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Austin County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Austin County is 141.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 284 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (122), Rail grade crossing (96), Gas station (mapped facility) (18). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 29.8494, -96.2743.

How this county ranks in Texas

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Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Austin County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	19.9	17.9	1.11x	14.2 to 27.3	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	31.4	30.2	1.04x	24.6 to 39.9	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	19	18.5	1.03x	13.7 to 26	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	8.7	8.7	1x	5.4 to 13.7	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	141.2	143.2	0.99x	125.9 to 158	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	13.7	13.9	0.99x	9.2 to 19.9	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	13.7	14.5	0.94x	8.8 to 20.4	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	398.4	453.4	0.88x	370.9 to 427.5	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	20.9	23.8	0.88x	15.3 to 28.3	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	43.1	51.8	0.83x	34.8 to 52.9	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	9.9	13	0.76x	5.5 to 16.3	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	14.1	18.7	0.75x	9.5 to 20.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	8.1	11.3	0.72x	4.9 to 13	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Austin County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	9,126	9,842.6	-7%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	76.5	75.3	+2%	years
Child mortality	54.2	59.8	-9%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	90.4	96.9	-7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	10.9	28.6	-62%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde20.52 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.89 per million
Acetaldehyde1.68 per million
Ethylene Oxide1.21 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

No EPA air quality monitor reports daily AQI for this county.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

284 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit122
Rail grade crossing96
Gas station (mapped facility)18
Public airport9
Major air pollution source5
Air permit holder (minor source)5
TRI reporting facility5
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)5
Brownfield property4
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)3
Large hazardous waste generator3
Small hazardous waste generator3
Solar power plant2
Airfield1
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)1
Hazardous waste transporter1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Acme Brick Co-San Felipe Plant, Sealy
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $4,575.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017424027 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.4
Western International Gas & Cylinders Inc., Bellville
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: N,N-Dimethylformamide, Propylene, Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size). Reports carcinogens. 35,793 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77418WSTRN7173H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8
Acme Brick Co-San Felipe Plant, Sealy
Major air pollution source. Penalties $4,575.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017424027 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Acme Brick Co-San Felipe Plant, Sealy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $4,575.
EPA FRS registry ID 110017424027 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Western International Gas & Cylinders, Inc., Bellville
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $6,913.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000728491 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Afglobal Maass Flange Sealy, Sealy
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chromium, Nickel. Reports carcinogens. 187 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77474MSSFL57USH (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.2
Bae Systems, Sealy
Major air pollution source. Penalties $43,625.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020050665 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Acme Brick Co-San Felipe Plant, Sealy
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen fluoride, Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds, Barium compounds (except for barium sulfate (CAS No. 7727-43-7)) and 1 more. 4,932 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77474CMBRC562PE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.8
City Of Wallis-Plant - 6810 Marek Street, Wallis
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $14,375.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009781030 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Bae Systems, Sealy
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $43,625.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020050665 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Bae Systems, Sealy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $43,625.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020050665 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Sealy Power Peaking Facility, Sealy
Major air pollution source. Penalties $8,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070519007 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Allens Creek Wwtp, Sealy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071710793 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Maass Flange Corp.- Sealy, Sealy
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110025317379 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.7
Contech Engineered Solutions - Sealy Tx, Sealy
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 7747WCNTCH2839H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Sealy Power Peaking Facility, Sealy
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $8,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070519007 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Brazos Isd Wwtp, Wallis
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009778632 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Stephen F Austin Historical Park, San Felipe
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $11,812.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009780175 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Sika Sealy, Sealy
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070788687 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Contech Engineered Solutions - Sealy Tx, Sealy
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071717884 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
City Of Bellville Wwtp, Bellville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006823385 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Bellville Tube, Bellville
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037145274 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Simonton Sand And Gravel Plant, Wallis
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037865101 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Txp Sealy, Sealy
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064846485 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Burleigh Compressor Station, Burleigh
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110072072156 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Austin County Sheriffs Office And Jail, Bellville
EPA FRS registry ID
110070742579
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Austin County

Texas state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Austin County, and their findings.
Texas vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Texas health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Texas environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Texas drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

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