Texas/Mexico News

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1998

Emissions in Texas down 7%

Truan: TNRCC figures downplay problem

By RENAE MERLE
Associated Press

   AUSTIN - Texas' industrial plants reduced air emissions by at least 7 percent last year, according to a study by the state's environmental agency.
   The state's more than 1,600 major industrial sources produced 2.5 million tons of air emissions in 1997 compared to the 2.67 million tons released in 1996, according to the study released Monday.
   The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission also said older facilities, facing possible legislative action, reduced emissions by 44 percent since 1986 - the last time they compiled this number - but still make up 36 percent of all air emissions.
   "We are pleased to see overall emission reductions," said Ralph Marquez, TNRCC commissioner. "The reductions in emissions are even more significant when you consider the growth of the Texas economy during this period."
   But Sen. Carlos Truan, D-Corpus Christi, said the TNRCC is minimizing the study's findings.
   "They are trying to make it sound better than it is," said Truan, who is serving on a committee studying the issue. "That is a terrible amount of pollution in the atmosphere."
   The older facilities are not obligated to meet Texas Clean Air Act requirements that the "best available control technologies" be used if they were built or being built before 1971. They were excluded, or "grandfathered," from stricter new laws.
   The grandfathered plants created 899,614 tons of emissions compared to 1.6 million tons in 1986, according to the study.
   Environmentalists said the study shows the need to close the loophole allowing the older facilities to ignore state air quality standards.
   "The Legislature should require all these grandfathered plants to undergo a complete check up to see if they are affecting neighbors health," said Neil Carman with the Sierra Club.
   The TNRCC measured the amount of carbon monoxide, nonmethane organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide for the study.
   Some power industry officials have supported a voluntary program for removing the grandfather protection, and the 1995 Legislature instructed the TNRCC to draft such a plan for voluntary compliance.
   "Obviously, I'm pleased that we have some decline in pollution," said Rep. John Hirschi, who serves on a legislative committee considering this issue.
   But Hirschi, D-Wichita Falls, said some of the data on grandfathered facilities may be misleading, since emissions at some plants have increased.
   "That's a gigantic amount of air pollution being produced by those plants," Hirschi said.
   He said that while he praised their efforts, it is a continuing problem. "It's not like the material coming out of these plants is benign," Hirschi said.
   Marquez pointed out that the study does not reflect a pledge by 36 companies to voluntary reduce emissions at grandfathered facilities.
   Among those companies, TU Electric announced last week that all of its older plants, starting with those in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, would be upgraded to qualify for permits meeting state emission standards.
   "We foresee the day when TU Electric has no power plants on the list of grandfathered plants," said David Biegler, TU Electric president. Biegler said the company has spent $150 million during the past 25 years upgrading its older facilities.
   "Air monitors proved this summer (that) the air in north Texas is getting cleaner and we are proud of our voluntary reductions," Biegler said.
   Four Texas Utilities plants made the TNRCC's top 10 list of most grandfathered emissions also released Monday. Their facility in Freestone County produced 95,741 tons in 1997, the Titus County facility produced 86,755 tons, the McClennan County facility produced 11,583 tons and the Ward County facility produced 10,898 tons.
   Ranking first was the Aluminum Company of America facility in Milam County, which produced 104,108 tons of grandfathered emissions in 1997.
   Alcoa has volunteered to improve emissions at a significant part of the 46-year-old facility, said spokesman Hal Reagan. The upgrades will cost more than $30,000, he said.
   Alcoa also will voluntarily improve air emissions at its facility near Port Lavaca, he said.
   Also on the list was Cabot Corp.'s facility in Gray County; Mobil Oil Corp.'s facility in Jefferson County; Degussa Corp.'s facility in Aransas County; Western Gas Resources' facility in Van Zandt County and Great Lakes Carbon Corp.'s facility in Jefferson County.
   

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