Texas industrial projects can now count pollution cuts against new emissions

US environmental regulators approved a change to how Texas calculates air pollution from new industrial projects. This means companies can now subtract emission reductions from other parts of a project when deciding if they need a major air permit.

For years, new industrial projects often triggered strict air pollution permits if any part of them increased emissions, even if other parts reduced pollution. This change means companies in Texas can now bundle emission increases and decreases within a single project, potentially avoiding costly and time-consuming permit reviews.