08-E Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition (2)

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· Carbon Dioxide (C02). C02 is a greenhouse gas and the primary contributor to global warming. C02 is responsible for the largest part of the manmade greenhouse gas effect. How is Texas currently doing with respect to these pollutants? Several major regions of the state do not meet federal air quality standards for ozone, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston-Galveston, and Beaumont-Port Arthur. Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and parts of northeast Texas are on the verge of exceeding the federal limits. Texas currently leads the nation in toxic mercury emissions. Of the top eight plants in the country in total mercury emissions, five are in Texas, including the top mercury polluter in the country, TXU's Martin Lake plant. 1 Texas is far and away the leading emitter of carbon dioxide in the country. Its total emissions are over 50% more than those of California, the next-highest emitting state. If Texas were a nation, it would rank seventh in the world in carbon dioxide emissions? What impact would the sixteen proposed units have with respect to these pollutants? · Nitrogen Oxides and Ozone. Existing air modeling indicates that the new plants could significantly increase ozone levels in many parts of the state. For example, ozone could increase by three parts per billion or more in the Austin area, which would be enough to put Austin into non-attainment status. Models to date indicate that ozone levels could increase by several parts per billion in the DFW area on days when the wind blows from the south or southwest. Even higher increases are possible in other areas of central Texas. · Mercury. The new plants will emit in the range of two tons of mercury into the atmosphere each year. For comparison, new EPA mercury rules, when fuHy implemented, will require that all the power plants in the nation combined emit no more than fifteen tons of mercury per year. 3 · Particulate Matter. The plants will add over 20,000 tons of particulate matter to the air every year. The EP A has just announced stricter PM standards, and it is possible that areas of Texas will be in violation of the new standards. 1 Environmental Integrity Project, cited in Randy Lee Loftis, "Texas Power Plants Pack Emissions List," DALLAS MORNING NEWS,)uly 28,2006. 2 U.S. Energy Information Administration, cited in Randy Lee Loftis, "Texas Cool to Confront Global Warming," DALLAS MORNING NEWS, September 3,2006. 3 Summary of EP A rule available at Environmental Protection Agency website, http://www.epa.gov/air/mercuryrule/basic.htm. 3 "'~---'----"'-'-_."--"-'""~'- ..,._._..,-_._.,~'----._'-,...~_..~.._._----~~-_..