| Houston, Texas — Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee announced today that the county has reached a $1.1 million settlement with Arkema Inc., enhancing safety and notification improvements following the 2017 plant fire and emissions event at the company’s Crosby facility during Hurricane Harvey. The incident led to the release of hazardous chemicals and the evacuation of nearby residents, prompting investigations and legal action by multiple government agencies. Under this settlement, Arkema has agreed to several crucial safety measures to prevent future incidents and ensure quick communication with the community and government agencies if something does go wrong. Arkema implemented significant flood mitigation measures, such as constructing a large detention pond, reinforcing buildings to withstand flooding, and raising generators out of the floodplain, while also upgrading fire safety to meet current standards. Moreover, before Arkema can resume any chemical processing or manufacturing at the Crosby facility, they must obtain fire safety and flood management permits from Harris County, ensuring the facility meets the highest safety standards before any new operations begin. Arkema must also report any significant release of pollutants within two hours, ensuring prompt notifications to both the government and the public. “With this settlement, we’re holding Arkema accountable and taking steps to protect the health and safety of Harris County residents,” said County Attorney Menefee. “The changes Arkema has agreed to has significantly improved how future incidents will be handled, ensuring our community and first responders get the information they need quickly.” “As we continue to face the realities of climate change and the increasing frequency of severe weather events, it’s crucial that facilities housing hazardous materials are thinking about disaster preparedness plans. This settlement with Arkema sets a precedent for how we expect companies to operate and communicate during crises,” added Menefee. Money from the settlement will go into Harris County’s general fund and will be allocated through Commissioners Court. The County couldn’t sue Arkema for most claims under the state’s main environmental law because Attorney General Ken Paxton took control of those claims. Any money from the attorney general’s lawsuit will go into the state’s general fund. |