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Environmental Issues in Texas
Texas, known as the largest state in the US, has wide and open spaces. Although major environmental problems are associated with smaller and denser states, Texas is also having some problems with its environment. Just like other parts of the world, Texas is also suffering from the problems such as water pollution, air quality, land conservation, energy sources and waste pollution.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, several water environmental issues are affecting the state. Some of the problems include fish consumption bans, harmful algae blooms, kills and spills, invasive plants and animals, nuisance vegetation, and water quality by region. The biggest concern that Texas has currently is the unsafe quantities of mercury in the fish and crabs. High quantities of mercury can easily harm human and other environmental creatures. Moreover, the water supply in the Texas-Mexico border is also having some troubles. In 1965, the Maquiladora program was established to allow foreign companies, primarily from the United States and Asia, to build factories and industrial buildings in Mexico. This resulted in nearly 500 factories near Rio Grande and Texas. These factories are creating many wastewater and drinking water problems in South Texas.
Air is another main environmental concern for Texas. Similar to the water problem, the air in Texas is also getting polluted by many human activities, mostly from factories, power plants, cars, buses, trucks, dry cleaners, wildfires and construction sites. These factors are affecting Texas like other dense countries. The major air pollutants are created of ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particular matter and lead. Each one of those substances can be very harmful to human health. When there are too many of these substances in the air, the area is classified as a "non-attainment" area. Currently, Texas already has 4 non-attainment areas including, Galveston, Ft. Worth, Port Worth and El Paso. Moreover, Victoria and Corpus Christi are near the non-attainment levels. Texas has made efforts to help solve this issue. They created the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) which provides financial incentives to individuals, local governments or businesses to help reduce emission from polluting vehicles and equipment. Businesses are encouraged to purchase new and upgraded equipment which results in less pollution to help improve the air quality of the state.
Texas has 8 major land habitats including, cross timbers, high plains/panhandle, hill country, oak prairie, piney woods, post oak savannah, south Texas plains and trans-pecos areas. Moreover, it also has millions of wetland acres that are now protected by US Army Corps. These lands are also having some serious environmental problems. The development of strip malls, industrial parks and high-end planned communities are removing natural features. Texas, known as an oil state also has many coal-fired and nuclear power plants. These coal-fired and nuclear power plants are contributing to the environmental problems with the air and water qualities in Texas. Many individuals and coalitions have joined together to help stop the new proposed coal plants. They are trying to halt the permitting of any new coal plants in Texas to try and get the Texas Commission of Environment Quality to follow the Clean Air Act to force new and old coal plants to meet modern pollution standards for carbon when new facilities are built or old facilities are modified. Although many of policies, programs and developments such as solar and wind powers are created, other human activities are still threatening the environment in Texas.
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