1981 by Matthew Ashcraft

Brewer, Kim. “Oil Spill Cleanup Continues” Corpus Christi Caller, June 6, 1981, 4B, accessed March 17, 2022. News Bank: Access World News.

In this passage the Coastal States Pipeline ruptured causing 200 gallons of oil to be released in the Nueces River and surrounding areas. Though by this time the Coast Guard and Chief Dale Hutchinson claim that all the oil has been cleaned out of the water. But there is still some oil spillage still on the coastland, but they will have a team to clean that up in the next couple of days. The crews that are cleaning the spillage are the Nueces Vacuum and the Corpus Christi Area Oil Spill Control Association.

Access information: this article can be found in the database NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current, available at TAMU-CC Bell Library. TAMU-CC faculty, staff, and students can access databases for free both on and off campus. Community members can visit to use the online resources, but need to check in at the circulation desk and asked to be logged on to a computer

Cobb, Kurt. “Water an endangered resource for some area cities.” Corpus Christi Caller, March 30, 1981, 10A, accessed March 11, 2022. News Bank: Access world News.

In this newspaper article the writer explains how people used to be able to drill a hole and find water to drink through an aquifer. But cities surrounding Corpus Christi haven't been able to drill for clean water due to brine from oil and gas production factories near the coastal bend area. The solution that was proposed was to divert a large amount of water from the Nueces River to Corpus Christi water treatment plants; then to its final location the surrounding cities such as Kingsville. Sadly, for the cities retrieving the water has a higher energy tax that is about 3 times more expensive than if someone lived in Corpus Christi.

Access information: this article can be found in the database NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current., available at TAMU-CC Bell Library. TAMU-CC faculty, staff, and students can access databases for free both on and off campus. Community members can visit to use the online resources, but need to check in at the circulation desk and asked to be logged on to a computer

“Employee’s Picture Directory Celanese Chemical Company, inc” Corpus Christi March, 1981. Accessed February 28, 2022, La Retama Library Local History Room.

This book is an employee list of the top executives and important members of the Celanese chemical company. I used this in my research to see if I could find anything about the company or the people who were running such a company. I tried contacting multiple executives who were running the company during March 1981. Sadly, none responded, but I was able to use this information of the company to see if the E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) has anything important on this company and its impact on the community around Corpus Christi.

Accessed information: this book can be found at La Retama Library in the Local History Room. Available to the public for free but will need to check in to fill out forms that allow you to see materials.

Glen, F.D.”EPA Request for Public Comment on Proposed Air Pollution” Corpus Christi Caller, March 21, 1981, 13C, accessed March 17, 2022. News Bank: Access World News.

In this article the company “Saber Refining” is asking the E.P.A. to expand the refining capabilities of their existing operations in Corpus Christi. The E.P.A. has allowed current time for anyone to bring up any concerns or comments on such a project from the community. The company is a significant source of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide in the local area. The Best Available Control Technology (B.A.C.T.) will be used at the sites to lower the amount of emissions being released in the air. All of this has local officials worried about the air quality and air pollutants. Though the place the company wishes to expand isn't designated as the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Therefore, no company or organization is required to keep track of such emissions.

Lyon, Pamala.”Court moves to halt toxic waste dumping”Corpus Christi Caller, December 24, 1981, 2B, accessed March 17, 2022. News Bank: Access World News

In this article the writer explains how the Texas Attorney General’s Office obtained a court order for an oilfield service in Corpus Christi to be discarded. Charco Oilfield Services Inc. is charged for storing and dumping hazardous material in the Nueces River. The company had a license that allowed them to properly dispose of oilfield brine into the Nueces River, but nothing else. The Texas Department of Water Resources investigated the sites and verified that spillage has led to pollutants in the water and nearby areas. The investigation began in February of 1981, due to a local fisherman complaining to the Corpus Christi office.

Riley Marketing Inc. Local Businesses and Tourism destinations, Corpus Christi, 1981. Accessed February 28, 2022, La Retama Public Library Local History Room.

