ENVIRONMENTAL HEADLINES, DECEMBER 9 – 15
TXU, NRG CORNERING THE POWER MARKET?
Galveston County Daily News 12/10/06
In the face of growing demand, the state’s two largest electricity generators plan to add greatly to the power supply.
GREEN GROUP ASKS BANKS NOT TO FUND TXU COAL PLANTS
THE COST OF AN OVERHEATED PLANET
New York Times 12/12/06
The iconic culprit in global warming is the coal-fired power plant. It burns the dirtiest, most carbon-laden of fuels, and its smokestacks belch millions of tons of carbon dioxide, the main global warming gas.
GLOBAL WARMING PROLONGS LIFE OF SPACE DEBRIS
Reuters 12/12/06
SAN FRANCISCO – Human increases in carbon dioxide emissions are thinning the Earth’s outer atmosphere, making it easier to keep the space station aloft but prolonging the life of dangerous space debris, scientists said on Monday.
RESIDENTS CHOSEN FOR CDC STUDY
Baytown Sun 12/9/06
About 400 Chambers County households have been randomly selected to participate in a national health and nutrition survey
HARRIS PIT BULL PANEL WON’T REQUEST BAN ON BREEDS
Houston Chronicle 12/13/06
Top officials have debated whether the county should seek state authority to ban pit bulls since two dogs fatally mauled a 4-year-old boy last month.
LEADERS PLAN FOR TRANSIT SOLUTIONS
Galveston Count Daily News 12/12/06
LEAGUE CITY – Local leaders search for ways to fix transportation problems between Galveston and Brazoria counties.
WALLIS MAYOR PREPARES TOWN FOR SUBURBAN GROWTH
Houston Chronicle 12/11/06
WALLIS – Mayor Tony Salazar is something of a Paul Revere in Wallis, constantly reminding his 1,300 or so constituents that change is marching down FM 1093 like a determined brigade of redcoats on the hunt for affordable housing and good schools.
RICE DRYERS COMING DOWN
Brazosport Facts 12/10/06
On Friday, trucks moved in to demolish Rosharon’s most notable landmark – a cluster of 60-foot tall rice dryer silos built in the early 1940s.
ARE PORTS SERIOUS ABOUT CONTAINER TERMINAL?
Galveston County Daily News 12/10/06
GALVESTON – When the Houston and Galveston ports said they planned to co-develop a container terminal, some questions begged to be answered.
GALVESTON TRYING TO CLEAN UP ITS DIRTY IMAGE
Houston Chronicle 12/11/06
GALVESTON – One of Texas’ best-known but equally disparaged beach towns is trying to figure out how to promote itself to outsiders while acknowledging that the town and its beaches are dirty and largely unappealing.
TEXAS LAWMAKER AIMS TO ALLOW THE BLIND TO HUNT
Reuters 12/11/06
Texas State Representative Edmund Kuempel has introduced a measure that would allow blind people to hunt any game that sighted people can currently pursue.
ANOTHER LAUREL FOR A&M PROF
Houston Chronicle 12/11/06
Norman E. Borlaug already has received the Nobel Peace Prize and the National Medal of Science. This week, he saw the nation’s highest civilian honor added to his laurels for his work in boosting food production.
ESCAPED WICHITA FLAMINGO TURNS UP ON TEXAS COAST
Houston Chronicle 12/11/06
WICHITA, Kan. – A flamingo that escaped from the Sedgwick County Zoo has turned up 600 miles away at a national wildlife refuge on the Texas coast and apparently has found a friend.
MANY BAYOUS, ONE RIVER
Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine 12/06
Recently designated one of America’s most endangered rivers, the San Jacinto is under attack by sand mines.