Air Issues in Texas

Air Programs and Issues in Texas

The Clean Air Act (CAA) establishes a number of permitting programs designed to carry out the goals of the act. Some of these programs are directly implemented by EPA's South Central Region (Region 6), but most are carried out by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

Ethylene Oxide

Inspector General Status Reports

Follow up reports by State and Company to the Inspector General Management Alert.

Upcoming scheduled community meetings

There are no upcoming meetings scheduled at this time.

Ethylene Oxide 101: EPA Webinar held on May 25,2021

Risk Assessment of Ethylene Oxide Emitting Facilities in Texas and Louisiana

Results of the Risk Assessment of Ethylene Oxide Emitting Facilities in Texas and Louisiana (21 pp, July 8, 2021) (Rev 1 8/6/21) (pdf) (1.95 MB)
This 21 page memorandum discusses the Risk Assessment conducted of select ethylene oxide emitting facilities located in Louisiana and Texas. This is of general interest to those who are interested in this subject for one or more specific sites in either of the two states.

Site Specific Information for Ethylene Oxide Emitting Sources in Texas

Regional Haze

EPA partially approved and partially disapproved the Texas regional haze plan. EPA also finalized a plan to limit sulfur dioxide emissions from eight Texas coal-fired electricity generating facilities as part of satisfying the reasonable progress and long-term strategy requirements for improving visibility at the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, and Big Bend and the Guadalupe Mountains National Parks in Texas.

EPA proposed a clean-air plan for the State of Texas to meet the Regional Haze BART and Interstate Visibility Transport requirements of the Clean Air Act and set January 10, 2017 as the date for a public hearing.

Air Permitting in Texas

EPA finalized its conditional approval of the Texas Flexible Permit program.

The EPA and Texas collaborated to identify what additional elements were needed for an updated rule to meet all Clean Air Act requirements. The final rule establishes an air permitting program where emissions caps for air pollutants can be utilized to help minimize emissions while protecting human health and the environment. The rules also are enforceable and compliance must be demonstrated.

The EPA is reopening the original public comment period for the proposed full approval of the Texas Flexible Permit Program for 30 additional days beginning April 17, 2015 because we neglected to include two supporting materials in Docket. No. EPA-R06-OAR-2013-0542 at www.regulations.gov.

EPA Region 6 Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Permitting for Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

On November 10, 2014, EPA published in the Federal Register our final SIP and FIP GHG actions as follows:

The final action to rescind a majority of the Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) for Texas for greenhouse gas (GHG) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting, titled “Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Withdrawal of Federal Implementation Plan; Texas; Prevention of Significant Deterioration; Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule Revisions”.
The final approval of the majority of the revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), titled “Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Texas; Prevention of Significant Deterioration; Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule Revisions.” A copy of both actions may be found at the Federal Register website available online.

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