{"id":122500,"date":"2024-07-15T14:59:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T13:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecoonline.com\/?post_type=situation-room-blog&p=122500"},"modified":"2025-09-03T15:06:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T14:06:44","slug":"galveston-braces-for-hurricane-impact","status":"publish","type":"situation-room-blog","link":"https:\/\/www.ecoonline.com\/en-us\/blog\/galveston-braces-for-hurricane-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"Galveston Braces for Hurricane Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
\n\n
\n
\n
\n\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
\n\n \n\n
\n The Situation Room\n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/span>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Galveston Braces for Hurricane Impact<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Go to The Situation Room<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Back to Blogs<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t <\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
\n\n
\"Galveston\"<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t <\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t <\/section>\n\n
\n\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t \t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
\n\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

With the European forecaster ECMWF predicting a bumper hurricane season in 2024 and NOAA\u2019s Atlantic hurricane outlook, it\u2019s time to look at how sites producing and handling chemicals are geared to cope with extreme weather events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Hurricane Beryl was just the beginning. NOAA predicts an 85% chance of an above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The consequences of damage to these facilities affect not only the safety of workers but have potential impacts on nearby residents and the local environment. Hurricane Beryl was the first to make landfall this season, causing more than 2.7 million households and businesses near the Gulf Coast to lose power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Situation in Galveston, Texas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many of North America\u2019s largest chemical and petrochemical plants can be found along the south US coast, particularly around Galveston Bay, south of Houston, TX. While these facilities are generally built to withstand hurricane-force winds and have operational plans for storm events, managers and public officials are concerned about ensuring the safety of their workers, public health and the environment during extreme weather events. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Legacy Sites, Lurking Risks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just active plants that are a concern. A variety of toxic waste dumps, abandoned mines and manufacturing facilities (some of which date back over 50 years) are being investigated and remedied by the federal Superfund programme. When Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 event, struck the Gulf Coast of Texas in August 2017, it released over 40 inches of rain in four days, flooding at least 14 toxic waste Superfund sites that hadn\u2019t yet been secured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Situation Analysis: Future Risk for Hurricane Exposure, Storm Surge and Sea Level<\/h2>\n\n\n
\n \n
\n