EPA regulations force Texas utility layoffs and closures
A recent spotlight and news release from Texas-based utility, Luminant, highlights the drastic changes being brought about by new EPA regulations.
The text of the spotlight indicates that the utility has been forced to idle at least two coal-fueled generation units and cease mining activities at as many as three Texas lignite mines. Early estimates forecast the loss of approximately 500 jobs.
Luminant officials have begun legal actions against the EPA, seeking to “invalidate CSAPR as to Texas” and limit the direct impacts on Luminant operations. They further state that the sudden and unexpected addition of Texas to the impending Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) earlier this summer and extremely short time frame to implement the regulated changes (January, 2012) have left them with no other options but closures and layoffs.
“As always, Luminant is committed to complying fully with EPA regulations. We have spent the last two months identifying all possible options to meet the requirements of this new rule, and we are launching a significant investment program to reduce emissions across our facilities,” said David Campbell, Luminant’s chief executive officer. “However, meeting this unrealistic deadline also forces us to take steps that will idle facilities and result in the loss of jobs,” said Campbell.
“We have hundreds of employees who have spent their entire professional careers at Luminant and its predecessor companies,” added Campbell. “At every step of this process, we have tried to minimize these impacts, and it truly saddens me that we are being compelled to take the actions we’ve announced today. We have filed suit to try to avoid these consequences.”
Read the full text of the Luminant statement and list of proposed changes and closures on the Luminant website.
so how exactly does this post relate to the current change imposed from the UN?
Actually it probably does not relate to the UN in any way. This is discussing EPA regulations, not UN policy. But thanks for commenting.