E.P.A. Finalizes Greenhouse Gas Permit for Tenaska Brownsville Generating Plant; $500M facility will bring 600-700 construction jobs to Brownsville, TX, area

DALLAS - (Jan. 26, 2014) Today, the E.P.A. (EPA) issued a final greenhouse gas (GHG) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) construction permit to Tenaska Brownsville Partners L.P., to construct a natural gas-fired electric generating plant. The Tenaska Brownsville Generating Plant will be located in Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas.

"Tenaska's plan takes advantage of our clean-burning natural gas resources," said Regional Administrator Ron Curry. "The company has also demonstrated stewardship of Texas' invaluable historic landmarks with considerations for Palo Alto Battlefield park."

Tenaska will construct natural gas-fired turbines connected to electric generators. Exhaust from the turbines will be recovered to power a steam-turbine generator. The estimated capital cost of the plan is about $500 million. Constructing the facility will create 600-700 temporary jobs, with 23 full-time jobs when the facility is operational.

EPA's issuance of this permit includes consideration for the nearby Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park. As part of the project, Tenaska has agreed to mitigation and minimization measures of in excess of $2.1 million over time for plans to preserve and enhance the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Landmark and its historic park.

In June 2010, E.P.A. finalized national GHG regulations, which specify that beginning on Jan. 2, 2011, plans that substantially increase GHG emissions require an air permit.

Since Jan. 2, 2011, plans in Texas that increase GHG emissions required an air permit from the EPA. In Texas alone, E.P.A. has received 93 GHG permit applications from businesses since 2011. Texas is No. one in the country for receiving EPA-issued GHG permits - with over 60 permits being issued by EPA.

On Oct. 31, 2014, E.P.A. announced both its approval of the state air project and the withdrawal of the federal air project making Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) the primary GHG permitting authority in Texas. The approval became effective upon publication in the Federal Register on Nov. 10. This action eliminates the need for businesses to seek air permits from 2 separate regulatory agencies in Texas and moves the permitting plan to TCEQ.

E.P.A. and TCEQ will continue to work closely with pending permit applicants during the transition period and ensure no unnecessary plan delays result from this action. At the request of businesses in Texas, E.P.A. will complete work on 2 permit applications, with the remaining applications transferred to TCEQ.

For all of the latest information on GHG permits in Texas please visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/r6/Apermit.nsf/AirP

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