HomeMy WebLinkAbout031379 RES - 02/27/2018 RESOLUTION
RECOMMEND RESTORATION OF FUNDING TO THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING AND
MITIGATION PROGRAMS FOR NEAR NON-ATTAINMENT COMMUNITIES
ESSENTIAL TO REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIONAL AMBIANT AIR
QUALITY STANDARDS (NAAQS) FOR OZONE ESTABLISHED BY THE UNITED
STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY THROUGH THE CLEAN AIR
ACT.
WHEREAS, Texas communities like Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Granbury,
Killeen/Temple, Longview/Tyler/Marshall, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco have efficiently
and effectively utilized funding provided in the General Appropriations Act in a rider to the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality(TCEQ) to implement air quality monitoring, and
mitigation strategies to remain in compliance with current and proposed National Ambient Air
Quality Standard for Ozone by the United States Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) as
authorized in the federal Clean Air Act; and
WHEREAS, the Clean Air Act directs the states to develop state implementation plans (SIPs),
applicable to appropriate industrial sources in the state, in order to achieve ozone standards, the
lack of funding for near non-attainment communities resulting from a line item veto by Governor
Greg Abbott in the 2018-2019 General Appropriations Act prevents impacted communities to
implement strategies in the adopted Texas SIP, and local governments do not have the financial
capacity to assume the responsibilities of an unfunded mandate by the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS, the health and quality of life for millions of Texas residents in near non-attainment
communities has benefitted greatly from the strategies, services and programs implemented at
the local level by local governments, businesses, and industry to reduce ozone levels and remain
in compliance with federal standards; and
WHEREAS, the Corpus Christi air-shed remains in attainment of the most recently established
ozone standards announced by the EPA in 2015 of 70 parts per billion (ppb); and
WHEREAS, two programs in Corpus Christi served to ensure the Corpus Christi air-shed's
continued attainment of ozone standards: Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Pollution
Prevention Partnership's vehicle emissions reduction program, and Texas A&M University
Kingsville's ozone air monitor program; and
WHEREAS, both the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Pollution Prevention Partnership's
vehicle emissions reduction program, and Texas A&M University Kingsville's ozone air monitor
program relied on funding through the TCEQ's Clean Air Account No. 151; and
WHEREAS, Rider funding to support the continuation of the Texas A&M University Corpus
Christi Pollution Prevention Partnership's vehicle emissions reduction program and Texas A&M
University Kingsville's ozone air monitor program was vetoed after adjournment of the 85th
Regular Session of the Texas Legislature by Governor Abbott after it had been recommended by
the Legislative Budget Board, and adopted without opposition by both the Texas House of
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Representatives and the Texas Senate, stripping these critical programs of the funding needed to
continue; and
WHEREAS, without restoration of funding by the 86th Texas Legislature, both the Texas A&M
University Corpus Christi Pollution Prevention Partnership's vehicle emissions reduction
program and Texas A&M University Kingsville's ozone air monitor program will cease to
operate thereby risking Corpus Christi air-shed's continued attainment designation of ozone
standards; and
WHEREAS, the Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Pollution Prevention Partnership's
vehicle emissions reduction program protects Corpus Christi's attainment status of ozone
standards by providing over 10 tons of reductions of ozone causing emissions each year at a cost
of approximately$4,700 per ton compared to the possible costs of$50,000 a ton or more for
offset emissions should a development choose to site in Corpus Christi that no longer attains
ozone standards; and
WHEREAS, without the restoration of funding to the TCEQ by the 86th Texas Legislature,
Corpus Christi is striped of the only program that works to reduce the mobile source emissions
that are a significant 30 percent contributor to Corpus Christi's ozone causing emissions; and
WHEREAS, without the restoration of funding provided by the 86'h Texas Legislature, Corpus
Christi is striped of the ozone research monitors that support proving and documenting
transported emissions that are not generated in our air-shed, and possible consideration for
attainment designations; and
WHEREAS, the economic burden on the State of Texas to bring a non-attainment community
back into attainment is far greater than the cost to restore funding that assists struggling
attainment communities to remain an attainment community in the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS, the economic burden for a business to obtain a permit to locate or expand in Corpus
Christi is significantly increased should funding for the TCEQ not be restored by the 86th Texas
Legislature and Corpus Christi loses the critical ozone attainment protection programs of the
Texas A&M University Corpus Christi Pollution Prevention Partnership's vehicle emissions
reduction program and Texas A&M University Kingsville's ozone air monitor program
programs, and fall into non-attainment of ozone standards; and
WHEREAS, the Corpus Christi air-shed prides itself on being a national leader in voluntary
actions and programs that work to keep our industrial based community in attainment of
toughened ozone standards;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that:
Section 1. The Corpus Christi air-shed's continued attainment of ozone standards is critical to
public and economic health, and
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Section 2. Appropriations to TCEQ to provide for the continuation of air-shed programs that
work to reduce emissions and monitor ozone sources must be restored by the 86th Texas
Legislature; and
Section 3. We, the City of Corpus Christi, do hereby urge the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Senate and Texas House of
Representatives to restore funding to the TCEQ in the FY 2020-2021 General Appropriations
Act for air quality programs in all near non-attainment communities.
ATTEST:
G��e�►' 1 A•
Rebecca Huerta Jo� Comb
City Secretary M. •
Corpus Christi, Texas
On the cY 11h of Ph r arr , 2018.
The above resolution was passed by the ollowing vote:
Joe McComb otw.
Rudy Garza
Paulette Guajardo AR
Michael Hunter
Debbie Lindsey-Opel Al_
Ben Molina c
Lucy Rubio
Greg Smith _
Carolyn Vaughn
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