At Gov. Goodhair's Request, EPA Gives Houston 9 More Years To Fix "Severe" Smog Status - Chronicle

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At the request of Gov. Rick Perry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday granted the eight-county Houston region an extra nine years to meet federal health standards for smog-forming ozone by formally classifying the problem as "severe." The long-awaited decision ties Houston to Los Angeles in an unenviable way — they are the only two places in the nation with a severe smog problem, according to the EPA.

Ozone is formed when emissions from tailpipes and smokestacks mix with sunlight. The toxic, colorless gas can damage the lungs, cause headaches and nausea and aggravate asthma. Houston's car-dependent lifestyle, large concentration of industry and weather give the area one of the nation's longest smog seasons. Still, the EPA had classified the region's problem as "moderate" with a 2010 deadline for compliance.

In its ruling, the EPA deferred to the governor's request, saying that states have the right to volunteer for a higher classification. The new deadline is June 2019.

Matthew Tejada, executive director of the Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention, said the EPA's decision came as no surprise, but reflected a broken process. "What are we doing here?" he said. "We've just done a bureaucratic dance, and we're not any closer to clean air."

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