The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday (yesterday) that it was taking the unprecedented step of directly issuing air permits to Texas industries, citing the state's unwillingness to comply with greenhouse gas regulations that take effect January 2, 2011.Sounds like a face-off.
EPA officials indicated that they were taking over Clean Air Act permits for greenhouse gas emissions because "officials in Texas have made clear ... they have no intention of implementing this portion of the federal air-permitting program."
Comment: Even before the regulation goes into effect, the federal government takes a preemptive shot across the bow. The story goes on to say that the EPA plans to issue greenhouse gas permits in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Oregon and Wyoming. But those states have indicated they were revising their permitting process to comply with greenhouse gas emission regulations.
(Since North Dakota was not mentioned in the article, it sounds like North Dakota will comply with the EPA's mandate.)
