Freestone county ranks number one in sulfur dioxide emissions for the state of Texas according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality which reported the findings to county commissioners Monday afternoon.

The news should come as no surprise considering that Luminant's Big Brown Steam Electric Station and Mine located in Freestone County also ranks number one in sulfur dioxide emissions among Texas power plants and 23rd in sulfur dioxide emissions among power plants nationwide.

In 2006, the most recent year available for point source emission data, Big Brown reported emission of 96,221.11 tons of sulfur dioxide to TCEQ.

Currently there are no air monitors located in Freestone county despite the location of two power plants within its boundaries.

The nearest TCEQ monitors are located in Italy, Kaufman, Midlothian, Tyler and Waco with the only data for Freestone county provided by TCEQ's point source emission inventory.

The inventory includes emissions reported to the state agency by companies located within Freestone county such as Luminant, XTO Energy and Anadarko Gathering.

"I can't understand why there isn't a monitor in this county when we have two of the nastiest power plants in the United States," said Stanley Gregory.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency exposure to sulfur dioxide emissions

contributes to respiratory illness, particularly in children and the elderly, and aggravates existing heart and lung diseases.

Coal and petroleum contain sulfur compounds which generate sulfur dioxide during combustion. The primary source of sulfur dioxide emissions are coal-fired power plants.

In Texas there are 20 permitted coal mines listed through the Railroad Commission of Texas Surface Mining and Reclamation Division.

Luminant also plans to open a new lignite mine in Freestone county east of Lake Fairfield to continue providing fuel to Big Brown.

Permits for a third power plant in Freestone county were recently filed with TCEQ.

The proposed natural gas-fired generating plant, operated by MyPower Corporation of Houston, will be located at FM 416 and CR196 near Richland- Chambers Reservoir.

The county's population of approximately 19,000 is 31,000 residents short of the 50,000 required to qualify for a federally funded air monitor.

TCEQ representatives estimated initial cost to the county at $150,000 with $35,000-65,000 a year for maintenance.

The estimate does not include a $5,000 license to file data with TCEQ system which would also require $1,000 maintenance.

Commissioners approved purchase of an air quality monitor but have yet to take action.