On July 26, black clouds rose from flares at a Chevron Phillips chemical plant in Baytown after a power outage hit the plant and the surrounding area.
The company estimated in a preliminary report to the state that it released thousands of pounds of chemicals during the hourslong incident, including 17,500 pounds of carbon monoxide and 980 pounds and 280 pounds, respectively, of the carcinogens benzene and 1,3-butadiene.
It was one of 108 unplanned chemical releases, known as emissions events, the facility has reported since September 2015, records show. But only 11 of those leaks have been deemed illegal and resulted in penalties from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ.
