On August 28, 2013, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (“TCEQ”) proposed to remove Port Arthur from the agency’s Air Pollution Watch List (“APWL”) based on reductions in measured benzene levels in recent years.  TCEQ added Port Arthur to the APWL in 2001 to address elevated annual average benzene concentrations at the agency’s City Service Center monitor.  Since that time sources in the Port Arthur APWL area implemented operational improvements that have achieved lower benzene emissions.  TCEQ will host a public meeting regarding the proposal in Port Arthur on October 8, 2013, and is accepting public comment through October 11, 2013. 

Additional information regarding this proposal, including information on the public meeting and how to submit comments, is available on TCEQ’s website.