Hurricane’s hidden risks: Toxic chemicals

For millions of Americans, the threats of extreme weather go well-beyond lost power and damaged property. 
 
Hurricane season’s extreme winds and torrential rains carry a more insidious threat — a toxic wave of pollution. As extreme weather pummels petrochemical plants and other industrial facilities, oil and gas spills out of ruptured storage tanks at refineries — and the effects can be deadly. 
 
During Hurricane Harvey a storage tank released 460,000 gallons of gasoline into the community, exposing residents to chemical fumes and contaminated water. Now, as storms become more frequent and severe, it's clear that we need to protect ourselves from the risks of toxic flooding. 
 
It’s time for our communities to protect themselves from this enhanced risk. Join us in urging leaders at every level to build a bold climate resilience strategy so we can better protect families from toxic flood risk.