The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has scheduled meetings to inform stakeholders of the pending draft revisions to the Emissions Banking and Trading (EBT) rules in 30 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 101, Subchapter H, Divisions 1 and 3.
The meetings will focus specifically on draft rule amendments regarding the generation and use of emission credits by area and mobile sources.
The meetings are open to the public and anyone interested may attend. Meetings are scheduled for:
- Houston: Dec. 6, 2016, 2:00–5:00 pm, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Auditorium, 7600 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77007;
- Dallas-Fort Worth: Dec. 7, 2016, 2:00–5:00 pm, The Regional Forum Room at North Central Texas Council of Governments, 616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, TX 76011; and
- Austin: Dec. 9, 2016, 9:00–11:30 am, TCEQ Headquarters, Building E, Room 201, 12100 Park 35 Circle, Austin, TX 78753.
The current EBT rules allow an area or mobile source to generate emission reduction credits (ERCs) from emission reductions that are demonstrated to be real, quantifiable, permanent, enforceable, and surplus to the state implementation plan (SIP) and all applicable rules. The current rules also allow an area or mobile source to generate discrete emission reduction credits (DERCs) from reductions that are real, quantifiable, and surplus to the SIP and all applicable rules.
However, research shows significant implementation issues associated with ensuring that area and mobile source credits meet the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Clean Air Act (FCAA) requirements.
To address implementation issues associated with generating and using area and mobile credits, the TCEQ is considering proposing new requirements related to:
- the types of sources that would be eligible to generate credits;
- the quantity of credits that could be generated by area and mobile sources;
- the timeframe for credit generation; and
- record keeping and reporting.
These potential new requirements, as well as any suggestions raised by meeting participants, will be discussed at these meetings.