Monday, July 30, 2007
Texans should be able to trust the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to protect them from air and water pollution.
Unfortunately, the TCEQ has done precious little to earn that trust.
When Kathleen Hartnett White, current TCEQ chairwoman, steps aside Aug. 31, Gov. Rick Perry should appoint someone who can be trusted to protect public health and the environment.
Two years ago, local officials were weighing the economic benefits against the environmental drawbacks of giving incentives to a proposed coal-fired power plant in Riesel. The deciding factor in determining the best course of action boiled down to a judgment call: Could the TCEQ be trusted to safeguard public health?
Some officials trusted TCEQ regulators. Others expressed skepticism because the agency had done such a poor job over the years regulating dairy pollution in the North Bosque River that fouled Lake Waco.
There was good reason for the skepticism. The three-member TCEQ board approved the Riesel coal-fired power plant.
More recently, by a 2-1 vote the TCEQ commissioners also approved a two-unit coal-fired power plant in Robertson County known as Oak Grove. It will burn lignite, the dirtiest coal of all.
TCEQ approval came despite the recommendations of two administrative law judges who said the air permit should be denied because TXU failed to prove it could meet its own pledges for emissions limits.
Opponents to the Oak Grove plant estimate that it will prevent areas with high levels of air pollution from improving air quality and tip other areas, such as around Austin and Waco, onto the state’s lengthy list of federally designated non-attainment zones for air pollution under the Clean Air Act.
Now Waco and McLennan County have joined a lawsuit filed by a coalition of governmental entities that claims that the TCEQ “committed numerous errors of laws and facts” in its decision.
White has used her position on the TCEQ board to consistently side with industrial polluters. In her place, Perry should appoint someone committed to protect Texans against pollution.
Comments
By null
Jul 30, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this
TCEQ does what it is told, do you think that Gov. Perry will assign someone who will do right. Rick Perry just vetoed HB 2006, a Bill that would have kept a few of our property rights. Our Gov. is for big business not for the common taxpayer. The people of Texas appear to not want to hear or believe the truth. Everyone that voted for Mr. Perry voted against "Texas Our Texas". Just my opinion, I think as a taxpayer I get one?
By texastoxic
Jul 30, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this
TCEQ commissioners were selected by Bush to prevent and decimate the enforcement of environmental laws. A recent presentation by one ex-commissioner showed the system that was started in Texas has been implemented at a national level: decimate the enforcement division staff and budget, decrease the total budget, delay decisions as long as possible claiming more data is needed, disparage the data that looks bad for industrial point sources, distort the science that is unavoidable, delete internal documents before they reach the public, decide based on factors other than the public health, claim you are doing a great job, get compliments from the governor.
Perry followed the same selection system for commissioners, and will most likely stick to the playbook, keep and increase toxic, hazardous, and poisonous elements and compounds in the air and water, poison the population, increase health care costs, accumulate campaign contributions. As long as the Texas population is kept ignorant of the health damage inflicted on families through every neighborhood by those that are elected and appointed, the system will remain in place. The educational system is designed to keep the public at the lowest common level to more easily control the masses with key phrasing. Millions that breathe in Texas get the product of the TCEQ commissioner selection: air fouled with particulates that contain elements from Beryllium to Uranium, from Arsenic to Zinc, and there are 188 air toxics ....
By Fred
Jul 30, 2007 5:56 AM | Link to this
The Brazos river is foul and polluted. It reeks of stench from dead fish. In the early morning one can see "putrid foam" floating in the ugly dark waters. The City of Waco Legal Department was "bought off" in a Civil Settlement with those who fouled our River.....the pollution continues!
Fred.
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