Mayors Fume Over Emissions Plan

Mayor Bill White’s been trying to get the city of Houston to take a stronger role in pollution reduction, but it hasn’t been going smoothly. First, he faced opposition in the city council, and now, thanks to his plan to negotiate lower benzene emissions with plants in neighboring cities, he’s being opposed by nearby mayors. They say that he has no right to impose restrictions that will harm businesses in their cities, not his.

After all, only one of the seven initial plants targeted by the benzene reduction plan is actually in the city of Houston. But Houston officials say that they have every right, since most of the pollution in Houston’s air doesn’t come from inside city limits. They also say that the plan is voluntary, although if the plants won’t cooperate they will oppose any move they make to expand.

Benzene is a nasty substance, and Houston is known for pollution, so hopefully this will be worked out before we all want to invest in gas masks.