Background
Environment Texas is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. Its core mission is to protect air, water, and open spaces in Texas through education and research. Environment Texas conducts policy-focused research at its Environment Texas Research & Policy Center.
The organization is currently focused on its Texas Clean Air Project, the protection of Barton Springs and preventing off-shore drilling in the Eastern Gulf. The group also works closely with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to protect state parks.
Through the Texas Clean Air Project, Environment Texas successfully sued Shell Oil in 2009 and Chevron Phillips in 2010 for violating the Clean Air Act. Both companies were forced to significantly reduce their pollution levels and pay several million dollars in fines.
In 2011, Environment Texas partnered with the Sierra Club to file a similar suit against ExxonMobil. No trial date has been set, but if found guilty of environmental violations, ExxonMobile could face $37,000 in fines per day for each violation.
