Investigating the Decline of Texas’ Mobile Monitoring Team: A Story of Environmental Neglect

This news post delves into the decline of the mobile monitoring team at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) over the past two decades. The team, once a robust force in monitoring air quality and emissions violations at industrial complexes in Texas, has seen a significant reduction in its activities and effectiveness.

Former employees of the TCEQ, including Tim Doty, a former mobile monitoring team leader, have raised concerns about the team’s diminished capacity and impact. They point to a shift in philosophy within the agency, particularly after a scandal in 2009 involving unreported air pollution in the Barnett Shale region. The team’s focus has shifted more towards monitoring ambient air after disasters like hurricanes and industrial explosions, rather than conducting in-depth investigations at industrial facilities.

The news post highlights specific instances where the mobile monitoring team detected elevated levels of pollutants like benzene in the air, but failed to report these findings to the public or take further enforcement actions against polluting companies. The post also touches on the political pressures faced by the TCEQ, the influence of the oil and gas industry in Texas, and the revolving door between agency officials and industry positions.

Suggestions for improvement in the mobile monitoring team include conducting more targeted investigations at specific facilities, producing detailed reports on emissions violations, and increasing transparency in communicating findings to the public. The post also emphasizes the importance of reader donations to support independent journalism on climate and environmental issues.

Overall, the news post provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the challenges faced by the mobile monitoring team at the TCEQ and the broader environmental regulatory landscape in Texas.