Texas Cold Snap Caused Massive Increase in Industrial Pollution

The cold snap that froze Texas late last month resulted in the release of more than 1,000 metric tons of excess pollutants into the atmosphere.

While it isn’t yet clear what exactly led to the unusual emissions, the state’s sprawling fossil-fuel and petrochemical industry is known to be vulnerable to unusually low temperatures, which can freeze natural gas lines, cause valves to seize up and disrupt power supplies. Industrial companies in Texas are required to report the events to regulators but aren’t generally punished for issues considered unavoidable. Communities near heavily-polluting facilities often feel the impacts most vividly, and ...