As power-generation projects have multiplied in northern Mexico, they’ve raised a touchy question: Will the new plants be equipped with cutting-edge pollution controls? Until recently, the answer has been: Don’t count on it. International power companies are planning well over a dozen plants in northern Mexico, in part to serve the nearby U.S. market. Though the trend can be attributed to Mexico’s lower construction costs and to strong power demand north of the border, less stringent environmental requirements in Mexico clearly have been a factor in the cost-benefit equation, too. Lately, however, there are signs that emerging grassroots and government-agency pressure for top-of-the-line pollution controls may be influencing design of the new projects. Consider the about-face by... [Log in to read more]