SIP Postponed
by Erika McDonald, June 2004
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality or TCEQ postponed taking action on a plan to improve Houston's air quality after commissioners disagreed over the plan's effectiveness. At a public meeting in Austin Wednesday, commissioners argued over whether or not the state implementation plan, or SIP , the state's blueprint to reduce Houston ozone levels will satisfy federal clean air requirements.
For years, local clean air advocates have argued that the plan won't bring the region into compliance with federal standards for ozone. Their concerns were echoed by a top state regulator for the first time Wednesday. TCEQ commissioner Larry Soward questioned the effectiveness of revisions to state rules that limit industrial emissions of highly reactive volatile organic compounds. Highly reactive VOCs are the key components in ozone formation. With 7 months on staff, Soward is the newest member of the commission. Executive director for the Galveston/Houston Association for Smog Prevention John Wilson said Soward's comments signal a different approach than other top agency officials.
"This is a common sense perspective that has never been expressed at that senior level and it was a sharp critique of business as usual of this commission," he said.
Still, Wilson remains unconvinced that this new approach will result in a state plan that improves Houston's air quality.
"It's a step toward changes but the question remains whether we will keep moving in the direction toward theses changes or whether we'll get bogged down again," he said.
On June 23, commissioners will reconsider regulations on Highly reactive VOC's when they are scheduled to discuss a cap and trade plan for other VOC's and nitrogen oxides. Once the SIP proposal is finalized, the public will have a chance to weigh in on the plan at a hearing in Houston later this summer. Texas is scheduled to submit the SIP to the US Environmental Protection Agency for approval in October more than five months after the original deadline.
