Smoke and Mirrors: TCEQ's taking the easy way out on air quality
Smoke and Mirrors: TCEQ's taking the easy way out on air quality
Dallas Morning News, November 28th, 2006
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality settled for the path of little resistance, forgoing restrictions that might curb our car culture. The agency rejected calls for deeper cuts on cement plant emissions. And regulators did not require power plants outside the nine-county non-attainment area to reduce emissions at all.
The TCEQ sought only small sacrifices from both industries and individuals. As a result, we will see limited improvement to the air we breathe. The state expects that monitors in Frisco and Denton will still register ozone levels above federal limits in 2009.
Instead of complying with the federal Clean Air Act deadline, the TCEQ is relying on a provision that allows the states to make the case that pollution cuts are within striking range of the goal and should gain the EPA's approval.
Call it the 'close enough' clause.
Using this easy way out provides little assurance that the state is serious about clean air. This plan suggests that regulators were more concerned with clearing this legal hurdle than with protecting public health.
Settling for a plan that doesn't meet federal standards is not only disappointing - it's dangerous. When it comes to public health, 'close enough' is not nearly good enough."
Dallas Morning News, November 28th, 2006
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality settled for the path of little resistance, forgoing restrictions that might curb our car culture. The agency rejected calls for deeper cuts on cement plant emissions. And regulators did not require power plants outside the nine-county non-attainment area to reduce emissions at all.
The TCEQ sought only small sacrifices from both industries and individuals. As a result, we will see limited improvement to the air we breathe. The state expects that monitors in Frisco and Denton will still register ozone levels above federal limits in 2009.
Instead of complying with the federal Clean Air Act deadline, the TCEQ is relying on a provision that allows the states to make the case that pollution cuts are within striking range of the goal and should gain the EPA's approval.
Call it the 'close enough' clause.
Using this easy way out provides little assurance that the state is serious about clean air. This plan suggests that regulators were more concerned with clearing this legal hurdle than with protecting public health.
Settling for a plan that doesn't meet federal standards is not only disappointing - it's dangerous. When it comes to public health, 'close enough' is not nearly good enough."
posted by Downwinders At Risk at
11:43 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home