80th Legislature: Anderson Calls For 180 Day Moratorium On New Coal Plants

State Representative Charles “Doc” Anderson (R-Waco) has filed HCR 43 (sorry, no TLO link yet), which would put a 180-day moratorium on TCEQ approving new new permits for pulverized coal burning plants in Texas.

Although Anderson says Perry acted appropriately in 2005 when he fast-tracked the permitting process (that fast-tracking is now the subject of a lawsuit alleging the Governor abused his authority), circumstances have now changed, he says:

“Governor Perry acted prudently in 2005 when he fast-tracked the permitting process for new coal plants.  At that time the price of natural gas was more than $15 per MMBtu and two hurricanes had created serious production problems in the Gulf.  Today, however, natural gas in the $7 range and the Gulf production capacity has been restored.”

“We now have time”, Anderson continued, “to carefully analyze the effect of creating 18 new pulverized coal plants in Texas.  We must look at the cumulative effect on our environment.  Nine of the proposed plants are in a 50 mile radius of McLennan County.  We need to buy time for our affected cities, counties, and citizens to have their voices heard.  These people expect me to represent them, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.”

“We not only don’t want to further endanger existing ‘non-attainment’ areas, and we certainly don’t want to let Central Texas become a non-attainment area because of the tremendous detrimental effects on our health, quality of life and economic development.  We welcome new business and jobs in our area and we don’t object to companies making profits, but we must weigh the economic benefits against the potential environmental harm.”

Anderson said there “is not currently an electrical generating capacity crisis in Texas.” and that  “[e]xisting natural gas electrical generating plants are not operating at full capacity.  Texas needs continuing growth in electric power generation, but we must create new energy in a healthy and prudent manner.  The EPA has indicated that Texas (TCEQ) should consider the cumulative effect of the emissions from the new plants and not just consider each one individually.  The Supreme Court is considering a case that might require carbon sequestration in the United States, which could have a severe impact on coal plants.  A bill has been filed in the U.S. Senate to declare CO2 as a pollutant which could require costly retrofits to pulverized coal plants in order to recapture carbon.”