM10 Health Effects, United
States
Brook, RD, et al. Air Pollution and
Cardiovascular Disease A Statement for
Healthcare Professionals From the Expert Panel on
Population and Prevention Science of the American
Heart Association. Circulation,
20041092655-2671 Hong, Y.-C., Lee J.-T., Kim,
H., Ha, E.-H., Schwartz, J., Christiani, D.C.
Effects of Air Pollutants on Acute Stroke
Mortality. Environ. Health Perspect 2002 Vol.
110, pp. 187-191 Zanobetti A, Schwartz J. The
Effect of Particulate Air Pollution on Emergency
Admissions for Myocardial Infarction A Multicity
Case-Crossover Analysis. Environ Health Perspec
2005 113978-982. Abt Associates. The
Particulate-Related Health Benefits of Reducing
Power Plant Emissions, 2000. http//www.catf.us/pu
blications/reprots/Abt_PM_report.php
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Las Brisas and Mercury

• Mercury is one of the most toxic chemicals on
  earth. Yet, industrial emissions are not
  currently regulated.
• Texas already has the highest level of industrial
  mercury emissions in the US.
• Las Brisas will produce 220 lbs of mercury
  emissions each year.
• Mercury has the propensity to accumulate in the
  watershed areas around industrial sources.
• The EPA is in the process of developing
  regulations to control mercury emissions. Las
  Brisas could be permitted to produce mercury
  emissions before any of those regulations are in
  place.

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Mercury Health Effects

• The Environmental Protection Agency report
• As many as 600,000 babies may be born in the USA
  each year with irreversible brain damage because
  pregnant mothers ate mercury-contaminated fish
• Mercury and Autism a statistically significant
  link between pounds of industrial release of
  mercury and increased autism rates.
• The University of Texas Health Science
  Center in San Antonio Science Daily, April 25th,
  2008.
• Medical researchers are just beginning to explore
  neurological effects of mercury exposure in
  adults, which can leave some people struggling
  through life in a disorienting "fish fog."

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So, am I telling you that our government and the
EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ) are not protecting the public from
dangerous levels of pollution?
Yes. That is exactly what I am telling you and
it scares the heck out me too.
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The EPA Trying to Balance
More than half of the nearly 1,600 EPA staff
scientists who responded online to a detailed
questionnaire reported they had experienced
incidents of political interference in their
work. Associated Press. April 23, 2008.
http//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24276709/.
Protecting the Public
Politics
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Protection?

• Our scientific understanding of the spectrum of
  health effects of air pollution has increased,
  and numerous studies are finding important health
  effects from air pollution at levels once
  considered safe. Children and infants are among
  the most susceptible to many of the air
  pollutants. In addition to associations between
  air pollution and respiratory symptoms, asthma
  exacerbations, and asthma hospitalizations,
  recent studies have found links between air
  pollution and preterm birth, infant mortality,
  deficits in lung growth, and possibly,
  development of asthma.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS POLICY STATEMENT
Ambient Air Pollution Health Hazards to
Children Pediatrics 200411416991707
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Air Pollution and Childrens Health

• Even at levels of pollution well below EPA
  standards, higher concentrations of NO2 and PM2.5
  are associated with missed school days, and
  higher NO2 days were associated with asthma
  symptoms.
• In single-pollutant models, higher 5 day average
  concentrations of NO2, Sulfur dioxide, and
  particles smaller than 2.5 microns were
  associated with significantly lower pulmonary
  function.

• OConnor et al, Acute respiratory health effects
  of air pollution on children with asthma in US
  inner cities J Allergy Clin Immunology
  20081211133-9

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Effect of Air Pollution on Childrens
Asthma Levels of Exposure Encountered during the
Study
NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standard 2008
Acute respiratory health effects of air pollution
on children with asthma in US inner cities
OConnor G, JACI Vol 1215, Pages 1133-1139.e1
(May 2008)
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Particulate Matter

• The risk of cardiovascular death and
  deterioration of lung function increases in
  direct proportion with exposure to PM.
• Most of the increase in mortality risk from P2.5
  exposure occurs between annualized average PM2.5
  levels of 9.5 and 16mcg/m3.
• The 2008 annualized Particulate Matter level in
  Corpus Christi was 10.
• California PM standard is 12, the EPA standard,
  under review, is 15.
• We are on the steepest part of the mortality
  curve.
• Las Brisas will increase industrial emissions of
  PM10 in Corpus Christi by 70 over the total PM
  10 emissions in 2007.

