Abbott Picks TCEQ to Manage Clean Air Settlement Funds

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Dec. 4 announced his selection of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as the lead agency for Texas’ participation in the Environmental Mitigation Trust.

The trust was established in 2016 and early 2017 by the settlement of certain federal Clean Air Act claims against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche related to the car companies’ use of “defeat devices” to pass emission standard tests. As a participating state, Texas must develop a draft mitigation plan outlining how it would spend its $209 million share of the settlement funds in efforts to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides.

“Our agency looks forward to developing a plan to efficiently administer these funds to help address issues associated with the emission of nitrogen oxides, which leads to ozone formation,” said TCEQ Commissioner Jon Niermann. “We look forward to working with all stakeholders to develop a plan that effectively mitigates the emissions from vehicles that did not meet the emission standards.”

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