Monday, November 16, 2009

EPA coming down on Texas' air permitting program

The EPA is expected to formally disapprove of Texas' state regulations of air pollution controls. Of course, the TCEQ claims their air permitting plan works. But with the recent studies in Dish, TX and by Environmental Defense Fund showing just how bad the air quality has become in North Texas, the TCEQ may have no choice but to cooperate.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/11/15/1115epa.html
here are a few paragraphs from the article.
But Armendariz and EPA officials have said there's room for improvement.
"Texas has allowed big utilities and industry to operate any way they want to for decades,"


No other state has been so singled out for its air policies as Texas, said Kelly Haragan, who heads the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Texas. However, EPA still hopes to work with the help of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), she added.

"From EPA's position, they hope they can change things faster with TCEQ's cooperation than if it has to drag the agency kicking and screaming," she said. "TCEQ wants to make as few changes to their rules as possible to get EPA to go away."

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