EPA Tangles With Texas in Battle Over Air Quality

[Dover]

EPA Tangles With Texas in Battle Over Air Quality


A more assertive Environmental Protection Agency is demanding that Texas tighten its pollution rules, drawing the ire of companies and some of the state's political leaders.

At the heart of the dispute is an EPA threat to void some of the state's air-quality regulations, which it says break federal law. The agency also is studying whether oil refineries -- of which Texas has many -- emit dangerous amounts of toxins.

Texas is the top carbon-dioxide-emitting state in the nation. State regulators say they have built a system that simplifies the permitting process, for example by regulating emissions from entire facilities, rather than smokestack by smokestack.

Environmental activists and city officials call the system too lax. But state officials say it has produced a cleaner environment, including a 22% drop between 2000 and 2008 in the level of ozone, which is blamed for respiratory problems. The state says its plan encourages industry to adopt greener technology.

"Our results speak louder than bureaucratic meddling," said Katherine Cesinger, a spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican...cont'd

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125876438576558383.html

[texanshatingbush]

1. There's a really great article about City of Houston cracking down....

...on chem plant producers' illegal emissions, in the December issue of Texas Monthly.

Until I read this article, I had no idea that Houston's current mayor (and candidate for Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate seat)has a very strong background in environmental law/enforcement/prosecution of emissions cheats.

Good article--everyone should read it !

[Dover]

2. Thanks for the headsup about the TM article. Wonder how the recent purchase of TXU by Goldman Sachs

and partners ties into this?

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:TwYhr4KnXQwJ:www.edf.org/documents/ca/Los%2520Angeles%2520Times%2520-Texas%2520Utility%2520TXU%2520is%2520sold%2520in%2520boon%2520for%2520environmentalists%2520-%25202.26.pdf+goldman+sachs,+texas+utility,+coal+pollution&hl=en&gl=us&sig=AHIEtbSCkcRYsOj9E3qwbMBH-MrYrGEaLg

http://www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN2422465720070225

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x85043

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x154766