ENVIRONMENTAL HEADLINE, JUNE 25 – JULY 1

OFFICIALS URGE EVACUATION REGISTRATION
The Baytown Sun 6/29/08
Nearly a month into hurricane season, officials are warning that evacuation assistance registries are being grossly underutilized.

LEVEE BILL: MILLIONS AT STAKE
Fort Bend County Herald and Texas Coaster 6/7/08
A proposal to require federal flood insurance of homeowners protected by levees – which would have enormous impact in Fort Bend County – is being challenged by U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Stafford, who has called the idea “hasty” and “reckless.”

BILL REQUIRING MANDATORY FLOOD INSURANCE ASSAILED

SOME SEE HUMAN LINK IN SEVERITY OF US FLOODS

ZONING AROUND HOUSTON AIRPORTS A STEP CLOSER TO REALITY
Houston Chronicle 6/25/08
Zoning around Houston’s three airports came a step closer to reality on Wednesday, as City Council approved the creation of an Airport Commission to finalize the affected areas and impose building restrictions on them.

PORT COMMISSIONERS APPROVE DELAYED WHARF DEAL
Houston Chronicle 6/27/08
A $100.5 million contract for the Bayport container terminal’s next wharf was approved today by the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority.

MISSOURI CITY VOTES TO TAKE OVER CLUB FOR PUBLIC PARK
Houston Chronicle
The Quail Valley Country Club will become a public park after city leaders here voted to buy the property through eminent domain.

SKEETER SEASON
Baytown Sun 6/26/08
Mosquito season has returned, and with it comes the threat of West Nile virus. The Harris County Health Department has begun its yearly surveillance to identify mosquitoes, birds and humans that may be infected with the disease.

LACK OF NEW POWER LINES THREATENS RENEWABLE GROWTH
Reuters June 23
While companies scramble to drive down the price of power produced by sun and wind, many say a dearth of transmission lines in remote areas ideal for wind farms and solar plants is a bigger impediment than cost to spurring US growth of renewable energy.

CONFERENCE LOOKS AT RENEWABLE ENERGY

LIGHTNING SPARKS FIRE IN REFUGE MARSHES
Brazosport Facts 6/24/08
Deep in the San Bernard Wildlife Refuge marshes, more than 3,000 acres have been charred by fire set off by severe weather over the weekend.

GLO OFFERS RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEACH SET-BACKS
Brazosport Facts 6/29/08
With the shrinking shorelines and worry of coastal erosion on the rise, the Texas General Land Office has outlined proposals to address the ongoing coastal erosion issues in the state.

SURFSIDE SHOWS NEED FOR SETBACK RULES

HISD’S LUNCHES GETTING GREENER
Houston Chronicle 6/25/08
After getting chewed out by a 10-year-old for using environmentally unfriendly lunch trays, the Houston Independent School District has agreed to go a little greener.