Texas Sues Dow: Is It a Win for the Environment or a 'Sweetheart Deal' Shielding Industry?

Texas has sued Dow Chemical Co. over hundreds of alleged water pollution violations at its Gulf Coast facility, but the state's action might legally prevent a separate, potentially stronger lawsuit from an activist citizen group. This legal move raises significant public policy questions about the effectiveness of state environmental enforcement versus citizen-led actions under the Clean Water Act, and whether it genuinely protects the environment or inadvertently shields corporate polluters.