| |  | Legal win! Court Rules EPA Failed to Properly Consider and Update Water Pollution Standards for Oil Refineries, Plastics Plants |
| In a case filed by Bayou City Waterkeeper and other water advocates nationwide in April 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled in June that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acted unlawfully in declining to update water pollution control standards for seven of the nation's most polluting industries, oil refineries and plastic manufacturers. The industries include petroleum refineries, inorganic and organic chemical manufacturers, and factories that manufacture plastics, fertilizer, pesticides, and nonferrous metals – many of which are concentrated along the industrialized portion of Buffalo Bayou, also known as the Houston Ship Channel. The court agreed with our position that the Clean Water Act requires the EPA to consider technological advancements in controlling water pollution when the agency updates its pollution reduction standards, known as effluent limitation guidelines. EPA has not revised water pollution standards for more than 80% of the 59 industrial categories it oversees. Many of these outdated limits date back to the 1980s, long before current pollution control technologies became standard. These outdated standards govern how toxic industrial wastewater is treated before being released into rivers, lakes, and other public waters. This ruling will kick off updates, in some cases needed for decades, that will have tangible effects on waterways and frontline communities across our region. Environmental Integrity Project’s legal team represented Bayou City Waterkeeper and other water advocates in this case. Read the full press release, which includes additional background, on Environmental Integrity Project’s website. Learn more about EPA's failure to regulate wastewater from the petrochemical plants that make plastic in EIP's Plastics Toxic River report. |
| | | Advocating for Equity-Based Flood Prioritization in Harris County |
|  | At the June 26th Harris County Commissioners Court session, Bayou City Waterkeeper, along with advocates from Northeast Action Collective, Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience, and Pure Justice, joined dozens of residents demanding accountability as County leaders addressed a $1.15 billion funding shortfall in the 2018 Flood Bond Program. BCWK staff and interns spoke about equitable flood mitigation and water infrastructure funding that prioritizes historically underinvested communities. Our testimony focused on maintaining the equity-based prioritization framework, demanding transparency in project implementation, and addressing systemic funding inequities. Read more about why the prioritization framework matters and watch the live testimonies. (Photo credit: Houston Chronicle) |
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Houston Deserves More: Reflections from Houston City Budget Vote |
|  | On June 4th, Houston City Council members prepared to vote on a contentious $7 billion city budget. Bayou City Waterkeeper staff and interns attended City Hall in support and solidarity of the Northeast Action Collective and many other organizations speaking on how Houston’s most vulnerable communities were left behind by a city budget that failed to address or adequately fund essential city services, like drainage, flood protection, staffing, and even our libraries and parks. Read more in this blog post, also featured in a Houston Chronicle op-ed. (Photo credit: Houston Says No Organizing Team and Support Media) |
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| | Read our Impact Report: Advancing Water Justice & Community Power |
|  | Last year, we grounded and scaled our work. We invested in the infrastructure, relationships, and tools needed to pivot, influence, and enact meaningful change. From creating values-aligned legal power and community science to increasing community education and regional policy capacity, we laid the groundwork for a more equitable and healthy watershed. This work reaffirms our organization’s role as a vital bridge between communities and policymakers, and in our vision to advance water justice. Read our impact report to learn more about growth, and support our work. |
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Podcasting for Narrative Change in Southern Water’s Future |
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| Bayou City Waterkeeper protects the waters and people of the Houston region through bold legal action, community science, and creative, grassroots policy to further justice, health, and safety for our region. Bayou City Waterkeeper envisions a Houston where water is a catalyst for change. By connecting community, place, policies, and systems we collaboratively advance equitable distributions of power and resources towards life, joy, and regeneration for our watershed. |
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