The problem with the refineries is not ozone. The problem is the release of hazardous chemicals. What is even a bigger problem is that better than 95 percent of the pollutants come from something like 25 refineries (out of some 200 in the area). All of those refineries were grandfathered under GW's program to allow them to voluntarily comply. Since he issued that order over 3 years ago, a grand total of ONE refinery has sent in the paperwork. None have complied. The ozone could be solved with a combination of things, but most are written off as inconvenient or inconclusive or impractical, but the bottom line is that, if we are not in compliance in 2007, we will lose BILLIONS (with a 'B') of dollars in federal highway funds. You think our roads suck now...
This from the Chronicle in May 2001: <i>After much spirited debate in their 1997 and 1999 sessions, state lawmakers are heading toward a showdown on the issue of air pollution from old, grandfathered industrial facilities. The Senate is expected to vote today or Tuesday on whether to accelerate a cleanup schedule approved by the House for these plants. Another related question, which has largely dominated debate on the issue in recent weeks, is whether to toughen the House bill's mandate for compressors and other polluting machinery along the state's many oil and gas pipelines. <b>Older industrial facilities are called "grandfathered" if they still enjoy a legal exemption from having state emission permits. Permits often require stricter emission control. Legislators created the exemption in 1971.</b> After state officials documented that much of the state's industrial air pollution still came from grandfathered plants, the Legislature passed two bills in 1999. One mandated specific pollution cutbacks for grandfathered power plants. The other measure, championed by then-Gov. George W. Bush, created a state program for oil, chemical and other industries, in which their grandfathered plants could volunteer for permits. Not many did, however, which set the stage for legislative moves this year to end the permit exemption.</i> Since then, the timetable has NOT been sped up. Since 1971, companies who pollute the air in Southeast Texas (referred to as "Cancer Alley" by medical research organizations because of the high incidence of cancer in the area) have not had to follow federally mandated guidelines. That's 30 freakin' years! In 1999, the state had a chance to get tough on them but kissed industry ass and said they could voluntarily file their paperwork and had until something like 2005. No one has bothered to comply and many of them sued the state to prevent ANY of them from being forced into compliance. As a consumer AND someone concerned about my health (and the health of my friends and family members), I find this behavior unacceptable.
Agreed. Completely. The problem is what to do about it. The federal government set up a horrible system in 1971. Gov. Bush was relatively powerless to change the federal system, but set up a voluntary system that was not inconsistent with the law. Was it really a help? No. Was it better than doing nothing? Not really. Was it pomp and circumstance? Yep. Sadly that is what this country has come to be about in many instances.
