Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding South Texas air quality:

“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has informed my office that smoke from agricultural fires in Mexico and Central America has combined with remnant smoke from earlier fires to create a large area of moderate density smoke over South Texas. This smoke, combined with increased moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, will keep conditions hazy over these areas,” said Dr. Cuellar. “Furthermore, the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has indicated a moderate level of fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) expected over several areas of Texas, including Laredo, Brownsville, and Corpus Christi through June 13. NOAA informed my office that annual agricultural burning generally ends in June, so I will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

Fire hotspots over the past two weeks, Courtesy of NASA’s FIRMS

Today’s Texas Air Quality Forecast, Courtesy of TCEQ

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