Grantee Research Project Results
2023 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, 2022 through July 31,2023
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. With respect to facilities and populations, we completed the Galena Park facilities and chemical hazards dashboard, with the dashboard link here. This work was published in a Special Issue of Climate Risk Management (Lee et al. 2023). For hydrodynamic modeling much of the effort in the modeling this year was devoted to the documentation of the established modeling system and the evaluation of the sensitivity of surge response to variations in storm characteristics. In particular, we use the TCWise database of synthetic hurricane parameters describing the mean characteristics of a storm. Random samples of hurricane parameters will be used to generate random synthetic storms, each with probability characteristics. We have formatted hurricane wind fields directly for use in Delft3D, tested the database integration, and are conducting further validation. Additionally, we have amassed future climate scenario data from HADGEM (UK), NOAA GFDL (US) databases (both were contributors to IPCC climate change assessments). These data consist of continuous wind fields for input into models, which we plan to further combine with sea level rise scenarios.
For Objective 2, we are continuing with data analysis for the information collected utilizing the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) method from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Three separate risk zones (high, medium, and low) were created in conjunction with Objectives 1 and 3 based on spatial distribution of flooding and contaminant transferal risk. We also accounted for hurricane risk by assigning ordinal scores to each residential property based on their exposure to hurricane storm surge as categorized by NOAA. We are completing analyses related to the spatial associations of health survey data as well as risk perception.
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. This work was done in close coordination with Community Engagement. We have gathered the necessary secondary spatial data sources, including Precipitation, Tree Canopy, Impervious Surface, Building Footprint, Parcels, Land Use, Traffic Counts, Circulation, Water Features, Watersheds, Flood Plain, Hurricane Risk Area, Sea Level Rise Inundation, and Storm Surge Inundation. Additionally, these data have been integrated with contamination data gathered from other objectives, evaluated, visualized, and presented to community members via ArcGIS Dashboards. Furthermore, the work from the undergraduate landscape architecture studio that worked with the community using Zoom and Social Pinpoint software to develop preliminary green infrastructure growth plans for Galena Park was consolidated by a graduate student who worked with the community to finalize ideas from the plans into a single document. The design work won a 2023 Merit Award in Planning and Analysis from the American Society of Landscape Architects, Texas Chapter. 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 transfer during flood events and target such lots for buyout programs.
Future Activities:
Objective 1:
We have only recently been able to obtain access to synthetic hurricane parameters and future climate scenarios for conducting hydrodynamic simulations. As a primary objective of this project is to evaluate the impact of future climate change and extreme events on industrial pollutant releases, incorporating this information is essential to the completion of our project. We will complete these during the NCE period.
Objective 2:
Due to COVID-related delays in data collection, we have not completed all of our data analysis, particularly with respect to spatial associations of health survey data and of risk perception. Additionally, it has been challenging to schedule a discussion with the community about the survey results (see Community Engagement, below). We will complete these during the NCE period.
Objective 3:
We have numerous publications under review. Additionally, it has been challenging to schedule the report-back to the community regarding our recommendations for phasing in of the Master Plan design (see Community Engagement, below). We will complete these during the NCE period.
Community Engagement:
There is additional engagement with the community that needs to be completed. As discussed above, report-backs on our research findings need to be scheduled. Additionally, the Emergency Manager of Galena Park has asked our team to assist in implementing air quality monitoring purchased by the City, including siting recommendations (completed), data analysis, and interpretation of air quality findings (ongoing). Furthermore, the City has requested additional technical assistance through extending the research and incorporating needs into student courses, and we are evaluating the feasibility of this request.
Journal Articles on this Report : 9 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 28 publications | 13 publications in selected types | All 13 journal articles |
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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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Cai Z, Zhu R, Ruggiero E, Newman G, Horney JA. Calculating the Environmental Impacts of Low-Impact Development Using Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment:A Review of Model Applications. Land 2023;12(3):612. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Bae J, Sohn W, Newman G, Gu D, Woodruff S, Van Zandt S, Ndubisi F, Wilkins C, Lee J, Tran T. A longitudinal analysis of green infrastructure conditions in Coastal Texan cities. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2021. 65:127315. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Prybutok S, Newman G, Atoba K, Sansom G, Tao Z. Combining costing nature and suitability modeling to identify high flood risk areas in need of nature-based services. Land. 2021.10(8):853. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Van Zandt S, Newman G, Lee C, Jourdan D, Ye X. Engaged Research:Inviting Residents into the Scientific Process. Journal of Planning Education and Research . 2022:42(3):258-9. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Newman G, Cai Z, Zhu R, Horney JA, Jang S, Chiu WA. Gauging the Effects of Potential Chemical Transferal on High Flood-Risk Fenceline Communities. Journal of Environmental Informatics Letters. 2021:6(2) 86-92. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Sohn W, Bae J, Newman G. Green infrastructure for coastal flood protection:The longitudinal impacts of green infrastructure patterns on flood damage. Applied Geography. 2021.135:102565. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Lee RJ, Tao Z, Prybutok S, Jang S, Dalaijamts C, Chiu WA, Newman G. Unseen Risk:Mapping Contamination Hazards to Enhance Risk Perception in Galena Park, Texas. Climate Risk Management. 2023.100532. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Shao H, Kim G, Li Q, Newman G. Web of Science-Based Green Infrastructure:A Bibliometric Analysis in CiteSpace. Land. 2021.10(7):711. |
R840046 (2023) |
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Relevant Websites:
Flood Risk Dashboard: Galena Park Exit
Flood-Flood-Related and Industrial Chemical Risks in Galena Park, TX - Dashboard 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.