Community Notes 04-02-2012

1. Exhibitors Needed for 2012 WaterWeek Event. The City of Houston WaterWorks Education Center is seeking environmental exhibitors for the upcoming 2012 WaterWeek event April 30-May 4. Formerly the City of Houston Water Festival, the event in its 19th year, will be held at the WaterWorks Education Center adjacent to the City’s Northeast Water Purification Plant. The address is 12121 North Sam Houston Parkway East, Humble, Texas 77396. The WaterWorks Education Center is one of the few facilities in the U.S. devoted to the fascinating subject of water. Organizations may exhibit one to five days, on a space-available basis. Exhibitors are encouraged to provide hands-on activities for the more than 300 students 2nd – 8th grade students attending each day. Visit www.houstonwaterweek.org to see photos from last year’s event. Please email Brenda.Templeton@houstontx.gov for a registration form. The deadline to register as an exhibitor will be April 13, 2012.
2. Clear Lake BOPA Recycling Event a Success. On Saturday, March 24, residents in the Clear Lake area took advantage of the annual Clear Lake Mobile Batteries, Oil, Paint and Anti-freeze (BOPA) collection event sponsored by the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department (COH-SWD) and Council Member Mike Sullivan. In four hours, volunteers and staff from the City of Houston, LyondellBasell and Frank’s Oil Service collected over 15,000 lbs (7.5 tons) of material. The materials collected were transported to the Environmental Service Center (ESC) to be recycled/disposed of in an environmentally safe and approved method. Regular recyclables can still be dropped off at Ellington Airport/ Neighborhood Recycling Center from 8am-8pm. Visit http://houstonsolidwaste.com/ for more information.
   
3. Trinity River National Wildlife seeks Input. The Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) is seeking public comment on a draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Assessment (EA). The final plan will guide management decisions and set forth goals, objectives and strategies needed to accomplish refuge purposes and establish the Service’s best estimate of future needs for the next 15 years. Public comments on the draft CCP/EA will be considered for the formulation of the final plan. The CCP/EA is available at:http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/texas/trinityriver. Comments will be accepted up to 4:30pm (Mountain Standard Time), Friday, May 4, 2012.
4. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Seabrook, and on HCC. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area). This week’s broadcast will include:
   • The Rise of the Forgotten Flounder
   • Outdoor Info: Leave No Trace
   • When Plants Attack
   • Martin Dies Jr. State Park
5. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html
• April 3: Green–Good–moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range.
• April 4: Yellow–Moderate–Winds may be light enough for ozone to reach “Moderate” or possibly higher levels on the east side of the Houston area in the afternoon and early evening.
• April 5: Yellow–Moderate–Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.