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Upton County, Texas: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Upton County is 117.1 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 146 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (67), Rail grade crossing (22), Major air pollution source (18). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 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: 31.3689, -102.0443.

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 Upton County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
All cancer	New cases	407.7	453.4	0.9x	318.2 to 515	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	117.1	143.2	0.82x	72.7 to 179.6	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 Upton County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	10,946.8	9,842.6	+11%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	74.9	75.3	-1%	years
Child mortality	n/a	59.8	n/a	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	103.6	96.9	+7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	n/a	28.6	n/a	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde14.61 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.69 per million
Benzene1.61 per million
Acetaldehyde0.79 per million

EPA Air Quality Index

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

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit67
Rail grade crossing22
Major air pollution source18
Air permit holder (minor source)12
TRI reporting facility6
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)6
Large greenhouse gas emitter4
Public airport3
Solar power plant3
Wind power plant2
Brownfield property1
Gas station (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.

Benedum Gas Plant, Rankin
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070049969 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 9.4
Benedum Gas Plant, Rankin
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formaldehyde, n-Hexane, Benzene, Toluene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 176,361 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7977WBNDMG151HI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Midkiff Gas Plant, Midkiff
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Formaldehyde, n-Hexane, Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 174,704 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7975WMDKFF174EF (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.5
Pembrook Gas Plant, Midkiff
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Cyclohexane, Xylene (mixed isomers), Formaldehyde, Benzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 110,770 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7975WPMBRK15CR1 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.4
Jeb Gas Plant, Rankin
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Benzene, n-Hexane, Toluene, Cyclohexane and 3 more. Reports carcinogens. 26,870 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7977WJBGSP89FM1 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.9
Panther Gas Plant, Rankin
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Formaldehyde, Cyclohexane, Benzene and 4 more. Reports carcinogens. 17,436 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7977WPNTHR1716F (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.8
North Cross Facility 4, Mc Camey
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, n-Hexane, Benzene, Cyclohexane. Reports carcinogens. 12,968 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 7975WNRTHC43MIW (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Benedum Gas Plant, Rankin
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070049969 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Pembrook Gas Processing Plant, Midkiff
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110062039547 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.3
Jeb Gas Plant, Rankin
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070081942 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.9
Midkiff Gas Plant, Midkiff
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007198781 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Panther Gas Plant, Rankin
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110069992268 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
North Cross Facility 4, Mc Camey
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007204177 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.7
Giddings Compressor Station, Rankin
Major air pollution source. Penalties $11,250.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070380095 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Benedum Gas Plant, Midkiff
Major air pollution source. Penalties $3,136,700.
EPA FRS registry ID 110025328795 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Gateway Gas Plant, Midkiff
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071092037 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
South Girvin Station 16, Mc Camey
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001995538 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Weir Booster, Rankin
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007174958 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Midkiff Gas Plant, Midkiff
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007198781 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Duke Energy Field Services, L.P., Rankin
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007202543 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Spraberry, Midkiff
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007205005 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Mesa Mccamey Tank Farm, Mccamey
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007207414 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Benedum Gas Plant, Midkiff
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $3,136,700.
EPA FRS registry ID 110025328795 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Pecos Station 149, Bakersfield
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046382017 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Panther Gas Plant, Rankin
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110069992268 (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 Upton 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 Upton 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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