ECONOTES 2010-06-20: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Restoring Galveston Bay  Oyster Reefs (Guidry News) About 2,000 acres of oyster reefs that were damaged by Hurricane Ike are being restored. Fishermen hired by Texas Parks and Wildlife are pulling dead shell out of the sediment, which provides a surface for oyster larvae to attach and grow. The restoration of the oyster reefs is beneficial to the environment because they support much life, including oysters which are natural bio-filters.
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000027390 - Texas Oyster Industry on Life Support After Oil Spill (Jack Williams – KUHF News) The Texas Oyster Industry is suffering because of the oil spill. The Texas oyster season closes at the end of April, making companies completely reliant on Louisiana oysters. In the last six weeks, one shrimp and oyster company saw its business drop about 95%. Although the Texas shores are not covered in oil, the impact of the spill is devastating.
http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1276550196 - Changing computer power settings has a big impact on electricity use (ABC13 News) Home electronics make up a major portion of a household’s electricity usage at about 20%. A household can majorly reduce their electric usage by managing these items. Changes in computer management alone can save the average resident more than half of one month’s usage. Other items that can save energy if turned off and managed correctly include printers, space heaters, dehumidifiers, and entertainment devices. http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/06/18/changing-computer-power-settings-has-a-big-impact-on-electricity-use/
EcoNotes
- 7 June
- Why the BP Blowout Won’t Be the Last Tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico (Dominique Browning – Environmental Defense Fund News)
http://blogs.edf.org/personalnature/2010/06/07/why-the-bp-blowout-wont-be-the-last-tragedy-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/
- Why the BP Blowout Won’t Be the Last Tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico (Dominique Browning – Environmental Defense Fund News)
- 11 June
- EPA comes under increased fire from Texas (Dave Montgomery - Star-Telegram)
http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/06/11/2258981/epa-comes-under-increased-fire.html
- EPA comes under increased fire from Texas (Dave Montgomery - Star-Telegram)
- 12 June
- Texas commissioners hold hearing on nuclear waste (Betsy Blaney – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7049910.html
- Texas commissioners hold hearing on nuclear waste (Betsy Blaney – Houston Chronicle)
- 13 June
- Onshore accidents add to concerns (Brett Clanton – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/energy/7051148.html - Deep-water drilling ban will face House test (Joe Holley - Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/deepwaterhorizon/7049901.html - Remembering Sidney McClendon (Jim Guidry – Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000027273&a=obit - The Houston Advance Research Center receives $496,000 to improve regional air quality (Guidry News)
http://guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000027279
- Onshore accidents add to concerns (Brett Clanton – Houston Chronicle)
- 14 June
- State of Texas Challenges EPA Ruling (Attorney General of Texas News)
http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=3357 - Gulf Oil Spill Recovery: BBB Tips for Donors and Volunteers (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000027302 - EPA offers Texas companies clean air audits (Houston Business Journal)
http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2010/06/07/daily55.html - A Class in Oil Coated BirdWashing (Bill Stamps – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1276311739 - Is Gulf Seafood Safe? (Laurie Johnson – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1276304242 - Texas Oyster Industry on Life Support After Oil Spill (Jack Williams – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1276550196
- State of Texas Challenges EPA Ruling (Attorney General of Texas News)
- 15 June
- EPA taking over permits at 2 more Texas facilities (Peggy Fikac – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7055410.html - Marsh restoration under way in West Galveston Bay (Frank Bowser – The Galveston County Daily News)
http://www.galvnews.com/story/158190 - Exxon CEO defends offshore drilling (Kerri Panchuk – Houston Business Journal)
http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2010/06/14/daily22.html - Preparing the Port for an Oil Spill (Laurie Johnson – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1276635607
- EPA taking over permits at 2 more Texas facilities (Peggy Fikac – Houston Chronicle)
- 16 June
- ChevronPhillips told to renew permit with EPA ((The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/story/51546 - Texas proposes changes to clean-air permit rules (Yahoo! News)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100616/ap_on_bi_ge/us_epa_vs_texas - Congressman Gene Green responds to President’s remarks on oil spill (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000027354 - Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison responds to President’s remarks on oil spill (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000027359
- ChevronPhillips told to renew permit with EPA ((The Baytown Sun)
- 17 June
- Heartfelt Video Makes Case for Clean Energy (Sam Parry - Environmental Defense Fund News)
http://blogs.edf.org/greenroom/2010/06/17/heartfelt-video-makes-case-for-clean-energy/ - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Commercial Fishermen Aid in Restoring Galveston Bay Oyster Reefs (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000027390 - Post Carbon Institute tells Congress to get some spine on energy/climate bill (Barbara Kessler – ABC13 News)
http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/06/17/post-carbon-institute-tells-congress-to-get-some-spine-on-energyclimate-bill/ - Clean energy groups band together to push for energy bill (Barbara Kessler – ABC13 News)
http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/06/17/clean-energy-groups-band-together-to-push-for-energy-bill/
- Heartfelt Video Makes Case for Clean Energy (Sam Parry - Environmental Defense Fund News)
- 18 June
- Texas scientist takes a step toward ultra-high efficiency solar cells (Eric Berger – SciGuy)
http://blogs.chron.com/sciguy/archives/2010/06/texas_scientist_takes_a_step_toward_ultrahigh_effi.html - Gulf oil spill: Escrow chief in BP fund promises speed (Kathleen Hennessey – Los Angeles Times)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/gulf-oil-spill/ - Ozone Treaty May Bring Big Climate Action (John Heilprin - Click2Houston)
http://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/23949995/detail.htmlhttp://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/23949995/detail - HBJ Readers: BP to blame for Gulf oil spill (Houston Business Journal)
http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2010/06/14/daily43.html?surround=lfn - Changing computer power settings has a big impact on electricity use (ABC13 News)
http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/06/18/changing-computer-power-settings-has-a-big-impact-on-electricity-use/ - U.S. mayors want consumer waste solutions (ABC13 News)
http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/06/18/u-s-mayors-want-consumer-waste-solutions/ - EPA invites public to meetings on fracking (ABC13 News)
http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/06/18/epa-invites-public-to-meetings-on-fracking/
- Texas scientist takes a step toward ultra-high efficiency solar cells (Eric Berger – SciGuy)
- 19 June
- Heat turned up on Barton; call for him to quit energy panel post comes from GOP (Melanie Mason – The Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-barton_19tex.ART.State.Edition1.29496ee.html - Anadarko points finger at BP on Gulf oil spill (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/deepwaterhorizon/7060979.html
- Heat turned up on Barton; call for him to quit energy panel post comes from GOP (Melanie Mason – The Dallas Morning News)
- 20 June
- NAVSEA’s SUPSALV Surges, Supports Oil Spill Response (United States Navy News)
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=53517 - Strong environmental laws are needed, official says (Carol Christian – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/bellaire/news/7059023.html - Exploring ways everyone can aid the environment (Jeannie Kever – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/deepwaterhorizon/7062335.html
- NAVSEA’s SUPSALV Surges, Supports Oil Spill Response (United States Navy News)