Texas: rootinest tootinest pollutinest

The Dallas Morning News gave us another example yesterday of how the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is promoting the interests of polluters rather than breathers (or as some like to call them, citizens). TCEQ is arguing that the EPA should not strengthen acceptable ozone limits, regardless of what the science says. This will continue to happen as long as we keep electing leaders who are in the pockets of the polluters and deny the science of climate change.

But there is evidence that we may be ever so slowly pulling our heads out of the sand. See this story from NPR this morning and you can see a glimmer of hope; it may take a new generation of voters and activism to get it done. We are set in our ways.

One good change the state is making – it is at least a step in the right direction – is to pull old polluting cars off the road. This program should roll out in January. Cynically, I think the only reason this got off the ground is that it benefits car dealerships. But if it also benefits air quality, then let’s give it a shot.

From the NPR story:

"Texas has had its head in the hot burning sands for quite some time," says Tom Smith, head of the Austin office of consumer group Public Citizen. "But now it's getting a little too hot and we're starting to look around to see what we can do about it."

UPDATE: Unfair Park linked to this story this morning as well, but Robert Wilonsky seems to be a little peeved at NPR stereotyping Texans. Or maybe he was being ironic. It's hard to tell!