Plants Shouldn’t Push Ozone Level Higher, Expert Says

By Greg Bowen, Victoria Advocate, Texas

Mar. 10–Emissions from two proposed new power plants in Calhoun County shouldn’t cause already-high ozone levels in Victoria County to rise above federal air-quality limits.

That’s what University of Texas research scientist Cyril Durrenberger told members of Air Victoria on Thursday.

Air Victoria, a non-profit group working to cut ozone and promote compliance with clean-air standards, contracted with UT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Resources to conduct computer modeling designed to predict the impact of the proposed power plants on Victoria’s air.

Permits for both plants, which would be located in Point Comfort, are now being reviewed by state regulators.

One power plant would be built by Taiwan-based Formosa Plastics, the other by NuCoastal Power of Houston.

The Formosa plant would burn pet coke, a fuel produced during the petroleum-refinement process, supplemented by coal. The NuCoastal plant would be fired exclusively by pet coke.

Last month, a coalition of environmental groups said the proposed plants’ emissions may affect Victoria’s air quality and push it closer to “non-attainment” status.

Victoria County has been identified as being near non-attainment, or close to exceeding federal pollution standards for ozone.

Exceeding those limits could force measures such as more stringent and costly standards for getting a vehicle-inspection sticker or even restrictions on the building of new industry.

Durrenberger said Victoria’s average for ozone over the last three years has been 78 parts per billion.

He said a reading of 85 parts per billion would violate national air quality standards.

Ozone can damage lung tissue, aggravate respiratory disease and make people more susceptible to respiratory infections.

UT’s computer modeling shows that the two proposed power plants in Calhoun County would add an average of 1.04 parts per billion of ozone to Victoria County’s air.

That would put the county’s critical parts-per-billion level at just above 79.

“I do not think the power plants are going to cause Victoria to have the standard of 85 threatened,” Durrenberger said.

County Judge Don Pozzi summed things up:

“It’s fair to say that Victoria County will certainly be OK as far as those two plants, even in a worst-case scenario, impacting the ozone levels,” the judge said.

He asked the UT team making Thursday’s presentation how high the parts-per-billion number would have to rise before the community is teetering too “dangerously close to non-attainment.”

The city of Austin has established 83.6 as a “comfortable enough margin for them,” Durrenberger said.

The researcher also pointed out that Texas regulators considering issuing permits for the power plants will not take into account the plants’ impact on Victoria County’s ozone.

Pozzi suggested that state and federal lawmakers should look into changing laws so that such impacts are considered in the future by permitting agencies.

Pozzi also suggested that Air Victoria continue to work for the reduction in the amount of ozone that is transported into the county from other areas. The UT researchers said about 96 percent of the ozone in Victoria County comes from Houston and other out-of-county areas.

Joni Brown, local air quality program coordinator, also said city and county residents should continue to make efforts to cut locally produced ozone as much as possible.

Suggested steps residents can take include such things as limiting driving, carpooling, keeping vehicles properly maintained, refueling cars and trucks after 5 p.m., conserving electricity by turning off lights not in use and using gas-powered lawn equipment after 5 p.m.

Jerry James, the city of Victoria’s director of environmental services, whose office coordinates local air-quality efforts, said the UT computer-modeling work was funded by grants received by Air Victoria.

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