A joint investigation by Univision 45 in Houston and Public Health Watch won second place in the “General-Public Interest & Awareness” category of the Telly Awards earlier this month. The awards recognize the best in television and digital news, documentaries and social media.
“Bombarded With Benzene,” a nine-minute Spanish-language television story that aired in January, found that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ, knew for years that residents living near a chemical storage facility east of Houston were being subjected to high levels of cancer-causing benzene. But the state agency never informed community members of the danger — and never penalized the facility in question for its benzene emissions.
The investigation, led by Univision 45 environmental reporter Ana Bueno, stemmed from an ongoing Public Health Watch investigation into high benzene emissions in Channelview, an unincorporated community in eastern Harris County. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, benzene exposure can cause maladies including leukemia, anemia, and fainting. Residents interviewed by Bueno said they regularly experienced dizziness and nausea, among other ailments.
Univision 45
“Bombarded With Benzene” expanded on Public Health Watch reporter Savanna Strott’s December 2024 analysis showing that levels of the chemical in Channelview were higher than reported in past state investigations. Strott found that the most extreme benzene levels exceeded even Texas’ weak health guideline for the chemical and weren’t being recorded by state air monitors. Bueno built upon these findings and adapted the story for television.
Bueno’s and Strott’s stories reflect a commitment by Public Health Watch to work with Spanish-language media on investigations that disproportionately affect Latino communities.
Public Health Watch continues to monitor the situation in Channelview. Fumed, an investigative narrative podcast launched in March, explores the stories of two residents fighting to save the community from unchecked industrialization. The podcast can be heard on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the NPR App.
