[weegee]

What's more, the state has raised the speed limit in other areas of the state. If lowering the speed to 55MPH is so good for the environment, why raise the limit elsewhere?

Want to see where the ozone problem really comes from in Houston, check out these ozone concentration animations, courtesy of "trainwreck" Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission

Try August 5th, 2001; it is quite obvious that the problem is the petrochemical refineries, not traffic.

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What's more, the state has raised the speed limit in other areas of the state. If lowering the speed to 55MPH is so good for the environment, why raise the limit elsewhere?

Decreasing speed limits is a way of reducing NOx emissions that play a role in the formation of ozone. In other areas of the State there may be no concern about violating the federal ozone standard(s) or contributing to the ozone precursor loading in a non-attainment area so there is no reason to lower the speed limit.

Try August 5th, 2001; it is quite obvious that the problem is the petrochemical refineries, not traffic.

Both are contributors to the formation of ozone, once you add in sunlight. Refineries are likely large souces of VOC's, and traffic is a large source of NOx. There are other sources of both, but each plays a role.

Not that this implies that GHG reductions in Texas are warranted or even a good idea.