ECONOTES 2011-12-14: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Tiny Algae Could Be a Big Source of Power (Mose Buchele – StateImpact News, 12/09/2011)
Dr. Robert Hebner, director of the UT’s Center for Electromechanics and at the forefront of algae research, does not see algae as pond scum but as “fuel, cures for cancer nutricuticals, sources of chemicals that are greener than we’ve ever had before.” Last summer, Hebner produced biofuel from algae that was naturally occurring at a sewage treatment plant outside of Austin. This shows promise in the algae technology. However, at this point in time, it would take a lot of algae to provide for the U.S. fuel needs.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Texas water plan set for approval but complicated by population growth, reservoir dispute (Kelley Shannon – The Dallas Morning News, 12/04/2011)
Drafting the state water plan has become even more complicated in the past year. The plan has to take into account the reservoir dispute in northeast Texas, questions about climate change science, and the state’s rapid population growth. The Texas Water Development Board is expected to approve the plan on December 15th. The severe drought this year has increased the importance of the plan to account for such harsh conditions.
http://www.dallasnews.com/ - Scientists working on report card for Gulf’s health (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 12/07/2011)
The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies in Corpus Christi is currently developing a science-based report card that addresses the health of the Gulf of Mexico. It should include at least 20 key indicators of the Gulf’s well-being, ranging from sea grasses and mangroves to bottle-nose dolphins. The report should influence decision-making on the policies and resources needed to achieve a healthy gulf.
http://www.chron.com/
EcoNotes
- 13 December
- Buffalo Bayou trails and park improvements coming through 2015 (Jay Blazek Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/ - Baker and Nau to lead effort for 4 county coastal recreation area (Jay Blazek Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/ - What’s in Fracking Fluid? Texas Will Now Have an Answer (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - How the Natural Gas Industry Is Responding to the EPA Fracking Contamination Report (Terrence Henry – StateImpact News)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 12 December
- Harris County Prepares For Future Wildfires (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Christmas Tree, ‘O Christmas Tree How Easy to Recycle Are Thee! (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Texas coal plant cuts deal with environmentalists (Canadian Business)
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/ - 10 December
- EPA targets county as smog violator (Matthew Tresaugue – My SA News)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/ - 9 December
- Tiny Algae Could Be a Big Source of Power (Mose Buchele – StateImpact News)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Rising World Refining Capacity May Hurt Gulf Coast (Andrew Schneider – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - EPA ties fracking to water pollution (Jennifer Dlouhy and Tracy Idell Hamilton – My SA News)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/ - 8 December
- 130-mile coastal recreation area would help protect against storm surges (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Collage of catastrophe: New statistics portray scope, toll of heat, drought (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - George P. Mitchell named in “Top 100 Global Thinkers†(Jay Blazek Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/ - Girl Scouts Receive $1.5 Million From Alcoa Foundation to Expand ‘Forever Green’ Project (Philanthropy News Digest)
http://foundationcenter.org/ - EPA Region 6 Enforcement and Compliance Results for 2011 (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - EPA Annual Enforcement Results Highlights Commitment to Address Largest Pollution Problems with Greatest Community Impact (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - Garden provides teachable moments (The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/ - Exxon predicts shale gas growth (Matt Joyce – Dallas Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - 7 December
- Scientists working on report card for Gulf’s health (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Judge rejects environmental groups efforts to overturn air quality permits for proposed Tenaska power plant (Jaime Adame – ReporterNews)
http://www.reporternews.com/ - McCollum Park’s renovation continues (Ben Tinsley – The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/ - Remember Your Plants Outside During Cold Snap (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - 6 December
- Texas State Parks Announce $4.6 million Appeal for Help (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - State Parks in Financial Trouble (Bill Stamps – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - 5 December
- Natural gas boom projected to fuel job growth (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Strategy for Long Term Gulf Restoration (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - 4 December
- Texas water plan set for approval but complicated by population growth, reservoir dispute (Kelley Shannon – The Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/ - 15 November
- Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’s Thirst for a Precious Resource (Union of Concerned Scientists)
http://www.ucsusa.org/