[basil]

I was a child in the 3rd grade when the "BIG" Texas City explosion occurred in the '40's. I lived in Beaumont, which is about 80 miles from Texas City, and our school building and windows shook for several minutes.

When I entered Nursing School in Galveston in 1956, there were still many plastic surgery patients coming in to John Sealy Hospital (UTMB) for more work on their plastic surgery which started shortly after the blast.

That entire part of the Texas coast is wall to wall refineries and chemical plants--Beaumont and Port Arthur also have lots of these plants. I have always worried that this area would be a prime target for terrorists, but I have been assured that security around all these places is extremely tight.

I don't know if there is any correlation to air quality in these parts, but approximately 25% of my high school graduation class of 1955 have died from various forms of cancer.

[RexRichard]

I was four years old riding my tricycle in Goose Creek, Texas (now Baytown), near Texas City, when Texas City blew up in 1947. That's one of my earliest memories. One would remember the earth shaking and a giant boom. Immediately, my mother came runnnig down the sidewalk, looking for me, and calling my name. It was the worst industrial accident in U.S. history.

[Solar Wind]

"I don't know if there is any correlation to air quality in these parts, but approximately 25% of my high school graduation class of 1955 have died from various forms of cancer."

Am sure there is a correlation of some sort. Locals call the area from Houston to Galveston the "Cancer Coast".

Mr Sol.

[SAJ]

Agreed. There's little doubt in any objective person's mind that the production of useful petrochemicals throws off a lot of very nasty byproducts.

I've no medical expertise, and wouldn't offer any thoughts on the quite evident medical problems caused, but...BIG but, and you may find this view to be rather cynical...the American public will insist on energy production, and virtually every other consideration be damned.

If you can name any time in American history that the contention stated above is or has been NOT true, I shall be very glad to hear it.

FReegards to you!