This map doesn’t necessarily have anything out of the ordinary but was the only map the La Retama Library had from 1981. What we do see is how developed Corpus Christi is along the coast with advertisers and places to visit. What I was able to find out was the places that aren't advertised. I was able to find a book called “Celanese Chemical Company Inc.” This book is an employee list for this company on the northeastern side of Corpus Christi. The Map allows us to pinpoint where the company is located and see the surrounding neighborhoods. By seeing which neighborhoods are near the company and several other factories we can further investigate if the workers are living in these nearby homes and if the companies are forcing them to live nearby.

Accessed information: This map can be found at La Retama Library in the Local History Room. Available to the public for free, but will need to check in to fill out forms that allow you to see materials.

Rothberg, Donald.”Dulling of the EPA’s knife even has industry concerned” Corpus Christi Caller, December 24, 1981, 2B, accessed March 17, 2022. News Bank: Access World News.

In this article we see the fear of how under budget the E.P.A. is under the Regan administration. Not only with recent budget cuts and an emphasis on reducing regulation the E.P.A. began to change paths which in turned produced controversy, lawsuits, and even led to concerns for certain industries. The article claims that due to the E.P.A. pollutants were at an all time low and industries such as the “Chemical Manufacturers Association” who fear that due to the different approach for the administration this will lead to a ton more violations certain companies will take and the E.P.A. won’t have enough manpower to deal and regulate areas. Under the Regan administration the funding for the E.P.A. has went down a total of 20% a year and the staff is falling about 1% a month. These administration problems will lead to neglect from companies and industries that will lead to more pollution through the next few years.

Suter, Hans.” Gulf ‘Burn’ of PCBs should be safe”, Corpus Christi Caller, November 21, 1981, 15A, accessed March 11, 2022. News Bank: Access World News.

In this article Dr. Hans A. Suter is an independent research chemist that brings up an issue that incinerator ships and burning several thousands tons of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in the Gulf of Mexico. This man-made chemical was used with the idea to transfer heated liquid to a destination. Through studies people began to see that the PCB started to disperse in the natural environment especially near aquatic landforms such as lakes, seas, or rivers. The E.P.A. banned the use of PCB in 1977, but that doesn’t mean the compound is completely gone. There are thousands of tons of this compound that needs to be disposed of. One way could be to put it in landfills, but another method was to burn it into a gas and release it into the gulf about 200 miles southeast of Corpus Christi. The E.P.A. investigated if the burning of PCB led to acid rain or a danger to the environment nearby but concluded it was fine and gave the process to burn this material its approval. But the E.P.A. won't manage or continue to supervise the process completely due to its lack of manpower.

Talbot, Jack. “Tax Money Real Good”Corpus Christi Caller, December 28, 1981, 16A, accessed March 11, 2022. News Bank: Access World News.

In this short passage of this newspaper we see Mayor Jones and Councilman Dumphy went to the Texas Senate Committee on Natural Resources to explain why they need to annex offshore oil production in the gulf of Mexico. The politicians claim it is for the protection of the ocean and to prevent further pollution in the water and not simply for more tax revenues. The writer assures the reader that many organizations can see through this act, and they don't need the city of Corpus Christi to oversee environmental justice. Plus, these organizations claim that if the city really cares about tax revenues then why not excuse producers from any tax at all.

Vandevanter, Peter. “Local Native is heading environmental agency,” Corpus Christi Caller, May 18, 1981, 6B, accessed March 11, 2022. News Bank: Access World News.

In this newspaper article a native Corpus Christian (Ms. Carol Dinkin) will be in charge of over 200 attorneys for the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A. and the Interior Department. Many environmentalists feared that the new administration would allow oil and gas companies to have lesser restrictions and feared they would remove endangered animal restrictions as well. Ms. Dinkin refuted those claims by presenting herself and the agency she represents as an “administrator and not a policy maker”. The article continues to state that her section of the E.P.A. will not go around to each county looking for places to sue, but they will enforce environmental laws. Ms. Dinkin has been in dealing with environmental problems since she graduated from University of Houston Law School in 1971. She has worked on the deepening of Galveston harbor, the Texas governor's Flood Control Advisory Group, And the governor’s task force on coastal management.

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