Clean Air: If report is valid, kilns will have to cut emissions

Dallas Morning News | Editorials:

“Local clean-air groups have argued for years that existing technologies could remove most of the smog-forming chemicals from the smoke discharged by Ellis County's 10 cement kilns. A draft report released by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has them saying, ‘We told you so.’ ... The cement makers aren't convinced that the technologies are as feasible as the study concludes. ... But for local officials who are struggling to meet steep federal targets for NOx reductions, the report looks rather like a life preserver would look to a drowning man. ‘We're going to have to do everything we can do,’ said Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher. Clean air, she emphasizes, is not a Republican issue, a Democratic issue, a liberal issue or a conservative issue. It's a public health issue.”

Ed Cognoski responds:

No, it's a Democratic issue. Business Republicans have consistently resisted clean air mandates, claiming to prefer to let the private sector solve the issue themselves. The result is delay. The cement industry's knee-jerk response to this latest draft report is typical. The cement makers aren't convinced. Not enough evidence. No proof. Again, no action.

There is one way we truly can turn the private sector to work on this problem. We can motivate the market to invent cost effective solutions. How? Impose an emissions tax on the cement makers. They will have an incentive to find a solution, instead of the incentive to delay provided by today's business-friendly approach. Once industry has the incentive, they will find a solution.