Thread: EPA Bars Texas' Operating Permit to Refinery

EPA Bars Texas' Operating Permit to Refinery
Tuesday, 25 May 2010 07:07 PM

The federal government has removed Texas' authority to issue an operating permit to a southeast Texas refinery, saying the state is violating the federal Clean Air Act in dozens of cases.

Al Armendariz, the regional head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, says the EPA objected to 40 permits late last year largely because they allowed flexible rules for emitting pollutants. He says months of talks failed, so the EPA blocked Texas from issuing its permit. Instead, the EPA will issue a stricter one for the independently owned Flint Hills Corpus Christi East Refinery.

Armendariz says the EPA will also block Texas from issuing permits in 39 other cases, including those for facilities owned by Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Dow Chemical.

State environmental regulators said they would respond.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/US-EPA ... /id/360104

Perry: EPA Action On Permits a Federal Power Grab
Tuesday, 25 May 2010 07:50 PM

Texas Gov. Rick Perry says an EPA decision to bar the state from issuing an operating permit to a southeast Texas refinery is part of an Obama administration effort to take power away from states.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday barred Texas from issuing an operating permit to the independently owned Flint Hills Corpus Christi East Refinery, saying the state's permit violates the Clean Air Act.

Instead, the EPA plans to issue the refinery a more stringent permit that it says complies with the law.

Perry's office said in a statement the Clean Air Act gives permitting authority to the state. The statement said President Barack Obama's administration is making a "concerted effort to transfer power away from the states to the federal government."

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Associated Press writer Jay Root contributed to this report from Austin, Texas.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

HOUSTON (AP) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry says an EPA decision to bar the state from issuing an operating permit to a southeast Texas refinery is part of an Obama administration effort to take power away from states.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday barred Texas from issuing an operating permit to the independently owned Flint Hills Corpus Christi East Refinery, saying the state's permit violates the Clean Air Act.

Instead, the EPA plans to issue the refinery a more stringent permit that it says complies with the law.

Perry said in a statement the Clean Air Act gives permitting authority to the state. Perry says President Barack Obama's administration is making a "concerted effort to transfer power away from the states to the federal government."

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Associated Press writer Jay Root contributed to this report from Austin, Texas.

http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/US-E ... /id/360108