ECONOTES 2011-02-09: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Texas coalition forms to advance clean energy, efficiency (Jack Z. Smith – Star-Telegram, 02/01/2011)
The Texas Clean Energy Coalition is a newly formed group with a goal of “advancing a clean-energy economy that creates jobs and economic growth in the Lone Star State.” The coalition will encourage energy efficiency and back clean fuel policies involving wind, solar, biomass, and natural gas. The group hopes to help Texas become more energy efficient.
http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/02/01/2815416/texas-coalition-forms-to-advance.html - Government Backs $1 Billion Plan to Make Gasoline from Wood (Matthew L. Wald – The New York Times, 02/03/2011)
The Energy Department has offered a $1 billion loan to a Texas company to build four small factories that would turn wood chips into an oil substitute. The goal is to find substitutes for gasoline and diesel from renewable resources. It could reduce oil imports and carbon dioxide emissions.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/government-backs-1-billion-plan-to-make-gas-from-wood-chips/?partner=rss&emc=rss - Texas readies new clean-air effort (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 02/06/2011)
The new state plan to reduce the unhealthy level of toxic chemicals in the air may not be effective. TCEQ will not implement a rule or law, so critics believe the organization will not be able to enforce the plan. These critics believe that making the guidelines enforceable by law would have a greater effect. TCEQ is confident in the new plan and did not make the changes into rules because each area is different, requiring different actions for each area.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7415757.html
EcoNotes
- 9 February
- ERCOT issues warning to conserve (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2011/02/09/ercot-issues-warning-to-conserve.html - WM, Genomatica make chemicals from waste (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2011/02/09/wm-genomatica-make-chemicals-from-waste.html - Residents hope for community garden (Mark Fleming – The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/news/article_33a32a3a-3431-11e0-b2a8-001cc4c03286.html - BP moves solar unit back to Houston (Lindsay Riddell – Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2011/02/09/bp.html
- ERCOT issues warning to conserve (Houston Business Journal)
- 8 February
- Fire and Explosions Rock Natural Gas Liquids Plant East of Houston (KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1297203161 - Plant burns in Mont Belvieu (Mike Morris and Tom Fowler – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/7418224.html
- Fire and Explosions Rock Natural Gas Liquids Plant East of Houston (KUHF News)
- 7 February
- A clean stretch (Jane Howard Lee – The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/news/article_ce5971ba-3332-11e0-9bc0-001cc4c002e0.html - Texans Get Stronger Warnings about Wildfires (Gail Delaughter – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/houston_public_radio-news-display.php?articles_id=1297056467 - Texas Senate fast tracks eminent domain bill (Steve Habel – Dallas Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2011/02/07/texas-senate-fast-tracks-eminent.html
- A clean stretch (Jane Howard Lee – The Baytown Sun)
- 6 February
- Freeze knocked out coal plants and natural gas supplies, leading to blackouts (Elizabeth Souder, S.C. Gwynne, and Gary Jacobson – The Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20110206-freeze-knocked-out-coal-plants-and-natural-gas-supplies-leading-to-blackouts.ece - Texas readies new clean-air effort (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7415757.html - Midland wildlife preserve granted $1 million from Texas Parks and Wildlife (Kathleen Thurber – My West Texas News)
http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_b26d2b1e-c495-5e49-b363-e3b1fc1c5d29.html - Texas lags in high-speed rail (Nolan Hicks – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7416055.html
- Freeze knocked out coal plants and natural gas supplies, leading to blackouts (Elizabeth Souder, S.C. Gwynne, and Gary Jacobson – The Dallas Morning News)
- 4 February
- A planet fueled entirely by renewable energy by 2050? Report says it’s possible (ABC 13 News)
http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2011/02/04/a-planet-fueled-entirely-by-renewable - House of Representatives spending thousands on bottled water? (Barbara Kessler – ABC 13 News)
http://www.greenrightnow.com/ktrk/2011/02/04/house-of-representatives-spending-thousands-on-bottled-water/ - New Red Imported Fire Ant Enemies in Place for Combat (Sharon Durham – United States Department of Agriculture News)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2011/110104.htm
- A planet fueled entirely by renewable energy by 2050? Report says it’s possible (ABC 13 News)
- 3 February
- State report suggests reducing tax breaks on some natural gas drilling (Laylan Copelin – Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/state-report-suggests-reducing-tax-breaks-on-some-1228727.html - Government Backs $1 Billion Plan to Make Gasoline from Wood (Matthew L. Wald – The New York Times)
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/government-backs-1-billion-plan-to-make-gas-from-wood-chips/?partner=rss&emc=rss - Lawmakers File “Complete Streets” Bill (Becca Aaronson – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-transportation/transportation/lawmakers-file-complete-streets-bill-/ - The Rolling Chain of Events Behind Texas Blackouts (Kate Galbraith – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-energy/electric-reliability-council-texas/the-rolling-chain-of-events-behind-texas-blackouts/ - Industry and regulators need to address the issues raised by diesel in fracking (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/7412406.html
- State report suggests reducing tax breaks on some natural gas drilling (Laylan Copelin – Statesman)
- 2 February
- Fracturing to get close look (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/energy/7410152.html
- Fracturing to get close look (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
- 1 February
- Texas coalition forms to advance clean energy, efficiency (Jack Z. Smith – Star-Telegram)
http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/02/01/2815416/texas-coalition-forms-to-advance.html - Offer to Austin: Swap coal for nuclear power (Marty Toohey – American-Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/offer-to-austin-swap-coal-for-nuclear-power-1226328.html - A transit study indicates gridlock is once again increasing in Houston (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/7408394.html - Citing Legally Flawed Regulations, Texas Attorney General Abbott Calls on Congress to Rein In EPA (The Attorney General News)
https://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagnews/release.php?id=3613
- Texas coalition forms to advance clean energy, efficiency (Jack Z. Smith – Star-Telegram)
- 26 January
- City of Houston details cost of exemptions for drainage fee (KHOU News)
http://www.khou.com/news/local/City-of-Houston-details-cost-of-exemptions-for-drainage-fee-114687689.html - Effort by Legislature to stop invasive plants shrivels (Asher Price – American Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/effort-by-legislature-to-stop-invasive-plants-shrivels-1212119.html
- City of Houston details cost of exemptions for drainage fee (KHOU News)
- 15 January
- TexCom ruling ‘clear win’ for injection well opponents (Howard Roden – Your Conroe News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/article_049a838f-8749-541c-86ca-5326052761ea.html
- TexCom ruling ‘clear win’ for injection well opponents (Howard Roden – Your Conroe News)
- 11 January
- Walden MUDs seek SJRA approval for water supply project (Howard Roden – Your Conroe News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/article_aae44899-9249-56bf-8623-643926a6738c.html
- Walden MUDs seek SJRA approval for water supply project (Howard Roden – Your Conroe News)
- 7 January
- Federal government plans to lower recommended level of fluoride in drinking water, a shift that isn’t expected to affect Austin (Mike Stobbe – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/news/nation/u-s-too-much-fluoride-causing-splotchy-teeth-1171065.html
- Federal government plans to lower recommended level of fluoride in drinking water, a shift that isn’t expected to affect Austin (Mike Stobbe – The Statesman)