Commentary
White Stallion Energy Center Update
The last day of August marked a possible turning of the tide in Matagorda County. At a No Coal Coalition public meeting focused on water use by the proposed White Stallion coal plant, County Judge Nate McDonald opened the evening’s events by dropping a bombshell. After months of dialogue and a bit of brinksmanship with White Stallion’s backers, plus recent discussions with other Matagorda County commissioners, Judge McDonald announced to the assembled public that the County was not in support of the White Stallion coal plant. Although the County does not have the immediate authority to stop construction of the coal plant, such a statement of non-support is a definite victory for the people of Matagorda County and the rest of the Houston region.
Over the summer, Judge McDonald and White Stallion’s backers had engaged in a staring contest. The Judge had requested specific answers from and legally binding commitments to be made by White Stallion Energy Center by certain deadlines. White Stallion fired back, demanding that the County officially issue statements of support for the coal plant to permitting authorities such as the TCEQ and the Army Corps of Engineers by August 15. The demands of neither were met, which led Judge McDonald, in his public statement, to announce that he did not feel confident that White Stallion was in Matagorda County’s best interest.
Overwhelming public opposition to the plant now matched by local political opposition begs a fundamental question: can a local authority such as a county stop a major industrial facility such as a coal plant? County commissioners can, as any elected official, write a letter to authorities such as the TCEQ voicing their concerns about or opposition to a permit application. A formal expression of opposition, one of the fundamental tools available to citizens, will certainly carry more weight if penned by local elected officials and we sincerely hope that Judge McDonald and his colleagues will issue such a letter. But local elected officials cannot, of course, stop a state or federal agency from issuing a permit.
If a plant such as White Stallion was to receive all the necessary state and federal permits, are there any other avenues for a county to block the construction of a new facility? Could a county refuse to issue any necessary building or utility permits? Would the Matagorda County officials be willing to deploy such a tactic if it were available to them?
Needless to say, the fight to stop construction of the White Stallion coal plant in Matagorda County is far from over. We are still waiting to see what impact the negative decision by the State Office of Administrative Hearings on White Stallion’s air permit application will have when the permit finally comes before the TCEQ. The Lower Colorado River Authority and the Army Corps of Engineers have yet to issue their final permits and State Senator Glenn Hegar, Chair of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, has also raised concerns over the coal plant and water use. But leadership at the county level – from dedicated citizens like those organizing the No Coal Coalition and now Judge McDonald – can make all the difference in protecting the health and environmental quality of Matagorda and entire Houston region.
