Texas Looks To Toughen Rules Around Chemical Storage Tanks

Texas lawmakers will use the upcoming legislative session to push for stricter rules around above-ground chemical storage tanks, according to an article from the Texas Tribune. The effort is reportedly related to several recent incidents including a massive fire at Arkema’s chemical storage facility during Hurricane Harvey, another fire at a leaking tank farm at a petrochemical plant that shut down the Houston Ship Channel in March 2019 and a fire at a Corpus Christi oil storage tank last month that injured seven people.

According to the article, two proposed bills would charge the state’s environmental agency with creating tougher rules on “the structural integrity of above-ground tanks at chemical plants, refineries, electric power plants or other large storage facilities.” The bills would also reportedly aim to create tougher standards for tanks in locations prone to flooding, storm surges and hurricanes, but leaving the specifics up to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Read the entire article here.