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Polk County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Polk County is 278.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Leukemia deaths at 2.9 times the U.S. rate and Stomach deaths at 2.9 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 214 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (93), Rail grade crossing (62), Gas station (mapped facility) (16). 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: 30.816, -94.8963.

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 Polk County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Leukemia	Deaths	16.8	5.7	2.95xSignificant	11.4 to 23.9	2020-2024
Stomach	Deaths	7.9	2.7	2.93xSignificant	4.1 to 13.4	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	17.6	6.6	2.67xSignificant	12.6 to 24	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	11	4.8	2.29xSignificant	6.4 to 17.5	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	66.6	30.2	2.21xSignificant	56.2 to 78.3	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	9.4	4.4	2.14xSignificant	5.9 to 14.3	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	29.7	14.5	2.05xSignificant	22.6 to 38.4	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	278.5	143.2	1.94xSignificant	255.6 to 302.9	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	32	17.9	1.79xSignificant	25.5 to 39.8	2019-2023
Bladder	Deaths	7.3	4.1	1.78x	4.1 to 12	2020-2024
Esophagus	New cases	8.1	4.6	1.76xSignificant	4.8 to 13	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	89.9	51.8	1.74xSignificant	78.8 to 102.3	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	11.4	6.6	1.73xSignificant	7.3 to 16.8	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	40.5	23.8	1.7xSignificant	32.3 to 50.2	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	14.8	8.7	1.7xSignificant	11 to 19.8	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	10.3	6.2	1.66xSignificant	6.7 to 15.3	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	28.7	18.5	1.55xSignificant	22.1 to 36.6	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	693.1	453.4	1.53xSignificant	660.4 to 727	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	27.8	18.7	1.49xSignificant	21.4 to 35.4	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	14	11.3	1.24x	9.6 to 19.8	2020-2024
Pancreas	New cases	17.2	13.9	1.24x	12.3 to 23.3	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	10	13	0.77x	6.5 to 14.9	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 Polk County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	13,398.3	9,842.6	+36%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	70.1	75.3	-7%	years
Child mortality	76.1	59.8	+27%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	6.4	6.2	+4%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	122.9	96.9	+27%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	24	28.6	-16%	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.

Formaldehyde23.63 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.9 per million
Acetaldehyde1.94 per million
Ethylene Oxide1.03 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 344 days: 326 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 33, peak 105.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit93
Rail grade crossing62
Gas station (mapped facility)16
Major air pollution source7
TRI reporting facility6
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)6
Air permit holder (minor source)5
Public airport4
Small hazardous waste generator3
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)2
Brownfield property2
Large greenhouse gas emitter2
Large hazardous waste generator2
EPA air quality monitor1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Heliport1
Hydroelectric plant1

Highest-severity records

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

Camden Plywood & Lumber, Camden
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Lead, Diisocyanates. Reports carcinogens. 279,115 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 75934CHMPNFARMR (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.7
Indian Springs Gas Plant, Livingston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Benzene, Toluene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 8,733 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7735WNDNSP2825T (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.5
Camden Plywood & Lumber, Camden
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070835009 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.4
Corrigan Osb, Corrigan
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds, Diisocyanates, Dioxin and dioxin-like compounds. Reports carcinogens. 2,697 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7593WCRRGN1923H (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
Georgia-Pacific Corrigan Plywood, Corrigan
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Diisocyanates. 128,252 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 75939CHMPNPLANT (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.9
Corrigan Osb, Corrigan
TRI reporting facility. Penalties $12,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110067568411 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
Georgia-Pacific Wood Products South, Corrigan
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000599040 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.8
City Of Livingston, Livingston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $152,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002062534 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Indian Springs Gas Plant, Livingston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007205880 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Corrigan Osb, Corrigan
Major air pollution source. Penalties $12,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110067568411 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Camden Plywood & Lumber, Camden
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070835009 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Heidelberg Materials - Livingston Rmc, Livingston
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens.
TRI facility ID 7735WCMPBL81US5 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 4.5
Tpwd Lake Livingston State Park, Livingston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009778963 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Georgia-Pacific Wood Products South, Corrigan
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000599040 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe Of Tx, Livingston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009779775 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Camden Plywood & Lumber, Camden
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070835009 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Campbell Concrete & Materials, Livingston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009785063 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Oldcastle Lawn & Garden, Livingston
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064459740 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Georgia-Pacific Wood Products South, Corrigan
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000599040 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
City Of Corrigan, Corrigan
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009779150 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Alabama Coushatta Tribe Of Tx, Livingston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037518406 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
City Of Corrigan Wwtp, Corrigan
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055488869 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Indian Springs Gas Plant, Livingston
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007205880 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Kinder Morgan Goodrich Compressor Station 555, Goodrich
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007206157 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Beacon Bay Marina &Amp;Amp Rv Park Wwtp, Livingston
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $18,100.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009746819 (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.

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Polk 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 Polk 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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