Austin’s air quality could soon become a roadblock for the city’s economic growth.
This could be the third year in a row that Austin’s ozone emissions surpass Environmental Protection Agency limits, giving the city potential for a non-attainment grade, a measurement of emission levels. Non-attainment could bring federal restrictions that may last up to 20 years, said Austin Energy spokesman Fred Blood.
“Some [restrictions] have to do with transportation, some have to do with permitting, which would slow down industrial growth,” Blood said. “If we want to continue economic growth and get out of this slump, we need to stay in attainment.”
The agency bases grading on a rolling three-year average of ozone levels, using the fourth-highest daily measurement from each year. Emissions are measured in ozone particles that trigger air pollution. The city has already had three days with emissions over the EPA’s limit, which changed from 77 parts per billion to 75 parts per billion last year and is intended to protect human health and the environment.
“This year is the most important air quality year we’ve had in 10 years, because we’ve always been a little below attainment, and they just lowered [the limit] last year,” Blood said. “So it looks like we’ll have some trouble this year.”
He said the city is making a big effort not to exceed the limits.
“What you’re seeing this summer is what we call the ‘big push,’” Blood said. “This is the third year, and we’re right on the border and the highest [emission] days are usually in August and September.”
Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger said staying within the limit will take a lot of effort.
“What it’s going to take is getting cars off the road — more people taking advantage of mass transit and carpooling,” Metzger said.
Metzger said that Oak Grove Power Plant, which is being built just east of Tyler by energy company Luminant, could make it impossible to reach attainment.
“That’s going to keep us in non-attainment for a long time,” Metzger said. “Austin doesn’t really have a lot of heavy industry, so our problem is primarily cars and trucks. There are definitely things we can do to reduce pollution, but with this new coal-fired power plant, we feel powerless to eliminate pollution.”
Ashley Monts, spokeswoman for Luminant, said the plant has already been cleared by the Environmental Protection Agency.
“When Oak Grove Power Plant becomes fully operational in 2010, it will have lower emissions rates than any existing lignite plant in the state and rates at least 75 percent lower than the national average for coal plants,” Monts said. “Additionally, both the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the EPA have approved air permits for Oak Grove and deemed them protective of public health and the environment.”
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