Abrahamowicz M Flexible Modeling of
Exposure-Response Relationship American Cancer
Society Study. J Toxicl Environmental Health
2003 Part A 66 1625-1654
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Particulate Matter Exposure and Risk of Death
from Cardiovascular Disease
Miller KA et al. Long-term exposure to air
pollution and the incidence of cardiovascular
disease in women. N Engl J Med 2007 356 447-458
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The EPA vs. The Courts

• Feb 24, 2009 A Federal appeals court ruled
• Current EPA airborne standards for Particulate
  Matter are deficient.
• The EPA was in error when it arbitrarily ignored
  the recommendations for stronger PM airborne
  standards from
• The EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee
• The AMA
• The American Lung Association
• The American Academy of Pediatrics
• Back to the drawing board

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The EPA vs. The Courts

• February 10, 2008, the U.S. Circuit Court of
  Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled
• the EPA violated the Clean Air Act in 2005 when
  it exempted coal-burning power plants from the
  act's requirements for cleaning up hazardous
  pollutants.
• Invalidated the agency's plan to adopt a "cap and
  trade" program to cut mercury emissions from
  power plants.

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The EPA, Politics, and the Courts Carbon Dioxide

•   In 2003 the then EPA director stated that the
  EPA had no power to curb emissions of carbon
  dioxide or other suspected heat-trapping
  chemicals.
• April 2, 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that
  carbon dioxide is an air pollutant under the
  Clean Air Act, and that the U.S. government has
  the authority to curb its emissions.
• The previous administration and the previous EPA
  director prevented the EPA from acting on the
  Supreme Court decision.
• February 18, 2009, under its newly appointed
  director, the EPA acted for the first time to
  develop regulations to control emissions of
  carbon dioxide and other heat trapping chemicals.

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EPA Standards

• Changing over time.
• Current EPA standards are significantly higher
  than levels suggested by medical science to be
  safe.
• EPA is under pressure from the courts to reduce
  current standards for PM, and to establish
  standards for emissions of CO2, and mercury

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• Does the fact that emissions from Las Brisas are
  not expected to exceed current EPA and TCEQ
  standards mean that this plant will not adversely
  effect the health of people in Corpus Christi?
• NO!!!

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Las Brisas Profit over Social Responsibility

• To maximize profits Las Brisas
• Would use the highest sulfur fuel available.
• Would be constructed adjacent to a heavily
  populated area which already has the largest
  concentration of oil refineries in the US.
• The article in Risk Analysis makes the following
  recommendation to the power generating industry
  To minimize health risks, power plants should
• Use a low sulfur fuel
• Be located as far as possible from populated
  areas.

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Consider This

• The president of the coalition fighting Las
  Brisas is a PhD toxicologist.
• The people doing most of the speaking on behalf
  of the coalition are physicians specializing in
  treating heart and respiratory diseases.
• A Corpus Christi cardiology group has donated
  10,000 to help fight Las Brisas.
• The Nueces County Medical Society, the SPAR
  Medical Society, and even the Texas Medical
  Association have come out to publicly oppose Las
  Brisas.
• They have never before opposed any business
  venture.

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Sounds like the Plot for a B Movie

• The big 3 billion dollar company wants to make a
  ridiculous amount of money doing something that
  will damage the environment and cost peoples
  lives.
• The politicians only seem to care about the money
  and want to avoid any hint of controversy.
• A band of environmentalists is battling this
  Goliath.
• The only new twist is that this project is so
  blatantly dangerous, that physician organizations
  have joined the fight against it.
• Too bad its based on a true story.

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• Our air and our water are not the property of
  those who would guide our economic development.
  President DCMS.
• I would suggest that we consider them the
  property of our Grandchildren

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