‘I was naive’

I moved here from Cypress in October of 2015. My husband took a job in Beaumont, and he actually works in the petrochemical industry, manufacturing heat exchangers. I knew the refineries were here. I didn’t understand the level of emissions and toxins and dangers. I was naive.

My son goes to Port Neches-Groves High School. If you’re in the football stadium on a Friday night, you can see TPC. It’s that close. You could walk to the plant. When the explosion happened, my son had gotten home about 10 minutes before, driving literally in front of TPC, because he was at a friend’s house.

I had just gone to bed. There was an initial shockwave, but then it felt like a car had run into my house going 100 miles an hour. It was that forceful. So, of course, you wake up and go, “What the hell was that?” The whole sky is lit up. All the neighbors are outside. We knew what happened, because it was all over Snapchat and Facebook, my son’s social media. The ceilings had fallen in. People in Port Neches’ windows were blown in. My house has damage, but nothing like some of the people’s much closer to the location.

During the voluntary evacuation, my whole family felt ill, with stomachaches, headaches, nausea, diarrhea. I had the [volatile organic compounds] inside of my house tested, and it was 0.6 parts per million. At 0.5 parts per million, you would be required to wear a respirator inside of a refinery.

My main concern now is that my son is at high school every day, and TPC has had several leaks since this happened. In January, he was texting me: “Mom, I think there’s a leak. The kids who were practicing softball outside have been told to come into the fieldhouse.”

I’m concerned because these are very toxic chemicals. Benzene, styrene, butadiene. These are known carcinogens. My son has played on the football team the past four years. Every day, they’re outside practicing right down the street from TPC.

A lot of people say, “Well, you knew the dangers when you moved here.” I was naive to think that companies are following the laws and that TCEQ and EPA are making them do it. I’ve learned.

Once you know better, you do better. Now I have the information to make informed decisions. And the informed decision is lawmakers are going to have to change our laws in Texas. The laws need to be changed to protect the people.

A lot of people have told me they are considering moving. I know people who have endured major health problems but they are afraid to talk about it or are in lawsuits. Oh, it’s horrible. It just gives me chills. This is unacceptable.

This is not normal.

We are considering moving. We just don’t think living in Jefferson County is a good idea for what we think is healthy and safe.