TX Letter To EPA - Claims Failure To Approve Air Permitting Process Means "Pledging Fealty" To EPA

[hatrack]

Consolidating the fronts on which they're doing battle with Washington, Texas officials sent a defiantly worded letter to environmental officials Monday that merged attacks against greenhouse gas regulation and federal disapproval of the state's air permitting program.

"In order to deter challenges to your plan for centralized control of industrial development through the issuance of permits for greenhouse gases, you have called upon each state to declare its allegiance to the Environmental Protection Agency's recently enacted greenhouse gas regulations — regulations that are plainly contrary to United States law," reads the Aug. 2 letter from state Attorney General Greg Abbott and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Chairman Bryan Shaw to EPA head Lisa Jackson and EPA regional administrator Al Armendariz .

"To encourage acquiescence with your unsupported findings you threaten to usurp state enforcement authority and to federalize the permitting program of any state that fails to pledge their fealty to" the EPA, the letter says.

In its railing against the federal government, the letter is nothing new. For months, the state's Republican leadership has framed the environmental debate as a state rights issue. But the six-page letter marks what appears to be the first time that state officials have linked the EPA's effort to regulate greenhouse gases with its disapproval of permits for large refineries and power plants.

EDIT

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/texas-officials-denounce-epa-on-two-fronts-839851.html

[damntexdem]

1. The EPA need to slap these clowns down and take over the process.

The Texas government under Perry simply will not enforce adequate environmental standards.

And we, the people of Texas, are those who suffer for it.

[txlibdem]

2. It's so frustrating

to be among the very small percentage of Texans who are not downright fking loons.

There are 29 state offices here in Texas and all of them are held by Republicons. It's time we Dems took this state back to stop idiots like these in their tracks.