ENVIRONMENTAL HEADLINES, MARCH 8 – 14
HOUSTON CHASES EPA’S TOUGHER SMOG RULES
Houston Chronicle 3/12/08
Houston’s ever-elusive goal of satisfying clean-air standards became even more difficult to achieve after the federal government announced a new, tougher limit on smog Wednesday.
FORT BEND NOT ON “BAD AIR” LIST
BENZENE ON THE RISE IN HOUSTON’S AIR, CITY OFFICIALS SAY
Houston Chronicle 3/8/08
Mayor Bill White challenged the area’s chemical industry to reduce its emissions of toxic chemicals such as benzene four months ago and promised punitive measures if it failed to do so.
HISD SET TO REOPEN KEY MIDDLE AFTER $3 MILLION CLEANUP
Houston Chronicle 3/10/08
Houston’s Key Middle School, which has been closed since late September because of air-quality problems, will reopen after spring break, officials announced Monday.
FANS OF SECLUDED RETREAT FEAR TRANS-TEXAS CORRIDOR
Houston Chronicle 3/12/08
A Piney Woods retreat that has hosted national church conferences on controversial issues, celebrated the consecration of bishops and provided summer memories for thousands of teens now faces another kind of challenge.
A LONG WAIT BEFORE COUNTY LINKS TO PARKWAY
IN THE CLEAR
Baytown Sun 3/11/08
After a report released by The Associated Press showed miniscule amounts of pharmaceutical drugs in the public water of some U.S. cities, local officials and water authorities have taken notice, but there appears to be no immediate danger of a health threat.
CORN-BASED ETHANOL COULD WORSEN “DEAD ZONE” – STUDY
Reuters 3/11/08
Growing more corn to meet the projected US demand for ethanol could worsen an expanding “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico that is bad for crawfish, shrimp and local fisheries, researchers reported on Monday.
COMPANY PITCHES FLOATING DESALINATION PLANTS
LOWLY STREAMS PLAY BIG ROLE IN FIGHTING POLLUTION
UH COURSE AIMS AT TRAINING ON CARBON TRADING
Houston Chronicle 3/11/08
It may be several years before Congress passes laws regulating greenhouse gases, but the University of Houston already is planning to train the first wave of lawyers and business people who will put those laws to work.
HURRICANE CENTER’S NEW CHIEF ALWAYS EYEING NEXT STORM
Houston Chronicle 3/10/08
Longtime Houston meteorologist Bill Read’s move to Miami to become the new director of the National Hurricane Center hasn’t changed his views on hurricane safety one bit. But becoming the nation’s most visible forecaster has given him a bigger stage.
DISCOVER THE ISLAND’S WETLANDS
Galveston County Daily News 3/13/08
On the back side of the island, waters of West Bay gently wash 20 miles of salt marsh wetlands.
SPRING BREAK: HOUSTON AREA HAS GOOD, CHEAP OPTIONS
PULP FACT: BOOKS PUBLISHING GETS GREENER
Houston Chronicle 3/10/08
The latest report about the publishing industry doesn’t compile sales figures, track the market for fiction or lament the future of reading. It does tell a great deal about books — not what they say, but what they’re made of.