Texas lawyer wants extra pollution controls nixed

Recent Cases

A lawyer representing the energy industry has filed a petition with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality seeking a relaxation of rules governing air-borne pollution that he says compel Texas businesses to pick up the tab for foreign polluters.

Attorney Jed Anderson said states should not be forced to make deeper cuts in smog-forming emissions to meet federal limits because of wind-borne pollution from places such as Mexico.

"It's important to push for cleaner air, but we need to do it in a way that is just and fair," said Anderson, of Houston.

He filed the petition last week, the Houston Chronicle reported Monday.

TCEQ has 60 days to respond to the petition. If the agency agrees with Anderson, it could ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to revise the rules.

Federal law gives states the primary responsibility for assuring that the air is safe to breathe. The law allows an exception if foreign pollution is the only reason that an area does not comply with smog limits, but that is difficult to prove.

Related listings

  • IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn to plead not guilty

    IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn to plead not guilty

    Recent Cases 05/23/2011

    Former International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn will plead not guilty to sexual assault charges and will be acquitted, his lawyer says. In an interview with Israel's Haaretz newspaper today, Benjamin Brafman said he ...

  • 4 ex-Auburn players indicted on felony charges

    4 ex-Auburn players indicted on felony charges

    Recent Cases 05/19/2011

    Four former Auburn football players have been indicted on felony robbery and burglary charges by a Lee County grand jury. Court documents posted online Wednesday show that Michael McNeil, Antonio Goodwin, Shaun Kitchens and Dakota Mosley were indicte...

  • Minn. court: Defendant may withdraw guilty plea

    Minn. court: Defendant may withdraw guilty plea

    Recent Cases 05/16/2011

    The Minnesota Court of Appeals says defendants may withdraw a guilty plea if they are not told a conviction could result in deportation. The court on Monday sided with Rene Reyes Campos. Campos said if he knew he risked being deported for a convictio...

New York Commercial Litigation Law Firm - Woods Lonergan PLLC

Founded in 1993 by Managing Partner James F. Woods, Woods Lonergan PLLC has built a strong reputation as a resourceful and industrious firm that provides clients with clear, concise, and straightforward answers to their most challenging legal issues. Partner Lawrence R. Lonergan, who joined the firm in 2008, has been a friend and colleague to Mr. Woods for over 40 years and shares the same business philosophy. Woods Lonergan PLLC’s collective experience and expertise enables the firm to expeditiously and effectively analyze the increasing challenges clients face in an evolving business and legal world, in many instances, avoiding unnecessary time and expense to our clients. Our mission is simple: provide cutting-edge expertise and sound advice in select areas of the law for corporate and business clients. We thrive on providing each client with personalized attention, forceful representation, and a collaborative team effort that embraces collective knowledge.

Business News

New York Adoption and Family Law Attorneys Our attorneys have represented adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoption agencies. >> read