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January 26, 2012

ECONOTES 2012-01-25: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

Featured

  1. Brazos battle pits water supplier against environmentalists, growers and industry (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 01/23/2012)
    The Brazos River Authority is asking for the rights of all the Brazos River water in order to meet the future demands of a growing population. However, many people, including farmers, landowners, environmentalists, and the Dow Chemical Co., are voicing opposition. Diverting the water could have great impacts on rights holders, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat.
    http://www.chron.com/
  2. Endangered: Texas water and whooping cranes that winter on the Texas coast (Michael Berryhill – Texas Climate News, 01/19/2012)
    The Aransas Project (TAP), a group of conservationists, is using the Endangered Species Act to challenge the management of surface water, which has been affecting the whooping crane. TAP members believe that, due to a lack of freshwater flowing from the Guadalupe into San Antonio Bay, the blue crab population (the primary food there of the whooping crane) has declined. In recent years, the number of whooping cranes has also declined. The current case will determine whether the lack of freshwater is the reason behind the loss of cranes, and this decision in this case could fundamentally change the way Texas manages the Guadalupe River and its estuary.
    http://texasclimatenews.org/
  3. After record heat and drought, Texas parks face crunch (Corrie MacLaggan – Reuters, 01/17/2012)
    The drought, high heat, and wildfires kept many people from visiting the Texas state parks last year. As a result, park officials have had to ask the public to donate money to help keep the parks open. Last week the officials said they had raised almost $1 million of the $4.6 million needed. Although there are signs that visitors are coming back to the parks to enjoy the cooler weather, the parks have a long way to go to reach their goal.
    http://www.reuters.com/

EcoNotes