Luminant, a subsidiary of Energy Future, has filed an application with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for reconsidering the criteria of its final Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. This filing requests the EPA to reconsider the part of the rule relating to electric producing units in Texas and make it ineffective from 1 January, 2012.
The EPA’s reconsideration grant would allow Luminant and other stakeholders of Texas to remark on Texas inclusion in the final rule. Luminant’s request offers a chance for the EPA to know the company’s opinion about the rule. Luminant made a request in its petition that without proper notice and chance to comment, the EPA has ordered that Texas must largely decrease NOx emissions and cut 50% of its SO2 emissions within a period of less than 5 months, which is impossible and an unprecedented acquiescent.
Generally, the time for allowing, building, and mounting of new emission controls would take several years of implementation but the rule just offers less than 6 months time. Hence, the only solution is the curtailing of mine and/or plant operations. The state would tolerate the burden of 25% of SO2 reduction forced under the EPA rule. This amount is over double the contribution made by the state to the entire SO2 emissions among all states coming under this rule.
The EPA is announcing all these CSAPR slashing because the agency expects some contribution to the attainment of air quality in Madison County, Illinois from Texas. These requirements will affect the electric grid ability of the state in supplying power to consumers and businesses in Texas and risk several high-paying jobs.
Source: http://www.luminant.com/