Years of blundering and project delays have pushed the South Texas city to the brink of crisis as drought bears down and industrial water use grows. The project’s failure leaves an uncertain future for Corpus Christi.
A bill in the Texas Legislature would protect the last 21 pristine watersheds. But for years, previous attempts have been defeated by powerful homebuilders.
One company, Natura Resources, wants small nuclear reactors to power the energy-intensive process of purifying vast volumes of toxic “produced water” for use in agriculture and industry.
‘They spent millions of dollars pushing desalination and all the money went to lawyers, permitting and public relations. The idiots sold water they didn’t have,’ said a local retired chemical engineer.
Industrial developers describe facilities as “minor” polluters to avoid federal permitting requirements, and environmental lawyers say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality lets it happen.
Hazards from high temperatures inspire oil and gas companies to vent more than 500,000 pounds of toxins during 17 reported events. The Texas regulator did not respond to questions from Inside Climate News.
