July
7, 2018
Jon Niermann, TCEQ Commissioner
Toby Baker, TCEQ Commissioner
Stephanie Bergeron Perdue, Interim Executive
Director
MC 100
12100 Park 35 Circle
Austin, TX 78753
Re: Pollution cleanup benchmarks
Dear
TCEQ:
Since at least the time of Teddy Roosevelt,
it has been an element of American conservatism for all levels of government,
including the states, to conserve natural resources and protect against
pollution. Today, Texas needs to do more to vindicate that legacy.
Specifically, we, as lifelong citizens and as owners
of both urban and rural land of Texas, need pollution cleanup benchmarks
that are robust—at least as strong as
the national standards. More granularly, we of this household want Texas’s “Protective
Concentration Limits” to be no higher than the federal Superfund
Chemical Data Matrix benchmarks for the same contaminants contained in the
same media.
This matter is of highest importance to us, and to our two sons and two daughters in
law, plus our three grandchildren—who
are growing up in an increasingly dangerous environment due to the historical
and current and, no doubt, future releases of toxic and unhealthy chemicals in
our state.
We are personally aware of instances of birth
defects and other horrifying effects on children that cancer-causing and other
toxic chemicals have caused.
Compliance with environmental laws and regulations
does of course cost the businessman money.
If a businessman could keep these dangerous substances contained within their own places of business, we
would not care. BUT they cannot—and when they take actions and engage in
activities that cause or permit these substances to travel through space and
time and to reach us, our Dallas house, and our other rural properties, AND to
contact (by air or water) our grandchildren, then we most certainly DO CARE,
and we object and we insist that such businessmen not thereby inflict these
dangers outside the confines of their places of business….and to clean them up
when they do release such chemicals beyond their own places.
It appears to us that the State of Texas is not
acting with urgency to live up to the imperative of conservation and the protection
of the citizens (and their properties) that should be done. Protecting against
pollution and taking active steps to clean up pollution is not anti-business;
rather it is in the American tradition of Teddy Roosevelt.
We ask for your commitment to cleanup benchmarks at
least as strong as the national benchmarks. Please advise.
Many
thanks,
/s/