A vibrant port system is critical to America’s economic prosperity. Ports support the employment of more than 13 million people in the U.S., accounting for $650 billion in personal income. As goods move between the waterfront and points throughout the country, however, neighboring communities must be protected from air pollution and other environmental challenges.
I’ve experienced first-hand the clanging of metal dropping to the ground in the local pipe yard, the roar and light of an emergency flare at dusk, and a belch of black smoke from an old truck crawling through a school zone in the early morning.
These are daily reminders to residents around the Houston Ship Channel of the threats to their health.Far too often, the most vulnerable communities near ports bear the brunt of this pollution – as residents throughout the Houston Ship Channel and the Texas Gulf Coast can attest.
This isn’t just a Houston problem. About one in eight U.S. citizens is exposed to air pollution coming from port operations, including significant amounts of particulate matter from diesel truck and engine exhaust at ports.Breathing in particulate matter and ozone increases a person’s chances of experiencing asthma attacks, heart disease and other health problems.
These risks are even more acute in overburdened communities that often have limited access to health resources. It’s also, of course, a global environmental concern, as transportation hubs like the Port of Houston are a large source of the greenhouse gases that lead to climate change.
Ports and their surrounding communities are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and more intense storms that are likely to result from a changing climate.
