Tropical storm Harvey may be responsible for up to 2 million pounds of pollutants being released into the air from oil refineries and other plants in the Houston area, NBC News reported.
The estimate is based on reports filed to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality by the companies.
Some of the estimates exceed legal limits by large amounts, according to NBC, but state regulators cannot confirm the numbers because it had to shut down monitoring station's ahead of the storm's arrival as a hurricane.
Companies are required to file the estimates, which later are revised, and the initial estimates tend to be high, a spokesperson for the regulatory agency told NBC.
Among the company estimates:
- Chevron Phillips Chemical's Cedar Bayou Plant: 745,000 pounds.
- Kinder Morgan's Pasadena Terminal: 300,000 pounds.
- ExxonMobil's Houston-area refineries: up to 12,000 pounds.
All three companies said they are keeping authorities notified of any issues.
EcoWatch reported residents reported noxious or gaseous smells in the area.
"I've been smelling them all night and off and on this morning," environmental activist Bryan Parras told New Republic.
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