Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Texas' oil and chemical industries are worried about a crackdown on pollution permits in the state.

The Environmental Protection Agency has scrapped the state's "flexible" permits. Those permits have allowed about 140 plants and refineries to exceed toxic emissions limits in the short term, provided they complied with overall federal averages in the long term.

The change is set to take effect next year.

Federal regulators say it's meant to cut toxic emissions and bring Texas in line with the Clean Air Act.

But industry groups warn that getting rid of the state program in favor of more rigid standards will hurt businesses crucial to the Texas economy. They also say the costs of compliance may hit consumers.