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AirMail - Refinery & Petrochemical Permits

Open Refinery and Petrochemical Plant Permit Applications

Do you have questions or need more help creating your comments? Email us at [email protected]. We may also be able to support/represent you if you are interested in participating in a hearing to challenge this permit.

Please make sure to contact your elected officials about your concerns regarding this proposed facility. They have networks and influence to effect change, but they need to hear from you first! Not sure who represents you? Check here.

Houston Refining LP – Pasadena : Renewal and Revision of Federal Operating Permit No 1372

⚠️ ACTION: Submit public comments TODAY

Immediate actions and help documents:

⚠️ ACTION: Submit public comments TODAY

Written public comments should be submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087, or electronically at on TCEQ’s eComment site.

⚠️ ACTION: Attend a Public Meeting

Thanks to all those who contacted their elected officials, a meeting has been requested.

Check back here to see when the meeting will be held.

This is a map of the facility location

Pasadena Refining System: Renewal Air Quality Permit No. 3711

Application and Draft Permit. Pasadena Refining System, Inc, 111 Red Bluff Rd, Pasadena, TX 77506-1530, has applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for a renewal and revision of Federal Operating Permit (herein referred to as Permit) No. O3711, Application No. 32081, to authorize operation of the Pasadena Refinery System, a Petroleum Refineries facility. The area addressed by the application is located at 111 Red Bluff Rd in Pasadena, Harris County, Texas 77506-1530. This link to an electronic map of the site or facility’s general location is provided as a public courtesy and not part of the application or notice.

Immediate actions and help documents:

⚠️ ACTION: Attend a Public Meeting

Thanks to all those who contacted elected officials, a meeting has been requested by Senator Carol Alvarado.

Check back here to see when the meeting will be held.

This is a map of the facility location

What are Refineries and Petrochemical Plants and why are they an air quality concern?

Refineries and petrochemical plants are facilities for industrial processes related to oil and gas. 

  • Refineries transform crude oil into usable petroleum products, like fuel, diesel, kerosene, or asphalt.
  • Petrochemical plants convert petrochemical compounds into raw materials for products like plastic, lubricants, and solvents.

Refineries and petrochemical plants are major sources of hazardous emissions, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Many of the emissions from these facilities are potentially carcinogenic (cancer-causing) such as BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene). Refineries and petrochemical facilities may also emit a wide range of toxics such as ethylene oxide, 1,3 – butadiene, and chloroprene These pollutants represent chronic risks to community health that may develop over years of exposure.

In addition, sudden events like refinery explosions and fires, plant failures, or chemical and gas leaks can lead to higher concentrations of toxins and highly corrosive chemicals in the air that can result in conditions that are immediately dangerous to the safety and health of nearby residents.

Sources of emissions near refineries and petrochemical plants include:

  • Flares
  • Equipment leaks and malfunctions (fugitive emissions)
  • Refinery operations (High-temperature combustion processes in the burning of fuels)
  • Transfer of products through pipelines (raw material, intermediates, and finished products)
  • Refinery explosions and fires

The health impacts of air pollution exposure include:

  • Damaged cells in the respiratory system
  • Stress to the heart and lungs
  • Aggravated respiratory conditions, including asthma
  • COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Increased likelihood of cancer development over lifetime
  • Shortened life span

Additionally, individuals who have been consistently exposed to air pollution may be more likely to suffer severe health impacts from COVID-19.

In addition to the potential public health impact of air toxics, the industrial processes associated with refineries and petrochemical plants release carbon dioxide, a common greenhouse gas. Increased levels of carbon in the earth’s atmosphere lead to global climate change.

Water contamination is another severe environmental concern. Wastewater from industrial processes can contaminate surrounding groundwater and surface water. During catastrophic weather events such as heavy rains and floods, the runoff of toxic materials may infiltrate surrounding communities; compounding the risks associated with extreme weather. 

In the Greater Houston area, refineries and petrochemical plants disproportionately impact communities of color and with lower incomes. These facilities are frequently located in or near these communities, namely along the Houston Ship Channel. This includes residents of neighborhoods such as Galena Park and Harrisburg/Manchester.

This industrial proximity is detrimental to resident health and is known as “double jeopardy.” In other words, communities are both impacted by toxic emissions and pollutants as well as risks of exposure to chemical accidents.