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Jefferson County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Jefferson County is 155.7 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate and Stomach deaths at 1.6 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 1,630 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (588), Rail grade crossing (345), Gas station (mapped facility) (149). 4 correctional facilities operate in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 50 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: 29.8811, -94.1038.

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 Jefferson County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	10.7	6.6	1.62xSignificant	9.2 to 12.5	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	4.2	2.7	1.56xSignificant	3.2 to 5.4	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	13.5	8.7	1.55xSignificant	11.8 to 15.5	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	17.5	14.5	1.21xSignificant	15.3 to 19.8	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	7.8	6.6	1.18x	6.4 to 9.4	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	4	3.4	1.18x	3.1 to 5.2	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	20.1	17.9	1.12x	17.8 to 22.6	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	33.1	30.2	1.1xSignificant	30.3 to 36.2	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	155.7	143.2	1.09xSignificant	149.3 to 162.3	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	15	13.9	1.08x	13 to 17.1	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	5.8	5.7	1.02x	4.6 to 7.2	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.4	4.4	1x	3.3 to 5.6	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	16.3	16.4	0.99x	11.8 to 22	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.5	4.6	0.98x	3.5 to 5.8	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	437.3	453.4	0.96x	426.5 to 448.4	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	49.4	51.8	0.95x	45.9 to 53.2	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.1	11.3	0.89x	8.5 to 11.9	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.2	4.8	0.88x	3.2 to 5.5	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	16	18.5	0.86x	14 to 18.3	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	3.5	4.1	0.85x	2.6 to 4.6	2020-2024
Bladder	New cases	15.8	18.7	0.84x	13.7 to 18	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.2	6.2	0.84x	4.1 to 6.6	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	2.5	3.7	0.68x	1.8 to 3.4	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	7.4	13	0.57x	6 to 9	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	1.1	2	0.55x	0.6 to 1.8	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	10.1	23.8	0.42x	8.4 to 11.9	2019-2023

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 Jefferson County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	11,735.2	9,842.6	+19%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	73.4	75.3	-3%	years
Child mortality	71.6	59.8	+20%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	8.8	6.2	+41%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	85.7	96.9	-12%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	26	28.6	-9%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 50 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde22.08 per million
Ethylene Oxide14.61 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.91 per million
Naphthalene2.32 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 175 good, 3 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 51, peak 160.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,630 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit588
Rail grade crossing345
Gas station (mapped facility)149
Hazardous waste transporter64
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)62
Major air pollution source60
Air permit holder (minor source)57
TRI reporting facility54
Small hazardous waste generator51
Large hazardous waste generator43
Brownfield property36
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)27
Large greenhouse gas emitter24
EPA air quality monitor9
Industrial wastewater discharge9
Scrapyard (mapped facility)9
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)9
Gas power plant8
Dry cleaner (mapped facility)7
Heliport5
Correctional facility (prison or jail)4
Landfill (mapped facility)4
Public airport3
Commercial airport2
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

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

Port Arthur Refinery, Port Arthur
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $221,488.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000464006 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Exxonmobil Beaumont Chemical Plant (Bmcp), Beaumont
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $68,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000464131 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Port Arthur Plant, Port Arthur
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $3,746,484.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020148008 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Ameripol Synpol Corp., Port Neches
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $454,126.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020515735 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Beaumont Chemical Plant, Beaumont
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $115,449.
EPA FRS registry ID 110062118505 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 10
Star Lake Canal, Port Neches
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 50. NPL Site.
EPA site ID TX0001414341 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Huntsman Petrochemical Corp - C4 Plant, Port Neches
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $13,995,518.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000599567 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.9
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, Beaumont
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Isoprene, Ethylbenzene, 1,3-Butadiene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 4,807,943 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77720THGDYINTER (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.6
Lnva-North Regional Treatment Plant, Beaumont
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Hydrogen sulfide, Ethylene glycol, Methanol and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,789,784 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77704NCHSRGULFS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.5
The Dow Chemical Co - Beaumont Aniline, Nederland
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: 2,4-Dinitrophenol, Picric acid, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,646,983 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77704DPNTBSTATE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.5
Veolia Es Technical Solutions Llc Port Arthur Facility, Beaumont
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen sulfide, Hydrochloric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Acetonitrile, 1,2-Dichloroethane and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. Reports PFAS. 37,513 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77643WSTMNHWY73 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.5
Basf Corp - Beaumont, Beaumont
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Chlorophenols, Methanol, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 3,122,284 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77705SNDZCRT4BO (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.5
Exxonmobil Oil Beaumont Refinery (Part), Beaumont
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, n-Hexane, Propylene, Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size) and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,921,162 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77701BMNTREASTE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.5
Premcor Refining Group Inc Port Arthur, Port Arthur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen cyanide, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Sulfuric acid (acid aerosols including mists, vapors, gas, fog, and other airborne forms of any particle size), Ammonia and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,834,973 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77640CLRKR1801S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.5
Motiva-Port Arthur Refinery, Port Arthur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen cyanide, Ammonia, n-Hexane, Toluene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,490,957 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77640TXCRFNORTH (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.4
Motiva Port Arthur Chemicals, Port Arthur
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $192,313.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000861862 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.4
Huntsman Petrochemical Llc Port Neches Facility, Port Neches
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene, Nickel And Nickel Compounds, Ethylene glycol, tert-Butyl alcohol and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 2,362,658 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77651TXCCHHWY36 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.4
Totalenergies Petrochemicals & Refining Inc - Port Arthur Refinery, Port Arthur
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $1,335,919.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000755200 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.4
Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex, Port Arthur
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $882,171.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000464024 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.4
Basf Totalenergies Petrochemicals Llc, Port Arthur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Propylene, Ethylene, n-Hexane, Ammonia and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,966,441 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77643BSFFNNEOFI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.3
Beaumont Gas To Gasoline Plant, Beaumont
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $195,064.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070183112 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.3
Totalenergies Petrochemicals & Refining Usa Inc-Port Arthur, Port Arthur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Hydrogen cyanide, n-Hexane, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Ammonia and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,871,229 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77640FNLNDHIGHW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.3
Chevron Phillips Chemical Co, Port Arthur
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Propylene, Ethylene, Cyclohexane, Benzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,503,368 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77640CHVRN2001S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.2
Veolia Es Technical Solutions, Beaumont
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $104,119.
EPA FRS registry ID 110035783658 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.2
Exxonmobil Oil Corp Chemical Plant (Part), Beaumont
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ethylene, Propylene, Benzene, Toluene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 1,392,730 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 77704MBLCHGULFS (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 9.2

Correctional facilities

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

Beaumont State Jail, Beaumont
EPA FRS registry ID
110006123952
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Federal Correctional Complex, Beaumont
EPA FRS registry ID
110039495196
Water system
TX1230092
Health-based violations
0 all time, 0 in 5 years
All violations
26
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Jefferson County Correctional Facility, Beaumont
EPA FRS registry ID
110043645516
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Fcc Beaumont United States Penitentiary Medical, Beaumont
EPA FRS registry ID
110064014230
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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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