Rejection of Post-Hurricane Harvey Air Pollution Monitoring “Part of a Disturbing Trend of Willful Ignorance”

“EPA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality knew air pollution was one of the unseen dangers of Hurricane Harvey, but according to news reports they deliberately chose not to use every available tool to discover it. Their rejection of NASA’s plan to fly a pollution-spotting plane over Houston after the storm is an abdication of responsibility and part of a disturbing trend of willful ignorance. Their action caused unnecessary risk to the health and safety of Texas families.”

- Elena Craft, EDF senior health scientist