Grantee Research Project Results
Engaging the Galena Park Community to Build Resilience to Excess Industrial Pollutant Releases after Hurricanes and Floods in Greater Houston
EPA Grant Number: R840046Title: Engaging the Galena Park Community to Build Resilience to Excess Industrial Pollutant Releases after Hurricanes and Floods in Greater Houston
Investigators: Chiu, Weihsueh A
Institution: Texas A & M University
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: August 1, 2020 through July 31, 2023 (Extended to July 31, 2024)
Project Amount: $799,928
RFA: Contaminated Sites, Natural Disasters, Changing Environmental Conditions and Vulnerable Communities: Research to Build Resilience (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Safer Chemicals , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Description:
Hurricane Harvey demonstrated how natural disasters and changing environmental conditions can substantially increase pollutant releases from industrial facilities. The location of many of these facilities in already vulnerable communities may further exacerbate the public health impacts of these releases. In this study, the research team focuses on the Harris County neighborhood of Galena Park, an underserved community in Greater Houston that suffers from frequent flooding and environmental justice issues, as well as being the location of the largest reported chemical spill after Harvey. The long-term goal is to improve the resilience of this community to hurricane/flood-induced releases of metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Objective:
The research team will accomplish the goal through three objectives: (1) comprehensively characterize the potential for hurricanes/floods to cause releases of metals and VOCs from use, production, and storage facilities located in Galena Park, thereby resulting in exposures to young children and the elderly; (2) identify/characterize important non-chemical stressors in this neighborhood, including social vulnerability and baseline health data, and their potential to exacerbate health impacts from metal and VOC exposures; (3) identify and evaluate promising structural and non-structural infrastructure solutions to reduce risks from metals and VOCs released by industrial facilities.
Approach:
For Objective (1), researchers will integrate geocoded information from multiple public databases on industrial facilities, chemicals of concern, and neighborhood demographics with hydrodynamic and fate-and-transport modeling under a variety of hurricane/flood scenarios. For Objective (2), researchers will identify non-chemical stressors through the collection of primary data via a community survey and by utilizing existing social vulnerability indices, as well as providing baseline mental and physical health assessments of community members. For Objective (3), researchers will develop, model, and evaluate the performance of structural and non-structural infrastructure solutions to mitigate the impacts of hurricanes/floods on pollutant release and exposure. All objectives are transdisciplinary, and will include engagement with the Galena Park community in order to ensure that they address the critical needs and concerns of community residents.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 28 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 13 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
ambient air, water, chemical transport, pollution prevention, petroleum, vulnerabilityProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.