Rising sea levels and stronger storms are putting industrial facilities along the Houston Ship Channel at increased risk of flooding. With a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Academy of Sciences, researchers are studying whether chemical runoff from these plants during flood events is ending up in Galveston Bay and how to mitigate it, according to an article from Houston Public Media.
With part of the grant, Environmental Defense Fund researchers are catching fish from the bay to test for evidence of chemicals specifically associated with the petrochemical industry. The fish samples are then sent to a Texas A&M University lab for analysis. According to the article, the chemicals that show up will help identify which industrial facilities they may be coming from and which facilities may be at the greatest risk of flooding.
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