Grew up in Texas City, 30 miles south. My grandparents were on Harrisburg,
close to the ship channel. Trying to separate out the various exposures,
demographics, and socioeconomics is a challenge. About the only factor that
is less likely is inbreeding, given the rapid diversification and growth of
the area.

The entire Galveston to Texas City to LaPorte to Ship Channel and Baytown
area has been oil, chemical, synthetic rubber (butadiene), and
manufacturing for over 70 years. In addition there have been plants for
decades that make fertilizer and that smelt metals that concentrate
radioactive phosphorus (fortunately short lived) and heavy metals. About
25% of the refining capacity of the United States is in Texas and most is
in this area. Those in the area get intermittent exposures, those working
in the plants get passive exposures, and some can be directly exposed
through work, as I was doing water blasting in a summer job during college.
Benzene pooling is a relatively common ground contaminant. Containing and
removing these organics, radioactives, and cleaning up the past toxic waste
dumps has also been a major industry for the area.

In addition the poorest parts of Harris County are in this area with
poorest Hispanic pops (mix of older and relative newcomers) clustered
closest to the ship channel and predominantly Black poverty populations
more central in the county. The zoning laws are very weak and the
population of Harris County is far more spread out than most major metro
counties. This means that there are pockets of rich and poor throughout
including parts of Pasadena, Baytown, Galena Park, LaPorte, and Deer Park
along the ship channel. These are usually in the areas farthest from the
ship channel but sharing schools and air environment. Heavy interstate
traffic on I-10 and interstate loops also add. The power source for
electricity has mostly been natural gas. Water supplies used to be pumped
wells but have changed to surface water due to land subsidence concerns.
For many decades mosquitoes were a problem and spraying trucks saturated
the communities in all of these counties regularly. Lead paint is present
in older homes and termites and termite treatment chemicals are concerns.

Harris county's wealthy first moved to middle and western parts of the
county in River Oaks (Terms of Endearment) and then farther west
progressively
Then NASA developments moved some affluent south to Clear Lake. The only
successful planned city of 10 attempted across the nation was planted north
in The Woodlands. This one was developed by an oil empire guru, George
Mitchell.

Housing costs and costs of living are low for the nation, making it more
and more attractive relative to other locations, and more congested.

One of the more successful recovery efforts involving game fish and
estuaries initiated in this part of the Gulf Coast and spread across US
coastal areas. Dams and flood control have block sediment deliveries and
some nutrient flow and coastlines are eroding.

My wife and I grew up in chemical towns. I waited for my father while
immersed in some not so attractive odors and were told to "smell that
money." The paper mill in Pasadena grew a reputation for the town that the
air is Greener in Pasadener - a phrase that I can use to irritate my wife.
Of course the money did finance our educations, a partial college
scholarship, and much of the jobs and development of the area. (see Urban
Cowboy) Unlike other parts of the nation that drive "unclean" industries
away, Texas has been more supportive. Plant maintenance and plant growth
means that Texas has an even higher share of the economics, and the
pollution. Other states prefer to push the pollution inevitable in todays
society over on other states and nations.

Watch what California senators will do to restrict coal pollution (that is
less likely to cripple their state) in their efforts to combat global
warming. Again these are efforts to keep the benefits without sacrificing
like all of us must do.

You can also bet that major Harris County research efforts (Baylor, UT
systems, MD Anderson) will be lobbying for more funding to explore these
areas. They may have even stimulated the article to further their requests.

Robert C. Bowman, M.D.
[log in to unmask]
www.ruralmedicaleducation.org

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