With such a bad record one might think Texas would want to take drastic action to curb this pollution, but that would be wrong. The Republican leadership in Austin is wholly-owned by corporate interests, and they aren't going to do anything that might force the oil, chemical, energy and other large corporate interests in the state to spend money to stop polluting.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already had to lay down the law on industrial and auto pollution because the state wouldn't clean up its act. They had to threaten the cut-off of federal funds and set goals that the state must meet to keep those funds -- goals that the state has yet to meet.
Starting in January, the EPA has laid down some new rules which say any new plants or substantial remodeling of an old plant must meet strict new guidelines on greenhouse gas emissions. Forty-nine states are meeting these new rules or working toward meeting them. One state is refusing to cooperate -- Texas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality won't follow the new stricter guidelines in the issue of air quality permits for industrial construction -- saying it would be too costly on the state's industry.
This doesn't surprise any of us living here in Texas. Although the TCEQ was created to protect the air and water quality for the people of Texas, under Republican leadership it has degenerated into little more than a corporate apologist that rubber-stamps anything industry wants to do. They stopped caring about the health of Texas citizens or protecting the natural beauty and environment of the state. They also deny that greenhouse gases cause any damage to people or the climate.
Because Texas, unlike all the other states, has refused to follow and enforce the new environmental guidelines, the EPA has now declared they have removed to licensing function from the TCEQ and will now issue air quality licenses for the state. The EPA didn't want to do this, but the leaders in Austin have gotten the idea that they no longer have to follow federal regulations and guidelines.
The state government has told all state agencies they will have to suffer radical cuts in their budgets because of a looming $25 billion deficit in the next biennium. Maybe they should start those cuts by abolishing the TCEQ. Since the TCEQ refuses to do its job anyway, millions of dollars could be saved by just eliminating it.
Why should the citizens keep paying enormous funds to politicians who won't do their job -- a job that obviously has to be done by the EPA anyway?
fuck me..Perry gets dumber every day.
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