ECONOTES 2010-04-24: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

Featured

1. Crews fear oil rig will spill 336,000 gallons of crude a day (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle) A drilling rig that burned for more than a day before sinking Thursday has fouled Gulf of Mexico waters with a potentially major spill of crude oil, officials said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6969765.html

2. Has the Clean Air Act outlived its usefulness? (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle) While Houston’s air quality is improving, challenges remain, leading some to ask if the federal Clean Air Act is still up to the job.. Has the Clean Air Act outlived its usefulness?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6969765.html

3. Warnings about toxic fishing grounds largely ignored (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle) Signs warn anglers not to eat the fish and crabs, which are contaminated with high levels of cancer-causing chemicals from decades-old paper mill sludge. Yet people still come with fishing rods and buckets of bait in hand.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6966339.html

4. Kiosks Offer Recyclers Free Rewards (Emily Fredrix – Click2Houston)

PepsiCo and Waste Management kiosks are getting people to recycle by offering rewards, such as free Pilates classes or discounts at restaruants, for their efforts. The programs starts next month. People will be able to scan their recyclables at these kiosks, which will add their points to an account at Greenopolis.com. When they have accumulated enough points, they can redeem their prizes. Although helping the environment should be a good enough reason to recycle, it is hoped that the short term gratification will encourage more people to recycle.

http://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/23225723/detail.html

5. More Buildings Go Green (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News)

Houston is about to become more energy efficient by taking measures to improve the energy operations of the buildings downtown. The project was designated 23-million dollars and will be designed to regulate lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditoning, water conservation measures, and building management controls. It is estimated that almost 2 million dollars will be saved per year from retrofitting 19 buildings.

http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1271972069

6. Officials trawl for answers after sea turtles’ deaths (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle)

Federal officials are concerned about unusually large numbers of dead Kemp’s ridley turtles, once the world’s most endangered sea turtle, that have washed up on beaches along the upper Texas Gulf

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6971796.html

EcoNotes

* 17 April

o Crews begin repairs to Texas City Dike (T.J. Aulds – The Galveston County Daily News)

http://galvestondailynews.com/story/155164

* 19 April

o Experts offer tips on going green (Alyssa Dizon – Avalanche Journal)

http://lubbockonline.com/stories/041910/loc_611810118.shtml

o Texasinvasives.org Empowers Citizens To Stop Plant, Animal Pests (Texas Parks and Wildlife)

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20100419a&nrtype=all&nrspan=2010&nrsearch=

o Warmer weather increases chances of fire (The Baytown Sun)

http://baytownsun.com/story/50691

o Appliance Rebate Program Underway (Bill Stamps – KUHF News)

http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1271717014

* 20 April

o Warnings about toxic fishing grounds largely ignored (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6966339.html

o Coastal safety board holds first meeting (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6967841.html

o Judges from six counties meet to discuss Ike dike (Ted Oberg – ABC 13 News)

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7396701

o Earth Day Tree Planting Ceremony Marks Donation of 65,000 Trees to Texas Parks and Wildlife (Texas Parks and Wildlife)

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20100420a&nrtype=all&nrspan=2010&nrsearch=

o Friendswood Hike and Bike Trail System (Garrett Bryce – Guidry News)

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025878

* 21 April

o Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality in Texas (Guidry News)

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025902

o Teen Transforms Geo Into Electric Car (Tori Brunetti – Click2Houston)

http://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/23227989/detail.html

o Environmentalists Mark 40th Earth Day (Seth Borenstein – Click2Houston)

http://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/23228135/detail.html

o Kiosks Offer Recyclers Free Rewards (Emily Fredrix – Click2Houston)

http://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/23225723/detail.html

* 22 April

o Has the Clean Air Act outlived its usefulness? (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6969765.html

o Officials trawl for answers after sea turtles’ deaths (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6971796.html

o Only the strongest songbirds survive arduous trek to Texas (Gary Clark – Houston Chronicle)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6973166.html

o Buffalo Bayou One Step Closer to National Heritage Area Distinction (Guidry News)

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025958

o Texas AgriLife Extension Service – Rain (Guidry News)

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025953

o Green movement turns sage (Jana Ballinger – BC Water News)

http://www.bcwaternews.com/SpecialEditions/earthday2010/

o From Rebellious Roots, Earth Day Now Mainstream (Frederic J. Frommer – Click2Houston)

http://www.click2houston.com/green-pages/23231917/detail.html

o More Buildings Go Green (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News)

http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1271972069

o EPA to teens: ‘Do something!’ (Harriet Blake – abc 13)

http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/04/22/epa-to-teens-do-something/

o Earth Day Special: Astros go green (Ford Gunter – Houston Business Journal)

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/2010/04/astros_go_green.html?surround=lfn

o University of Houston named one of nation’s top green colleges (Houston Business Journal)

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2010/04/19/daily39.html?surround=lfn

o Be part of the solution: Do your share to preserve Earth’s ecosystems (Melissa Segrest – abc 13)

http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2010/04/22/be-part-of-the-solution-do-your-share-to-preserve-earths-ecosystems/

* 23 April

o Crews fear oil rig will spill 336,000 gallons of crude a day (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6971824.html

o Galveston Beach Patrol Update on Louisiana Oil Spill (Jim Guidry – Guidry News)

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025985

o Rice study finds early roadbeds leach greenhouse gas into rivers (KIAH)

http://www.39online.com/lifestyle/goinggreen/kiah-gg-rice-study-greenhouse-story,0,762880.story

o Earth Day is Every Day for TxDOT Employees and Contractors (Guidry News)

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025983

o DSHS Closes Most Texas Coastal Waters to Shellfish Harvesting (Guidry News)

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000025981

o Heavy rains of past led to wildflowers’ beauty (Shannon Daughtry – The Baytown Sun)

http://baytownsun.com/story/50762