Environmental groups in Texas have accused the state's environmental regulator, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), of using an unwritten and arbitrary policy called the "one-mile rule" to protect big polluters from citizen complaints. The rule, which restricts public challenges to air pollution permits, has been consistently cited in TCEQ opinions for at least 13 years, despite not being codified in Texas law or TCEQ rules. Environmental advocates argue that this practice is arbitrary and unlawful, preventing citizens from having a meaningful voice in the permitting process for polluting facilities in their communities.

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