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Mayor White traveled to Austin two weeks ago to speak to the state legislature about SB 1317, a bill that would prevent cities from creating ordinances that protect air quality. It was no secret that the bill was targeted at the mayor's recent move to minimize the pollution caused by refineries that lie outside Houston city limits. The bill, authored by State Sen. Mike Jackson (R - LaPorte), was passed by the Senate yesterday, despite the best efforts of several Houston-area senators.
Mario Gallegos, a Houston Democrat, tried to filibuster the bill, but gave up talking after about 30 minutes. No surprise, considering he's just back from a liver transplant. Other Houston Dems, Rodney Ellis and John Whitmire, argued against the bill as well. Those who oppose it believe that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has not done a sufficient job of limiting pollution. Gallegos called the TCEQ a "fox guarding the hen house," while Ellis commended Houston for "stepping forward to show leadership to do something about ambient air-quality standards because the state is not doing it." Mayor White commented on the bill after it had passed, with his usual good-for-health, good-for-the-economy rhetoric, encouraging the state to adopt the city's plan.
On the other side of the aisle were Mike Jackson and Kyle Janek, two Houston Republicans, who believe that this is a policy issue, not a public health one. Jackson said that the bill deals only with "city sovereignty," and that Houston cannot regulate activity in other cities. Janek chimed in, saying that "Houston is creating regulations other people have to live by. This is bad policy." He also added that he believes the TCEQ should adopt stricter standards.
A corresponding bill is still in committee in the House, so write to your representatives and let them know what you think.
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a bill that would prevent cities from creating ordinances that protect air quality.
That's not the most accurate description.
Cities can do quite a bit to protect air quality, but this bill would stop cities from using "nuisance" ordinances to try to impose THEIR environmental standards on OTHER cities.
The air quality in Houston is affected by what goes on in other cities. They can legislate all they want in Houston, but the major air pollution in the city comes from outside the city limits. Like Mayor White said: "We are not interested in reducing excessive emissions of air (toxics) placed in the air outside our city so long as folks keep it out of the lungs of people inside the city."