Community Notes 08-10-2011

1. Galveston Island Tree Conservancy NeighborWoods Project. The Galveston Island Tree Conservancy is the only Texas finalist in the Tom’s of Maine 50 States for Good Community Sponsorship. The conservancy is eligible to win funding that it would use to plant 700 trees in one day in Galveston Island Neighborhoods. The public is encouraged to vote online at http://www.tomsofmaine.com/.
   
2. SunShot Initiative: Rooftop Solar Challenge. The SunShot Initiative provides an opportunity to improve market conditions for rooftop photovoltaics across the U.S. with an emphasis on streamlined and standardized permitting and interconnection processes. To learn more about the SunShot Initiative, visit http://lgean.org/news.cfm#6785.
3. Recreational Use Attainability Analysis Report. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is looking for public comment on a project conducted on Upper Oyster Creek in Fort Bend County. The comments can report on current or past recreation activities occurring on the water body. The Recreational Use Attainability Analysis Report is available online at http://www.tceq.texas.gov. Comments should be submitted to Joe Martin at Joe.Martin@tceq.texas.gov by September 6th.
4. Gulf Guardian Award. The Port of Houston Authority, EPA, Maersk, Hamburg Süd and Mexican Government received the Binational Gulf Guardian Award. They won the award for their cooperative project to conduct the first fuel-switches in the Gulf of Mexico and study the environmental benefits of switching to lower sulfur diesel (1000 ppm) on ocean-going vessels. The project successfully demonstrated the benefits of the lower sulfur fuel. To read more about their project, visit http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/.
5. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/compliance/monitoring/air/monops/forecast_today.html
• August 11: Green–Good–Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide, away from any wildfires.
• August 12: Green–Good–Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide, away from any wildfires.
• August 13: Yellow–Moderate–Winds may be light enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” or possibly higher levels on the east and northeast side of the Houston area in the afternoon and early evening.