Resident alleges decades-long unpermitted discharges into Brazos River, urges mass testing

During public comment at the Freeport City Council meeting May 5, resident Manning Rollerson urged city leaders to investigate long-running industrial discharges he says have contaminated the Brazos River and the community.

"For 23 years, Dow been dumping in the Brazos River without a permit," Rollerson said, adding that the last permit he was aware of was in 2014. He questioned whether the city, state environmental agency "TECQ," and emergency management had monitored water quality and whether seafood and drinking water are safe. "If Dow haven't have a permit in 23 years, that means the water is not safe," Rollerson said.

Rollerson pressed the council on follow-up and said he had raised similar questions with a Dow representative and with TECQ. He also referenced recent incidents involving Freeport LNG and said there were ongoing legal and insurance matters. He asked the city for statistics and for the city to ensure testing and screening of residents exposed to water and other environmental hazards.

Council did not take any formal action during the meeting on the concerns raised; Rollerson's comments were entered during the public comment portion of the agenda. The speaker identified TECQ (as spoken) as the state environmental body he had contacted; the council did not provide an immediate response during the public comment period.

Rollerson concluded by urging the council to act for the future health of residents and to address economic decline he linked to the alleged contamination. No council motion or staff directive to open an investigation was recorded on the meeting record during the public-comment segment.