The Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports held a legislative hearing regarding the fire at the ITC storage facility in Deer Park, Texas. The Committee heard invited testimony from state and local officials and emergency responders. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Executive Director Toby Baker gave a brief overview of the ongoing response and clean-up at the ITC site, stating the agency response is the largest operation since Hurricane Harvey. Baker testified that there have been nearly 2,000 responders on scene. He indicated that approximately 100,000 barrels of petrochemical product were spilled and that TCEQ has collected nearly 184,000 barrels of contaminated water with the help of hundreds of response boats. Baker estimates that the current cost of the agency’s response is over $1 million.
A representative from Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia’s office criticized the TCEQ for apparent data gaps from air monitors and mentioned ITC’s history of violations. Harris County and City of Houston officials called for a significant increase in the number of fixed air monitors across the region and additional mobile monitoring capabilities.
The ITC fire is still under investigation to determine the fire’s cause and extent of the environmental impact. Committee Chairman Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) acknowledged that there will be a long investigation process ahead related to the ITC and KMCO fires. TCC is closely monitoring the situation, and will be working closely to educate elected officials about safety and communication measures currently in place, and to find common sense regulations that will help prevent similar incidents in the future.
The House Committee on Environmental Regulation and the Committee Homeland Security will hold a joint hearing at the request of Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) on Friday, and is expected to hear similar invited testimony.
