Air Quality Issues Facing North. Jeff Saitas (512)

Transcription

1 Air Quality Issues Title Goes Here Facing North Central Texas Jeff Saitas (512)

2 Air Quality Issues The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality submitted an 8 hour SIP for the DFW area to the EPA in June The EPA must now decide whether it meets the objective of reducing ozone formation The SIP was much criticized and will likely be litigated

3 Air Quality Issues The EPA is likely to require significant additional reduction measures for the DFW area The expectation is that additional reductions are will focus on local nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction measures as opposed to measures on upwind sources

4 Air Quality Issues EPA has also opened a rulemaking project to reduce the ozone standard to as low as 65 ppb The conventional wisdom is that EPA will settle on a standard between 70 and 75 ppb This will significantly increase the non attainment areas both in Texas and nationally

5 Air Quality Issues The areas likely to be nonattainment include San Antonio, Austin, and Tyler/Longview This may subject those areas to mandatory controls of the Clean Air Act (LAER, netting, RACT, transportation t ti conformity) In addition, the state may adopt new control measures

6 Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Title Goes Here Global Warming Jeff Saitas (512)

7 If Texas were its own nation, it would be the seventh largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world. Austin American Statesman February 3, 2007

8 Carbon Dioxide Emissions Million Metric Tons U.S. China Russia Japan India Germany Texas

9 In part due to Massachusetts V. EPA, it is likely l that t the U.S. will adopt caps on green house gas emissions in the near future President Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard last week agreed to aspirational goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions They emphasized research on energy efficiency as a means of achieving those goals

10 In Massachusetts v. EPA, the Supreme Court found that Massachusetts had standing based on their likelihood of harm from global l warming. Although the ruling was procedural and the substantive ti issue related to automobile emissions, the decision paves the way for regulation of CO2 as an air contaminant by EPA.

11 States including California and the northeastern states have already begun state regulation, which provides incentives for a national standard. It is possible that EPA or Congress could act first, but it is likely that both will eventually

12 By their early actions, states like California, Massachusetts and New York may be shaping national policy to their benefit. Likewise, certain industry sectors have been actively engaged in trying to formulate a livable plan for greenhouse gas regulation. These sectors include electric generation providers, transportation and refining and chemicals.

13 Texas has not been involved as a state in the national debate. Texas has passed rules and legislation that will have global warming benefits (for example, HB 3693 regarding energy efficiency and HB 3732) The political climate here has meant that Texas has taken no steps to register the resulting emission reductions made here.

14 Similarly, neither the TCEQ nor the governor s office have been actively involved in federal discussions. To the extent that Texas is not involved in the debate, the outcome likely will not be to Texas advantage

15 To the extent that an industry is not represented in the national debate, that industry may bear a disproportionate p burden when it comes time to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

16 Global Warming And Title Goes Here Permit Applications Jeff Saitas (512)

17 The recent flurry of coal power plant applications has brought the issue sharply in focus The Texas Clean Sky Coalition was formed and put forth a public relations strategy t aimed at coal being a dirty fuel. A million dollar plus campaign was kicked off with full page ads run in the major newspaper markets.

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19 The ads are sponsored by competing energy companies who are squaring off against coal plants. The concerns over air quality and global warming have drawn together unusual coalitions Cities have banded together to challenge coal plant permits

20 The Christian Life Commission, the public policy agency of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, opposed several coal plants applications The state of Oklahoma wrote a harsh letter to the TCEQ about the potential affect of the coal plants on air quality.

21 The fight over greenhouse gas emissions is evolving Opponents are finding ways to use existing processes to challenge new sources of greenhouse gases Business strategies are being questioned

22 Opponents are no longer just environmental activists They are now being joined by business leaders as well as political leaders All of whom are supported by a willing media In some cases, competing businesses are using the global warming issue to advance their own interests