Houston region again fails to meet federal ozone requirement set 14 years ago Elena Craft - Erandi Treviño HEAD TOPICS
Houston region again fails to meet federal ozone requirement set 14 years ago
10/23/2022 5:20:00 AM Texas officials are in even deeper trouble with federal regulators this year because they
Elena Craft Erandi Treviño
Source Houston Chronicle
Texas officials are in even deeper trouble with federal regulators this year because they once again failed to protect Houston residents from dangerous ozone pollution. Texas officials are in even deeper trouble with federal regulators this year because they Experts say bold ideas, strong enforcement and big-picture thinking are needed to break with regional policies that fell short. The state meanwhile asked for more time before ratcheting up its 2008-related policiesHow possible it is to clean up ozone depends on who you're asking. Most agree that Texas has made progress in recent decades improving air quality. Others are less optimistic about cleaning it up in the next few years. The next big step to reducing ozone is changing the way transportation works, said Daniel Cohan, an atmospheric scientist at Rice University. But going from gas-powered vehicles to electric ones will take time. Cohan doesn't see a path for the state to come into compliance with the standards in the next five years. Read more:
Houston Chronicle » Republican candidates in Texas have double-digit lead in latest poll Around the State Fair of Texas: Saturday 10/22 - KRLD News Gov. Abbott extending his lead over Beto O'Rourke as election day approaches, poll shows How four Texas university systems are pitching themselves as the best new home for Stephen F. Austin State University Why We Experience Different Amounts of Daylight During the Year
NBC 7’s Brooke Martell explains why we experience different amounts of daylight during the year. Read more >> Republican candidates in Texas have double-digit lead in latest poll Texas Republicans are taking the lead in a new UT Austin- Texas Politics Project poll. Cool Hahaha! Ya right! The Governor who’s scared to debate in front of an audience of constituents, a Governor who won’t take questions from us, a Governor who does no town halls or interact with TX communities or constituents whatsoever, who just blows us off for a few rich donors😂 Around the State Fair of Texas: Saturday 10/22 - KRLD NewsIn collaboration with The State Fair of Texas , Newsradio 1080 KRLD introduces you to Around The State Fair, a specially dedicated event guide to everything that is going on around The State Fair of Texas this fall, 2022. Photo: The sun rises on the Texas Star ferris wheel at the Texas State Fair prior to the Texas Longhorns playing against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl. (Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports) Gov. Abbott extending his lead over Beto O'Rourke as election day approaches, poll shows Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is extending his lead over Democrat challenger Beto O'Rourke, according to a newly released University of Texas - Texas Politics Project poll. Poor, Beta. Hopefully 3rd time is the charm and Beto will realize he is not wanted in Texas. Maybe he should go try California or New York Shocked it’s that close. How four Texas university systems are pitching themselves as the best new home for Stephen F. Austin State UniversityThe SFA Board of Regents is expected to decide whether to join a system before the end of the semester. The Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech and University of Texas systems have all expressed interest in adding the Nacogdoches school to their folds. Go with Tech. Texas trooper fired for inaction during Uvalde school massacre: OfficialUVALDE, Texas — (UVALDE, Texas ) -- One of the first Texas state troopers to arrive at the scene of the May 24 elementary school mass shooting is being fired by the Texas Department of Public Safety, a spokesperson told ABC News. How four Texas university systems are pitching themselves as the best new home for Stephen F. Austin State UniversityThe SFA Board of Regents is expected to decide whether to join a system before the end of the semester. The Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech and University of Texas systems have all expressed interest in adding the Nacogdoches school to their folds. Braxtonhaynes3 👀 can cause coughing, difficulty breathing and increased asthma attacks.03:10 TEXAS (CBSDFW.Oct 22, 2022, 10:00 AM Description In collaboration with The State Fair of Texas, Newsradio 1080 KRLD introduces you to Around The State Fair, a specially dedicated event guide to everything that is going on around The State Fair of Texas this fall, 2022.Email Texas governor debate did little to change people's minds, recent poll shows The poll released by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion showed Republican Gov. Whether the state will get ozone numbers down ahead of the next deadline depends on how officials set about drafting and enforcing plans to meet the goals. Experts say bold ideas, strong enforcement and big-picture thinking are needed to break with regional policies that fell short. 21 shows Republican Governor Greg Abbott with an 11-percentage point lead over Democrat Beto O'Rourke, 54% to 43%. The state meanwhile asked for more time before ratcheting up its 2008-related policies , which aimed to bring ozone to a concentration of no more than 75 parts per billion. Texas officials said they cannot have a plan ready by early next year to meet the 2015 goal of 70 parts per billion. Governor Dan Patrick leads Democrat Mike Collier by 15-percentage points, 51% to 36%, and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has a 14-percentage point lead over Democrat Rochelle Garza, 51% to 37%. How possible it is to clean up ozone depends on who you're asking. The poll shows Gov. Most agree that Texas has made progress in recent decades improving air quality. Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project said Friday,"It feels like a pretty normal Texas election in a lot of ways given the fact that, and part of that is to say, it's not as though we're seeing dramatic shifts in the electorate that would make you think this is going to be something different or off the trend line or unusual. But the state in the past several years failed to take advantage of all the options available to reduce contamination, said Elena Craft, associate vice president for climate and health for the Environmental Defense Fund. Craft argued that large-scale change needed to be applied to a broad number of activities. Dallas County's Republican Party Chair, Jennifer Stoddard Hajdu said Friday they have campaigned hard on the issues voters are most concerned about. "It's possible to achieve these standards, and it's possible to reduce ozone even in places like Houston," Craft said."At the same time, it requires that (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality staffers) do their job in terms of putting together plans and inventories that are grounded in sound science, and it requires the agency holding polluters accountable. Blank said,"I think ultimately the national storyline has won out over the local storyline. The UT-Texas Politics Project did that showed Abbott with a 5-point lead. " Others are less optimistic about cleaning it up in the next few years. The next big step to reducing ozone is changing the way transportation works, said Daniel Cohan, an atmospheric scientist at Rice University." After the U. But going from gas-powered vehicles to electric ones will take time. Cohan doesn't see a path for the state to come into compliance with the standards in the next five years. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Another challenge in cutting emissions is the fact that industrial facilities and vehicles don't directly release ozone. Libertarian candidate Shanna Steele received support from 5% of people surveyed. They emit nitrogen oxides or volatile organic compounds, which combine on hot, sunny days to create ozone. Texas Democrats have focused their efforts on reproductive rights and Dallas County's Democratic Party Chair Kristy Noble said Friday the polls don't reflect the opportunity their party has. When ozone is high, people with asthma, people who work outdoors and children and the elderly are among those especially at risk. EXPLAINER: If you're seeing more text alerts on Houston air quality, you're not alone."I believe there's a story under the surface that isn't being told, but I think will be told on election day. Here's what to know. Experts explained that in the early years there were easy fixes for cutting ozone by stopping leaks at industrial facilities and putting in new technology to reduce air pollution. "For most people, they've been voting with their abortion politics all along and this just becomes incorporated in the environment, which really means the chance for a seismic shift is really limited when you consider it that way," Blank said. 24 and runs through Nov. More recently, that progress stalled, observed Victor Flatt, an environmental law professor at the University of Houston law school. The fracking boom and pipeline build-out led to more chemical plants being located in the area, which meant more pollution. Blank said,"The issue is the Democrats have and continue to have a hard time mobilizing those voters the same rates as Republicans in a state where there are more Republican voters than Democratic voters. Accidental releases continued to happen and enforcement was lax. But industry isn't the only culprit: Individual plants have invested millions of dollars to put environmental protections in place, the East Harris County Manufacturers Association said in a statement." Blank said,"I think the goal for a candidate like Collier was to saddle Patrick and Republicans with these failures. And emissions from industry sites no longer represent a majority source for the region's ozone problem, according to the group. The association said it still knew it has to do its part to reduce pollution." For his part, Patrick has spent the fall on a bus tour through rural areas in Texas. "Industry will continue to participate in the solution to achieve the more rigorous ozone standards that have been implemented throughout the decades by" the , the statement said."We recognize that air quality improvement will be attained only with an all-inclusive effort by all of us in the Greater Houston Region." In the Attorney General's race, Paxton's lead over Garza comes after he won a bruising primary fight against three well-funded challengers with statewide name recognition who sharply criticized his legal troubles." More from Emily Foxhall: Simonton residents wanted to escape air pollution. A concrete batch plant could bring it to them. He also is reportedly under investigation by the FBI after various top officials he hired at the Attorney General's Office came forward to publicly accuse him of bribery. Getting more people to carpool and switching buses and trucks to electric could help too, said Jennifer Hadayia, executive director of Air Alliance Houston. The advocate said she also hopes input from residents impacted by ozone pollution will be prioritized in the coming rounds of plan-making. Blank said,"Voters have already voted for Ken Paxton while he's under indictment and they've re-elected him. The solution has to be system-wide — it can't just be resolved by asking people to minimize their own pollution contributions. When the state forecasts high ozone days, Erandi Treviño tries to stay inside." He also cited Paxton's defense of President Donald Trump before many other Republicans did. But she runs a nursery, so it's not easy. She's also the Texas state coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force, which can require her to be outside too. I think polling shows she's made some pretty good progress but ultimately like all Democrats in Texas, it's a very big state, very expensive to campaign in and it's really hard to break through. Erandi Trevino works at her nursery, Verandi Secret Garden, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Jennifer Stoddard Hajdu, the Republican Party Chair said,"I don't see complacency at all on the part of Republicans. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer Knowing air quality is bad can leave people feeling frustrated, anxious and upset, especially to neighborhoods already dealing with other socioeconomic issues, Treviño said. They want action." Kristy Noble, the Democratic Party Chair said,"From our perspective, if we as Democrats, strong Democrats, low propensity Democrats who don't vote as often as we would like them to, we turn out, we run the table. In her view, this new ozone classification brings some hope. "I feel like once the EPA takes action... it’s going to have to force some changes and that’s what we really desperately need," Treviño said. Featured Environment Stories - .