Posted on 12/13/2010 11:51:43 AM PST by EBH
The EPA has threatened dozens of Texas refiners and chemical and plastic makers with penalties if they don't begin taking steps to bring their air pollution permits into compliance with federal law by late December.
The blunt threat was made in a recent letter by the Environmental Protection Agency's administrator in Texas, heightening tensions in a standoff that has already reached the courts.
Texas has sued to block the EPA from rejecting its so-called flexible permits. On Tuesday, Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a brief in the case, fleshing out his arguments in a July petition that the agency had no legal or technical justification for disapproving the 16-year-old program.
The EPA's rejection of the Texas permitting regime in June is "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with law," Abbott wrote in the brief for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The EPA has defended the decision, saying the Texas rules fall short of the federal Clean Air Act's requirements. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issues the permits on behalf of the EPA, but the federal agency decides whether they are in compliance with the law.
The flexible permits cover 130 industrial facilities across the state, but most of them have made no attempt to fix their permits, the EPA said.
Last week, the agency sent letters to 74 companies, giving them until Dec. 22 to explain
(Excerpt) Read more at beaumontenterprise.com ...
If Texas secedes it would be all out war. We supply the northern states with so much energy many of them would be living in the dark. Especially during the winter months. The idea of secession seems great in many ways for Texans but it would be horrible for the rest of the U.S.
Then the EPA had best take a step back and rethink their plans.
I don’t think the refineries would back down anyway, they all know how important they are.
“I think Texas law enforcement should protect the refineries from entry by feds.”
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PLEASE let it get to this point.
Because then, at long last, its Game On.
Defund the EPA now. Shut it down in 2012 for good
I agree. Good points.
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