Plan seeks to reduce air pollution
Revising emission reduction will spark debate

By ARMANDO VILLAFRANCA

February 6, 2001

AUSTIN -- A Senate committee lent its support to emission reduction plans that are expected to generate heated debate this legislative session.

Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission officials outlined emission reduction plans drawn last year for Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and Beaumont to reduce pollutant emissions and bring those cities in compliance with the U.S. Clean Air Act's ozone standard.

Robert Huston, TNRC chairman, told members of the Senate Natural Resources Committee at a Tuesday hearing that several rules outlined in the plans will affect all of East Texas. Five lawsuits have been filed challenging the rules in the emission reduction plans.

"We wanted them to come here to point out where they are, what is available to the Legislature and our opportunity to develop programs that can be alternatives to some of the components of that plan," said state Sen. J.E. "Buster" Brown, a Lake Jackson Republican and committee chairman.

He said the committee will consider legislation that can help modify some rules in the emission reduction plans such as the proposed rule that would prohibit construction and landscaping work from beginning before noon.

Brown said the rule is not only disruptive to business routines, but could have a social effect on families in Houston.

"When you shift the workday from noon to eight at night you totally disrupt the people's established social life," Brown said.

A better way to deal with the problem, Brown said, is to help companies replace diesel equipment.

"The construction equipment can be replaced with low emission equipment if we can establish the program to show that it will cause the elimination and reduction necessary, then we can replace our program as a substitute for the work shift program," he said.

Huston said his agency is agreeable to proposals as long as the results bring the cities in compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.

The issue is expected to draw heated debate this session from those who perceive the plans as being too strong and those who believe it's not strong enough.

"The members of the committee recognize that there are parts of the plan that are not popular and they recognize there are a lot of people who will not support a certain part of it or another part," Brown said. "But they also recognize what the state faces in not achieving the deadline for emissions in those particular areas."

Potentially, the state faces loss of federal transportation funds and strict limits on industrial expansion.