ECONOTES 2011-07-06: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Underground aquifers under stress even before big drought (Dave Fehling – KHOU 11 News, 06/30/2011)
Water levels in the underground aquifers are dropping as the drought continues. These dropping levels cause the the homes located above to sink. Last year, when there was no drought, the underground aquifers declined by 10 to 50 feet in one year, which is pretty substantial. This year, the drought is causing millions more gallons to be pumped, likely to result in significant neighborhood sinking.
http://www.khou.com/news/local/ - Dispatches from the front(s): Texas’ multifaceted coal war rumbles on (Texas Climate News, 07/06/2011)
Texas is still struggling in the decisions to support new coal-fired power plants and to determine how big a role that coal will play in providing electricity to the state. Texas officials have been battling the EPA, most recently about an EPA initiative that would impose tighter controls on coal power plants’ emissions of pollutants. The debate centers around health concerns and cost.
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Bacteria levels bedevil beaches (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 06/29/2011)
The water quality at Texas beaches has worsened within the last year, with over 704 beaches closed or posting advisories due to high levels of bacteria. High levels of bacteria in the water can result in increased chances of getting ear infections, skin rashes and stomach illnesses. Texas is ranked 17th among 30 states for water quality.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story/
EcoNotes
- 6 July
- Lengthy Drought Takes Toll on Texas Wildlife (Kate Galbraith)
http://www.texastribune.org/texas - Preventing the Further Release of Dioxin in San Jacinto River (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/ - Living green when everything is turning brown: Tips to help your tree survive a drought (Cherokeean Herald)
http://www.thecherokeean.com/news/ - Texas Drought (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story - Utility commission drops plan for renewable energy mandate (Laylan Copelin – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/ - Dispatches from the front(s): Texas’ multifaceted coal war rumbles on (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Houston 16th of big green cities in North America (Jay Blazek Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/livability/
- Lengthy Drought Takes Toll on Texas Wildlife (Kate Galbraith)
- 5 July
- Combs’ Role Expands in Texas’ Efforts to Balance Ecology and Economy (Guidry News)
http://guidrynews.com/story - Texas named leading state for sustainability (Austin Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ - Anahuac council to discuss water, drought in special meeting today (Ben Tinsley – The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/news/
- Combs’ Role Expands in Texas’ Efforts to Balance Ecology and Economy (Guidry News)
- 4 July
- Appeals court ruling restores refiner smog fines (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix)
http://fuelfix.com/blog/ - Environmental report: Area water is polluted (Katie Terhune – The Galveston County Daily News)
http://galvestondailynews.com/story/
- Appeals court ruling restores refiner smog fines (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix)
- 3 July
- A key California foe of climate rules urges Perry to run for president (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Voluntary water conservation urged (The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/news/ - Rooftop solar, backyard wind turbines catching on in the suburbs (Miguel Liscano – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/news - Obama declares 40 Texas counties disaster areas (Ben Tinsley)
http://baytownsun.com/news/
- A key California foe of climate rules urges Perry to run for president (Texas Climate News)
- 2 July
- U.S. official sees Houston’s green side (Jeannie Kever – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - One Small Jump for a Sea Turtle (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story - Ruling restores smog fines on refiners (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story
- U.S. official sees Houston’s green side (Jeannie Kever – Houston Chronicle)
- 1 July
- H-GAC Coordinating Committee (Jim Guidry – Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story - President Obama Signs Texas Disaster Declaration (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story - Snakes Alive! Reptiles are the topic of the month at the Nature Center (The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/communities - Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Season to Open July 15 (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story
- H-GAC Coordinating Committee (Jim Guidry – Guidry News)
- 30 June
- Trees need sustained watering (David Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/livability/ - As drought disaster worsens, Texas farmers can now get aid (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story - Underground aquifers under stress even before big drought (Dave Fehling – KHOU 11 News)
http://www.khou.com/news/local/ - Houston ranked in top 20 greenest cities in US (KHOU News)
http://www.khou.com/news/ - Congressional hearing discusses giant salvinia problems (Texas Water Resources Institute)
http://twri.tamu.edu/news/ - Texans Must Declare Independence from Zebra Mussels (Texas Parks and Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - Graduate students receive water research grants (Texas Water Resources Institute)
http://twri.tamu.edu/news/ - Baylor study: stream biodiversity declines at low levels of urban development (Texas Water Resources Institute)
http://twri.tamu.edu/news/ - Cornyn Calls on FEMA To Follow Suit As USDA Designates Texas A Disaster Area (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/story - Houston places 16th among environmentally aware cities (Deon Daugherty – Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - Dr. Neal Wilkins named new director of TWRI (Texas Water Resources Institute)
http://twri.tamu.edu/news/
- Trees need sustained watering (David Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
- 29 June
- Conoco invests in waste-to-energy technology (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/ - Bacteria levels bedevil beaches (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story/ - Gulf oil, natural gas lease sale on track for spring (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story - Regulators add some teeth to offshore drilling rules (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story
- Conoco invests in waste-to-energy technology (Houston Business Journal)
- 28 June
- EPA defends timetable for fracturing probe (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story
- EPA defends timetable for fracturing probe (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
- 27 June
- Does where you live affect how well you breathe? (Yang Wang – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story
- Does where you live affect how well you breathe? (Yang Wang – Houston Chronicle)
- 23 June
- Proposed Power Plant Near Bay City Stirs Emotions (Kate Galbraith – The New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/
- Proposed Power Plant Near Bay City Stirs Emotions (Kate Galbraith – The New York Times)