Month: January 2015

Abraham Watkins

What We Know About Oil and Gas Worker Injuries and Deaths

An April 2014 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) explores injuries and fatalities among oil and gas workers between 2007-2011. The statistics provided by the report show that Texas, not surprisingly, had the greatest number of fatalities in those years among oil and gas employees. The only other state that came close was…

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Abraham Watkins

Used-Car “Liar Loans” Prey on Vulnerable Borrowers, Destabilize Financial Markets

The financial crisis of 2008, widely considered the worst since the Great Depression, stemmed from the securitization of risky mortgage loans sold to investors at wildly inflated prices. In essence, mortgage companies eager for even more business began encouraging borrowers to take out mortgages on homes they could not afford. These subprime mortgages – called…

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Picture of Benny Agosto, Jr.

Marathon Refinery Dust Release

On January 13, over 216,000 pounds of a sand like substance was released into the air from the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Texas City. The release occurred around 8 am in the morning as a result of a valve in a cracking unit that malfunctioned in the plant. Residents and business owners of Bayou Vista…

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Abraham Watkins

Website shows risks to children from oil and chemical industries

It should come as no surprise to Texas residents that the oil boom has resulted in numerous accidents and toxic emissions that have injured or killed workers and residents. One website, Earthjustice.org, tracks oil and gas production throughout the United States along with other issues that impact air, water and health. The site, with its…

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