Commissioners Court OKs Ogg request for environmental prosecutors

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, shown her in April, 2019, has been sued by former employees and owners of a pair of poker clubs that were raided by law enforcement last year. Ogg later dropped the charges, citing possible conflicts of interest. less Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, shown her in April, 2019, has been sued by former employees and owners of a pair of poker clubs that were raided by law enforcement last year. Ogg later dropped the ... more Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Staff / Staff Photographer Photo: Yi-Chin Lee, Staff / Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Commissioners Court OKs Ogg request for environmental prosecutors 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday unanimously approved the hiring of four new prosecutors to investigate environmental crimes following two recent massive chemical fires caught the county unprepared.

District Attorney Kim Ogg, who unsuccessfully lobbied court members in February to approve 100 new prosecutor hires, found a more receptive audience to her argument that the county needed to more aggressively bring charges against polluters. The request also included two investigators and two support staff.

The three Democratic members, who sank Ogg’s original request to increase the prosecutor corps by a third, tried to strike a balance between improving the county’s ability to prosecute polluters while also investing in efforts to prevent environmental crimes. They warned Ogg against coming to Commissioners Court with future, piecemeal hiring requests.

The court at recent meetings has approved lawsuits against the two firms where the blazes occurred, Intercontinental Terminals Co. and KMCO, and the county fire marshal has launched two investigations. Court members also have asked county departments to re-evaluate their preparedness for natural and manmade disasters.

The court also is expected to appoint a new head of its Pollution Control Services Department. The former director is stepping down amid criticism from some court members of the department’s response to the fires.

zach.despart@chron.com