The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to focus enforcement and increase penalties on repeat violators and increase public outreach. Still, environmental advocates say the effort was too “modest” in its reach.
, R-Forney, who laid out the bill on the House floor, if the TCEQ sunset bill would regulate “cumulative air quality impacts” that result from multiple industrial facilities like concrete batch plants operating in close proximity.
In addition to the permit process changes, the sunset bill would also increase the penalties that the TCEQ can impose on industrial facilities that violate state regulations from $25,000 to $40,000 per day. Violations for which facilities could be penalized include the release of pollutants to the air, water or land that surpass the acceptable thresholds by the agency designed to safeguard people’s well-being or the environment.
Each year, TCEQ conducts more than 100,000 investigations, issues thousands of violation notices, assesses millions of dollars in administrative penalties, and provides compliance support to thousands of small businesses and local governments, according to a March email from TCEQ spokesperson Victoria Cann.
Environmental advocacy groups echoed this sentiment, citing TCEQ’s lack of transparency, limited public involvement and inconsistent enforcement of environmental regulations as reasons for public distrust. While these groups said that the sunset staff and commissioners missed an opportunity to propose bold changes to restore public trust and enhance community protection, they supported most of the “relatively modest” recommendations put forth.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Houston-area chemical fire highlights gaps in Texas environmental enforcementA fire broke out at a Deer Park Shell plant the day after a public hearing on renewing the permit for ITC, a nearby facility that caught fire in 2019, sparking a Texas Tribune/Public Health Watch investigation that documented failures in state and federal oversight.
Read more »
How Food Companies Can Better Measure Their SustainabilityFood companies are struggling to effectively measure and report their environmental performance due to complexity and labor-intensity of data handling. Environmental traceability, through the use of digital technologies, can significantly streamline this process. Standardization of environmental metrics and automation of data exchange can facilitate comparable performance measures across companies and reduce data-entry workload. Furthermore, systemic changes and collaboration within food networks can lead to efficient and transparent environmental reporting. Integrating AI into decision-making processes can also help optimize environmental sustainability. Implementing these strategies can bolster environmental traceability, thus making food companies more sustainable and cost-effective.
Read more »
Gov. Abbott threatens to veto pared-down school choice billTexas Governor Greg Abbott tweeted Sunday, May 14 that the Texas House needs to get in line with the Texas Senate about school choice legislation.
Read more »
School choice: Texas Governor Abbott threatens to veto pared-down billTexas Governor Greg Abbott tweeted Sunday, May 14 that the Texas House needs to get in line with the Texas Senate about school choice legislation.
Read more »
How Biden has struggled to keep Democrats together on environmental pushPresident Joe Biden has found himself stuck in the middle of the Democratic Party on environmental issues despite running on a sweeping green agenda, a tension that remains unresolved as he prepares to seek a second term.
Read more »
Tucson production puts environmental issues, life in focusLive Theatre Workshop's production of 'Lungs' shines in acting, directing and script as couple struggles with their environmental impact.
Read more »