EPA Awards First Texas Greenhouse Gas Permit

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has granted its first greenhouse gas emission permit to a Texas facility since the Federal Agency took over the permitting program from the state.

The Lower Colorado River Authority’s Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant in Llano County is the first Texas site to be awarded a permit to emit under the new system. The power plant will run on natural gas.

“The new LCRA plant will use improved environmental controls and install modern high efficiency equipment,” EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz said in a press release out today.

A spokesperson for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality told the Associated Press that the Agency was please the LCRA could move forward with the project. However, the Agency still doesn’t believe the EPA needs to be involved in permitting in Texas.

“We see no need for — or any environmental benefit from — EPA’s greenhouse gas permit,” said Andy Saenz, a TCEQ spokesman. “The TCEQ authorized the project on Sept. 1, 2011 after careful review that determined the permit was protective of the environment and fully compliant with all state environmental regulations.”

The EPA took over the Texas greenhouse gas permitting program after Texas refused to go along with new regulations that State officials, including Goeverner Rick Perry called over-reaching.

Texas was the only state that refused to comply with the new rules.