Coastal Watch Association Takes Aim At Polluter Permits
The Coastal Watch Association (CWA) is convening an Ingleside Town Hall on Saturday, 2/28 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption, 2414 Main Street. One of the focus points will be organizing opposition to the “Fenceline Five” state permits being sought by local polluting industry.
“Challenging permits can be an effective way to fight pollution in our area,” said Rhiannon Scott, CWA Executive Director. “These five fenceline permit applications represent long-term risk to our environment and our communities. So we’re asking our neighbors to learn what’s being proposed and then submit comments that make it harder for these dirty projects to be approved.” CWA’s “Fenceline Five” permit targets include:
1) Occidental Chemical (OxyChem) — Water Quality Permit Renewal
Permit: WQ0003083000
Where: Ingleside, La Quinta Channel
What it would authorize: Industrial wastewater and stormwater discharges.
Key concerns: PFAS/“forever chemicals” and persistence in the environment.
Company background: OxyChem is a chemical manufacturing subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum, producing large-volume industrial chemicals used across plastics, water treatment, and other industrial supply chains.
2) Corpus Christi Liquefaction / Cheniere — Air Permits (Consolidated Notice)
Permits: 182466 and 105710
Where: Portland
What it would authorize: A consolidated notice covering multiple actions, including modification requests and an amendment.
Key concerns: Increased emissions while the facility already has a pending violation for exceeding existing emission limits.
Company background: Cheniere is one of the largest LNG operators in the U.S. Its Corpus Christi-area LNG infrastructure is among the region’s most significant industrial emissions sources.
3) Project YaREN / Ingleside Clean Ammonia Partners LLC — New Water Discharge Permit
Permit: WQ0005743000
Where: Ingleside (bay-side)
What it would authorize: A new discharge permit tied to the proposed YaREN ammonia project and associated desalination component.
Key concerns: Harm to marine life from increased salinity and additional chemicals/metals in discharge.
Company/project background: Project YaREN is a proposed ammonia development in the Ingleside area being advanced through multiple permitting tracks, despite its recent rejection by the Ingleside City Council. The project is a joint venture between Enbridge and Yara.
4) Project YaREN — Water Rights Permit (Bay-water intake for cooling)
Permit: WRPERM 14035
Where: Ingleside
What it would authorize: Withdrawal of bay water to cool equipment for the proposed ammonia facility.
Key concerns: Intake impacts and cumulative stress on marine life as industrial withdrawals expand.
5) Chemours Company FC, LLC — Title V (Federal Operating Permit) Renewal/Revision
Permit: Federal Operating Permit (FOP) No. O4182
Application: 37503
Where: Chemours Ingleside-area facility near Gregory, along Highway 361 (San Patricio County)
What it would authorize: Continued operation under a renewed/revised Title V operating permit.
Key concerns: The draft permit relies on generic language not specific enough to ensure clear, enforceable compliance expectations for the facility’s emissions and monitoring.
Company background: Chemours is a major chemicals company associated with fluoroproducts and other industrial chemistries, operating a facility in the Ingleside/Gregory area.
How to comment through TCEQ eComment:
Use TCEQ’s online comment portal and enter the permit number exactly.
TCEQ eComment portal:
https://www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/
How:
1) Open the portal.
2) Paste a permit number (example: WQ0005488000).
3) Submit your written comment.
4) Keep the confirmation email. If no confirmation arrives within one 1 hour, resubmit.