By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-879110.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Governor Rick Perry is questioning the science behind the EPA's new, proposed ozone limits. KERA's Shelley Kofler reports Perry could take the EPA to court.
As expected, the EPA has recommended cutting the amount of allowable, ground-level ozone by up to 20 percent. That stricter standard would place nearly twice the number of Texas counties out of compliance with federal law and force them to adopt plans for further cutting air pollution. North Texas businesses in Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Collin and other counties could face new requirements for reducing ozone emissions, or be denied permits.
Governor Perry's appointed chairman to the state's environmental agency Byron Shaw told KERA the state may sue the federal government.
Shaw: There is always the opportunity if we chose to and felt we had standing to sue over such issues.
Governor Perry's office confirms that saying he will keep open all options including litigation.
Perry claims Texas has cut ozone by 22 percent in the past decade and the new standards would result in lost jobs.
State Representative Lon Burhham of Fort Worth joined a group of environmentalists in saying the Governor and chairman Shaw are ignoring important health studies.
Burnham: If the chairman wants to continue representing the flat earth society with respect to ozone he can continue to do so but he's not representing public health interests.
The battle lines may grow clearer during the next sixty days. That's the period the EPA has sent aside for public comment before turning ozone recommendations into new ozone laws.