Tag Archives: Arkema

Who sues first?

Posted on January 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It matters whether Harris County or the state of Texas is first to the courthouse against an industrial polluter. As chemical plant explosions and fires have disrupted lives and raised air-quality concerns in the Houston area this year, the state … Continue reading →

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County brings charges related to ITC fire

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. Responding to what it called “criminal levels” of contamination, the Harris County District Attorney’s office said Monday that it has charged Intercontinental Terminals Company with five misdemeanor counts of water pollution arising from a March plant fire … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Prosecuting polluters

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It really shouldn’t have to come to this, but here we are. The Harris County District Attorney’s office is calling for a tripling of the number of prosecutors dedicated to environmental crimes in the wake of a series of chemical … Continue reading →

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Using floodplain rules to force environmental safety compliance

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A county’s gotta do what a county’s gotta do. Harris County officials are using flood control regulations passed after Hurricane Harvey to delay the reopening of two chemical companies where fires erupted in recent weeks, killing one worker and sending … Continue reading →

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Arkema indictments

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This will cause a stir. A Harris County grand jury on Friday indicted the French chemical company Arkema and two executives for the “reckless” release of toxic chemicals during Hurricane Harvey last August, a move that alarmed industry leaders and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Harris County sues Arkema

Posted on November 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County filed suit Thursday against Arkema over chemical fires at its Crosby plant in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, saying the company violated a long list of environmental, safety and building regulations and put first responders at risk. … Continue reading →

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Harris County files lawsuit against Arkema

Posted on September 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

More trouble for that nasty and troublesome chemical plant. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday authorized the county attorney to file a lawsuit against Arkema over its struggles to manage stores of hazardous chemicals during Hurricane Harvey. The county’s Pollution … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over Crosby plant explosion

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be fun to watch. Seven first responders who were exposed to fumes from a chemical fire last week at a Crosby, Texas, manufacturing plant have filed suit against the plant’s owner, alleging that the company’s negligence caused … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments