ECONOTES 2012-05-07: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- EPA reconsiders: Matagorda not on list of smog violators (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 05/01/2012)
The EPA announced that its initial analyses of smog pollution overstated Matagorda County’s emissions, so it will not join the list of Texas’ smog violators. This means that Matagorda County will not have the tighter rules for industrial pollution already that already affect eight Texas counties.
http://www.chron.com/ - Food as medicine: Farmer’s markets inside Houston hospitals (Melissa Murphy – The Examiner, 02/17/2012)
The Harris County Hospital District is one of the few organizations across the country that has integrated farmer’s markets into their facilities. Veggie Pals, a non-profit organization, partners with doctor’s offices and hospitals to offer fresh fruits and vegetables to their patients at a reduced price.
http://www.examiner.com/ - Borrow a bike for free: First 90 minutes of Houston’s new bike share program are gratis (Tyler Rudick – CultureMap Houston, 05/02/2012)
Houston has recently launched a new bike share program, known as Houston B-cycle. The program is financed by the EPA Climate Showcase grant. The solar-powered kiosks are located City Hall, Market Square and the George R. Brown Convention Center. The program currently has three stations with 18 bikes, and there are plans to expand to more than 20 kiosks across Houston with about 200 bikes.
http://houston.culturemap.com/
EcoNotes
- 7 May
- Brownsville ISD Receives $1.7 Million from TCEQ to Provide Cleaner Air for Schoolchildren (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - 6 May
- Marsh Mania a smash success (The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/ - 4 May
- Drilling Still on the Rise in Texas (Yana Skorobogatov and Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Sierra Club Files Suit Against Luminant (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Adios, La Ni̱a (But Will She Return?) (Terrence Henry РStateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - EPA Releases Draft Permitting Guidance for Using Diesel Fuel in Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - New Rules for Fracking on Federal Lands (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - TransCanada Reapplies For Oil Pipeline (NPR News)
http://www.npr.org/ - Feds propose rules for hydraulic fracturing on public lands (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – My SA News)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/ - 3 May
- How We Can Eat Invasive Species Away: A Special Event Monday in Austin (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - City Speeding Up Water Shut-Off for Delinquent Property Owners (Carrie Feibel – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Your Weekly Drought Update: A Mixed Bag (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Eyes of the Fires: A Look Back at the 2011 Texas Wildfires (Filipa Rodrigues and Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 2 May
- Borrow a bike for free: First 90 minutes of Houston’s new bike share program are gratis (Tyler Rudick – CultureMap Houston)
http://houston.culturemap.com/ - New federal data shows autism rates are booming. Local researchers are finding industrial chemicals may play a role (Greg Harman – Current)
http://sacurrent.com/ - ERCOT Says Texas Is Better Prepared to Face Summer Heat (Ed Mayberry – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Mayor Annise Parker launches PUBLIC bike SHARE program (Guidry News)
http://guidrynews.com/ - Updated: An Interactive Look at the Texas Drought (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Don’t be fooled by their drab looks — wrens boast busybody energy and beautiful songs (Noreen Damude – TPW Magazine)
http://www.tpwmagazine.com/ - Texas eco-musicians inspire young naturalists through music (Tolly Mosely – TPW Magazine)
http://www.tpwmagazine.com/ - FEMA Approves Funds for Battling West Texas Wildfires (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 1 May
- EPA reconsiders: Matagorda not on list of smog violators (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Without Regular Rain, Houston Could Slip Back Into Dry Spell (Jack Williams – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - More than 7,300 volunteers haul 137 tons of trash off Texas beaches (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Could Be a Close One for Blackouts This Summer in Texas (Mose Buchele and Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - First Major Wildfires of 2012 Tear Through West Texas (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - EPA to Work with Drinking Water Systems to Monitor Unregulated Contaminants (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - TXU-Luminant Violates Clean Air Act Thousands of Times, Endangering Nearby Communities (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Texas State-Fish Art Contest Winners Announced (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - 30 April
- Standard for Benzene Levels in Texas – Unacceptable (Vicki Wolf – CLEAN)
http://www.cleanhouston.org/ - City of Houston Receives State Grant for Solar Installation and Wind Turbines for City’s new LEED Gold One-Stop Permitting Center New One-Stop Permitting Center to be Largest in the Nation (USGBC)
http://usgbctexasgulfcoast.org/ - Houston smog eighth worst in country (Matt Dietrichson – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/ - Clouds’ Effect on Climate Change Is Last Bastion for Dissenters (Justin Gillis – The New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/ - 29 April
- Galveston Island Tree Conservancy Arbor Day Event (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - 27 April
- State leaders unveil the Texas Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - 26 April
- Keep your running routine on sound footing (Roberta MacInnis – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - 25 April
- Orphans of the Oil Fields: The Cost of Abandoned Wells (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 24 April
- TCEQ announces 2012 Texas Environmental Excellence Award winners (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - The Most (and Least) Peaceful Places in America (Richard Florida – The Atlantic Cities)
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/ - 13 April
- Bringing Memorial Park back: Plan to restore Houston’s iconic canopy will take years (Whitney Radley – Green Living)
http://houston.culturemap.com/ - 17 February
- Food as medicine: Farmer’s markets inside Houston hospitals (Melissa Murphy – The Examiner)
http://www.examiner.com/