How businesses could help North Texas avoid $45M in poor air quality fines

For several years, Dallas-Fort Worth has failed to keep major air pollutants at or under federal limits. 

In order to avoid millions in fines, North Texas air quality planners are prompting industrial groups and businesses to take action to mitigate emissions. 

Sixteen oil and gas companies make up some of the major sources of air pollution in Tarrant County, accounting for 6% of nitrogen oxide emissions across 16 counties in North Texas, according to data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. 

Nitrogen oxide is one of the two gases that leads to the formation of ozone, a harmful gas that can cause respiratory problems and other health issues. 

Through the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has outlined limits on six major sources of air pollution, including ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter.

While Dallas-Fort Worth has kept most of those pollutants under the EPA’s limits, the region has long lagged and continues to fail to meet federal standards on ozone. 

The region could also be in violation of standards on particulate matter, said Chris Klaus, senior air quality program manager for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

As of data collected June 9, the Dallas-Fort Worth region’s ozone levels for 2023 to 2025 so far stand at 79 parts per billion. The EPA caps ozone at 70 parts per billion.

Industrial entities, such as power plants, refineries and cement plants, would bear the burden of federal fines if levels don’t meet federal limits. 

“If we continue to not be able to reach attainment, then there’s going to be fees and penalties prescribed through the Clean Air Act against point sources or (industries),” said Klaus. 

The council of governments projects those fees would come out to $45 million, if ozone levels are not brought down to be at or below 75 parts per billion by 2027.

 

Measures to minimize air pollutants

 

In a June 10 meeting, air quality planners with the council of governments, the agency tasked with monitoring air quality in the region’s 16 counties, proposed an array of best measures for businesses in order to minimize air pollutants, particularly ozone. 

Measures include recommendations outlined by the Comprehensive Roadmap to Reduce Emissions. The plan is under development by the state environmental commission through the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program in an effort to improve air quality across the state, said Savana Nance, principal air quality planner for the council of governments. 

The plan recommends industrial sources turn to low emissions alternate fuels such as hydrogen; use carbon capture and storage technologies; and adopt ultra-low global warming potential refrigeration technologies that use natural refrigerants with shorter atmospheric lifetimes. 

For oil and gas businesses, the state plan recommends business entities regularly replace motors and pumps, reduce flaring and capture methane emissions, and install more monitors to limit unintended emissions. 

State regulators urge other commercial businesses or other entities largely contributing to air pollution to include equipment to capture methane emissions from landfills and wastewater treatment plants, transition to solar energy, and add recycling equipment to reduce waste.

 

Potential funds to help

 

The plan points out federal and state funds to help North Texas polluters put the best practices into action. 

One of the funding programs is the Industrial Training and Assessment Centers. The development center offers grants to help small- to medium-sized manufacturing companies become energy efficient and reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Also outlined in the plan is the state environmental commission’s Texas Voluntary Marginal Conventional Well Plugging Program. The grant program assists oil and gas well owners to transition from conventional wells to well plugs. 

Well plugging involves placing a seal in low-producing oil and gas wells, which have been known to significantly contribute to methane and other air pollutants, according to the EPA.

“There are great programs that have a decent amount of funding that we encourage everyone to check out,” said Nance. 

Aside from the state environmental commission’s air quality plan, the council of governments is drafting the Dallas-Fort Worth Air Quality Improvement Plan. Since 2023, air quality officials have been working on the plan that addresses projected emissions and identifies practices to improve air quality through 2050. 

In a June 5 meeting, Nance and air quality planner Irlenia Hermosillo said the council of governments is working to add more measures focused on emissions generated through transportation. 

Through public meetings and surveys, Dallas-Fort Worth residents cited concerns about lack of public transportation, climate change and local air quality. This prompted the council of governments to home in on all contributing sources of air pollution. 

“This reinforced our decision to make sure that the (air quality improvement plan) was comprehensive and addresses criteria pollutants and (greenhouse gases),” Hermosillo said at the meeting.

 

Loans, economic incentives

 

Apart from preventive measures and grants, the council of governments discussed opportunities around loans and incentives to get businesses to do their part in managing emissions. 

Through the Property Assessed Clean Energy program, commercial, industrial and multifamily property owners can take out loans to finance low-cost energy efficiency and water conservation projects through voluntary assessments made on a property. 

This would help property owners see significantly lower utility costs, said Lori Clark, senior program manager at the council of governments. 

A slew of tax credits for clean energy-aligned projects for businesses and industries are available, too, said Clark. 

Thanks to the $369 billion in tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act, businesses can see larger tax returns through an array of projects including clean transportation, electric vehicles and clean energy usage. 

Clark emphasized the opportunity to meet with businesses or industrial facilities should business leaders need more information or assistance on applying for programs and funding.

“This is really just an educational opportunity that we wanted to make available for everybody.”

Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.

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