HomeMy WebLinkAbout024230 RES - 09/19/2000RESOLUTION
URGING THE TEXAS NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION
COMMISSION TO CONTINUE ITS SUPPORT FOR THE FLEXIBLE
ATTAINMENT REGION MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FOR
NUECES AND SAN PATRICIO COUNTIES AND OPPOSING THE
APPLICATION OF PORTIONS OF THE "HOUSTON-GALVESTON
CLEAN AIR RULES AND PLANS" TO NUECES AND SAN PATRICIO
COUNTIES
WHEREAS, Texas has complex air quality issues requiring a regional approach to
assure clean air for all of Texas; and
WHEREAS, in 1996 Nueces and San Patricio Counties acting through the Corpus
Christi Air Quality Committee finalized a five-year plan for identifying actions that have
been implemented by residents and businesses on a voluntary basis to control and
reduce air pollution including ambient ozone, and said plan was formalized in a flexible
attainment region memorandum of agreement approved by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission; and
WHEREAS, residents and businesses of Nueces and San Patricio Counties have
faithfully carried out the provisions of the plan embodied in that agreement successfully
reducing and controlling ambient ozone so that Nueces and San Patricio Counties
comprising the Corpus Christi urban airshed are in attainment of the National Ambient
Air Quality Standard for ozone adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
pursuant to the Clean Air Act, including both the standard based on a one hour average
and the standard based on an eight hour average, and gaining recognition for their
efforts:
Mr. Jeffrey A. Saitas, Executive Director, Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission, said to the Senate Natural Resources Committee in Corpus Christi
on June 29, 2000, that the Corpus Christi area should be recognized for its
proactive efforts to control ambient ozone, and that the results are showing up on
the monitors; and
Mr. Carl E. Edlund, P.E., Director, Planning and Permitting Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 said in Corpus Christi on August 8,
2000, that the Corpus Christi area has received national recognition for its
proactive and successful efforts to control ambient ozone and maintain
attainment status; and
WHEREAS, prior to completion of the five year plan in 2001, Nueces and San Patricio
Counties acting through the Corpus Christi Air Quality Committee intend to develop a
new five year plan of voluntary measures to assure continued attainment status, and to
seek approval by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Natural
Resource Conservation Commission; and
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WHEREAS, local small businesses have participated in an extremely effective voluntary
emissions reduction program administered by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the
Pollution Prevention Partnership, on the basis that their efforts would remove the need
for mandatory control requirements and the TNRCC's extension of controls to the area
as a component of rules intended to satisfy the requirements of a SIP for the Houston-
Galveston area is viewed as a violation of their trust will lead to their dropping out of the
program; and
WHEREAS, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission reviewed proposed
"Houston-Galveston Clean Air Rules and Plans" at its meeting on August 9, 2000, and
took action to authorize its staff to formally propose said rules; and
WHEREAS, three of the rules would apply to residents and businesses of Nueces and
San Patricio Counties and increase costs for living and conducting business, including a
rule that would increase the cost of air conditioning by requiring use of a commercially
unproven technology; and
WHEREAS, research funded from local sources in Nueces and San Patricio Counties
and performed by the Environmental Engineering Program of Texas A&M University -
Kingsville has shown conclusively that that air emissions in Nueces and San Patricio
Counties does not affect the level of ambient ozone in Houston (and indeed does not
affect the non-attainment status of any urban area in Texas) and this conclusion has
been reviewed, verified and agreed to by staff of the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission has worked hard to
confirm the regional transportation of ozone precursors, indicating a need for a regional
strategy for eastern and central Texas, but has not yet made the sound science effort to
determine if Nueces and San Patricio Counties should be included in such a regional
strategy, and inclusion of Nueces and San Patricio Counties in the proposed strategy
for eastern and central Texas is not supported by sound science; and
WHEREAS, it is important to all of Texas that businesses be free to locate where the air
is clean and the capacity for growth exists without the onerous restrictions of non-
attainment areas;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission is urged to
continue its partnership with the residents and businesses of Nueces and San Patricio
Counties by modifying the proposed "Houston-Galveston Clean Air Rules and Plans" to
eliminate rules proposed for Nueces and San Patricio Counties and instead provide
recommendations which can be considered for inclusion in the next five year plan and
renewal of the flexible attainment region memorandum of agreement in 2001.
SECTION 2. The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission is urged to
modify the proposed "Houston-Galveston Clean Air Rules and Plans" so that the
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regional strategy is based on sound science and does not include Nueces and San
Patricio Counties.
SECTION 3. The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission is urged to
modify the proposed "Houston-Galveston Clean Air Rules and Plans" so that the rules
do not affect Nueces and San Patricio Counties or any other areas of the state that do
not affect air quality in Houston.
ATTEST:
Armando Chapa
City Secretary
APPROVED:/z'//l~day of .~/~'~--
James R. Bray Jr.
City Attorney
By: Firstant City ,~ttorney
R. J R ~ning
THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
,2000.
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Corpus Christi~ Tex s
The above resolution was passed by the foliowine vote:
Samuel L. Neal, Jr.
Javier D. Colmenero
Melody Cooper
Henry Garrett
Dr. Arnold Gonzales
Rex A. Kinnison
Betty Jean Longoria
John Longoria
Mark Scott
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