Grantee Research Project Results
2022 Progress Report: 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 Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2021 through July 31,2022
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
Objective:
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, we focus 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. Our long-term goal is to improve the resilience of this community to hurricane/flood-induced releases of metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We will accomplish this 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.
Progress Summary:
Objective 1 involves two complementary components: (i) identifying and characterizing relevant facilities and populations and (ii) hydrodynamic modeling of hurricane/flood scenarios. We have developed a comprehensive list of relevant facilities through search and curation of several databases, including the U.S. EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) and multiple program databases from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The facility locations, along with associated chemical hazards, are being visualized in an online dashboard that will be made available to the community in order to enhance disaster preparedness and response. With respect to hydrodynamic modeling, this project year has been devoted to refinement of the Delft3D-FM model implementation in the area, as well as documentation of the model and verification of the model performance. We also investigated the sensitivity of surge and inundation predictions in the Galena Park region to changes in the track of historical hurricanes, which could eventually be used to evaluate the impact of uncertainties in predictions. We have also amassed climate data for incorporation into the model for future climate predictions. Two graduate students (one in Toxicology and one in Civil Engineering) as well as one postdoctoral research associate (in Toxicology) have been assisting in this work, and several publications are in preparation.
For Objective 2, primary data collection been completed utilizing the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) method from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey contents benefited from feedback and specific inputs from the organizations engaged in this research. Preliminary results indicate that poorer self-reported health is associated with proximity to chemical facilities. Additionally, the willingness to consider a buyout is also associated with facility proximity. Several graduate students in Public Health have been assisting in this work, with one publication in review, one conference presentation given, and several additional publications/presentations in preparation.
Objective 3 involves the identification and evaluation of promising structural and non-structural infrastructure solutions to reduce risks from metals and VOCs released by industrial facilities. We have completed a Master Plan with substantial input into the community. Additionally, we have gathered the necessary secondary spatial data sources listed in the proposal. These data are being integrated with the contamination data gathered from other objectives, evaluated, and visualized for community members via ArcGIS Dashboards, linked to flood risk datasets such as storm surge inundation and changes in the floodplain based on sea level rise. Finally, risk maps using geospatial analytical tools incorporating contamination levels and flood vulnerability were created for each parcel in Galena Park to identify those lots that are most susceptible to hazardous substance transferal during flood events and target such lots for buyout programs.
Over the past year, we’ve implemented a comprehensive community engagement strategy. Over the course of this year, we built and maintained relationships with community leaders, established and worked closely with a community task force, and engaged the community to include community input into the design of each research objective. Between August and November 2021, we also created a high impact service-learning and participatory action research opportunity by engaging Texas A&M University’s second year Masters in Urban Planning students. A Task Force acted as a conduit to communicate the plan's progress and rally the community around planning initiatives as well as provided feedback throughout the plan development process. As discussed in Objective 3, the master plan was completed this year, which included and inventory and analysis of site conditions, design strategies for completing the master plan, a conceptual master plan, a list of green infrastructure provisions to be included within the plan, details of what the plan should look like when implemented, and a quantified projected impact of the plan’s effect, if implemented. The city utilized this package to procure a $3 million dollar grant that included funds for engineering studies and drawings based on the Master Plan.
Future Activities:
Objective 1:
Now that the model has been verified for hurricane conditions, one primary goal in the next year is to move forward on modeling future climate scenarios. We will also check results with the IPCC and other published climate change reports to insure that our forecasts are within a reasonable range. In addition to the soon-to-be submitted paper regarding Delft3D-FM modeling of the Galena Park area, we will look to document our work with the future scenario wind fields and storm systems.
Objective 2:
The next year will be focused on working with objectives 1 and 3 to create additional analysis assessing the health implications of certain exposures and proximity to hazard prone locations. Further, assessments will be made gauging willingness for buyout based on location and areas that have been identified in objective 3 for landscape improvement projects. Information will be disseminated through conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and community engagement efforts.
Objective 3:
In the next year, we build in a phasing structure for the proposed master plan for the high risk area identified in Galena Park and apply built environment performance models to each Phase to test these scenarios for optimal risk reduction. We will also further develop the Flood and Chemical Risk Dashboard and use community engagement to both disseminate the information created by the Dashboard and get feedback on its functionality, accuracy, and needed additional data.
Community Engagement:
In the next year, we will work with the leads for each Objective to communicate research results back to the community. Additionally, we will facilitate obtaining feedback on the functionality, accuracy, and needed additional data for the Flood and Chemical Risk Dashboards.
Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 28 publications | 13 publications in selected types | All 13 journal articles |
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Atoba K, Newman G, Sansom G. Multi-Hazard property buyouts: Making a case for the acquisition of flood and contaminant-prone residential properties in Galena Park, TX. CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT 2023;41(100529) |
R840046 (2022) |
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Jang S, Shao K, Chiu W. Beyond the cancer slope factor: Broad application of Bayesian and probabilistic approaches for cancer dose-response assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL INTERNATIONAL 2023;175(107959) |
R840046 (2022) |
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Sansom G, Hernandez R, Johnson J, Newman G, Atoba K, Masterson J, Davis D, Fawkes L. Evaluating the impact of proximity to reported toxic release facilities and flood events on chronic health outcomes in the city of Galena Park, Texas. CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMNT 2023;40(100507). |
R840046 (2022) R840046 (2023) |
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Relevant Websites:
Galena Park Facilities Map Exit
Chemical Facilities In and Around Galena Tx Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.