ENVIRONMENTAL HEADLINES, DECEMBER 8-14
ENERGY BILL COULD GO TO WHITE HOUSE NEXT WEEK
Houston Chronicle 12/13/07
The Democratic-led Congress appears poised to send a compromise energy bill boosting vehicle fuel mileage requirements to President Bush for his signature as early as next week.
EPA WAS PRESSURED TO WEAKEN TOXIC REPORT RULES
Houston Chronicle 12/13/07
The White House pressured the Environmental Protection Agency to weaken requirements that companies annually disclose releases of toxic chemicals, congressional auditors say.
MURANO SET TO BE A&M’S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT
Houston Chronicle 12/8/07
Texas A&M University’s dean of agriculture emerged Friday as the only finalist to become the school’s next president, bringing a yearlong search to a surprising and controversial end.
A&M PROFESSOR GLAD TO SHARE PEACE PRIZE
NEW DEVELOPMENT RULES SHOCK HOUSTON BUILDERS
Houston Chronicle 12/10/07
Houston’s real estate developers, who have long enjoyed a unique role as the city’s unfettered engines of growth, suddenly find themselves on the defensive as they scramble to confront a flurry of policy initiatives affecting their industry.
OPEN BAYTOWN LAND SLATED FOR DEVELOPMENT
ATTORNEYS ARGUE BP KNEW REFINERY NEEDED FIXES
Galveston County Daily News 12/13/07
Plaintiffs’ attorneys in the trial about the 2005 fatal refinery explosions said the company knew facilities were decrepit.
UNDERWATER WASTE DISPOSAL PLAN DRAWS OUTCRY
Houston Chronicle 12/12/07
Nearby residents fear water supply could be tainted.
PLANS FOR RIVER COULD AFFECT BRAZORIA COUNTY
Brazosport Facts 12/13/07
Brazoria County could be getting some extra water coming down the San Bernard River if efforts by Wharton County officials to channelize the waterway come to fruition.
CITY LEADERS CALL FOR MORE BILLBOARD REDUCTION
Houston Chronicle 12/12/07
Under an ordinance to be considered by City Council, owners would remove some signs in exchange for relocating others.
COUNCIL DELAYS BILLBOARD REDUCTION PLANS
FREEPORT PLANT WILL RECAPTURE GREENHOUSE GASES
Houston Chronicle 12/13/07
A power plant designed to release virtually no greenhouse gases, first planned for Fort Bend County, instead will be built in Freeport and will create gas for use in Dow Chemical’s plants there, participants announced today.
BIOFUEL COMPANY TO EXPAND BAYTOWN OPERATIONS
Baytown Sun 12/11/07
A green energy company is increasing its Baytown operations to use recycled feedstock to produce biofuels, pharmaceutical products and 500 megawatts of green power.
HIGHWAY 36A PLAN PROPOSED
Fort Bend Herald and Texas Coaster 12/14/07
Fort Bend and two other counties are asking a regional planning group to envision a new, north-south roadway from west Fort Bend County to U.S. 290 in Waller County.
POWER COMPANIES LOVE CHRISTMAS
Victoria Advocate 12/13/07
Lights use a lot of energy, so find ways to conserve while remaining festive.
MINDFULNESS OVER MATTER
This Green Life December 2007
I have a theory about why the holidays have become so commercialized in the United States, and it is not materialism. It is the need to celebrate together as one community during the season of rekindling and rebirth.