The addition of Lost Pines 1 Power Project adjacent to LCRA's Sim Gideon Power Plant in 2001 reduced nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions at the site by nearly half.

Prior to construction, Lost Pines 1 co-owners GenTex Power Corporation and Calpine Corporation worked with regional environmental groups to develop an emissions reduction plan for the site. The resulting $2 million plan helped offset NOx emissions from Lost Pines 1 by further reducing releases from the older Sim Gideon plant.

During the plant's first year of operation from May 2001 through April 2002, total NOx emissions from both plants at the site dropped to about 1,200 tons* from 2,300 tons in 1999. The plan, which was endorsed by Environmental Defense, the Sierra Club, the American Lung Association of Texas and other groups, has worked to improve air quality in and around Bastrop County.

* Note: Air quality reports submitted to regulatory agencies during the plant's initial operations were inaccurate due to delays in certification of some air monitoring equipment required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As a result, for the first two full months of operations, reports indicated 10 times the actual NOx emissions — 169 tons compared with 16.9 tons. While actual annual emissions totals were 1,246.4 tons, reported emissions for May 2001 through April 2002 were 1,551.6 tons.