If you were asked to imagine some well-known natural enemies, you’d probably think of “dog versus cat,” “Batman versus the Riddler” or “Hatfields versus McCoys.” Here’s another one: “Texas versus the Environmental Protection Agency.”
Texas has bumped heads with the EPA on a number of occasions before, but the latest disagreement, which involves the issuance of permits that limit what polluters can emit, is getting particularly dramatic. Under the rules of the federal Clean Air Act, each state must develop an implementation plan outlining how they will meet federal requirements to protect public health. The plans must include an air permitting program to set pollution levels for industry. Last month, the EPA announced it would not approve what’s known as the Texas Flexible Permit Program, which was included by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in its state implementation plan. Full Story
