ECONOTES 2012-05-21: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Texas and carbon capture: A status report on power plants, policy and research (Texas Climate News, 05/15/2012)
New coal regulations will require coal plants to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. Texas officials and others have been challenging the decision to designate CO2 as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. These new regulations, as well as a decreased cost, seem to make natural gas a preferred choice for new electricity production. Natural gas produces far less carbon dioxide than coal.
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Drought-Free and Lovin’ It? Not Quite Yet… (Mose Buchele – StateImpact, 05/17/2012)
The U.S. drought monitor releases it’s weekly drought map on Thursdays. Despite much rainfall across the state, areas, including the western edges of the Hill Country, are still in moderate or severe drought. This has dashed hopes that the central part of the state would finally be able to proclaim itself drought free. However, in most of the state, drought conditions continue to weaken.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Texas Forest Service Launches Scientific Survey Of Drought (Carrie Feibel – KUHF News, 05/14/2012)
The Texas Forest Service has started a two month scientific survey that will consist of a dead tree count within a 75-foot radius at 700 randomly-chosen spots across the state. Diseased trees that may be dying will also be noted. Last year, the Forest Service estimated that Texas lost between 2 to 10 percent of its total tree cover to the drought. The survey will provide a more accurate count and data on where the damage was worse.
http://app1.kuhf.org/
EcoNotes
- 23 May
- EPA Asks Texans to Fight #1 Cancer in U.S. with “Don’t Fry Day†(Friday, May 27) (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - 21 May
- Keeping the Lights On in Texas: Will Big Profits Spur New Power Plants? (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - What to Expect at the TAMEST Water Summit Today (Daniel Ramirez and Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 18 May
- How Texas is Growing Tomatoes in the Middle of the Desert (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - EPA Honors Top Energy-Efficient Building Designs (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - Â 17 May
- Report: World’s Carbon Sinks Not Completely Clogged (Daniel Ramirez – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Misleading Labels and Greenwashing: What’s A Consumer to Do? (Lily Primeaux – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Drought-Free and Lovin’ It? Not Quite Yet… (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - How The Keystone XL Pipeline Could Raise Gas Prices (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 16 May
- Texas State Parks Participating in National Trails Day on June 2 (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - How Stressed-Out Plants Are Better Prepared for Drought (Lily Primeaux – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Renewables Still on the Rise in Texas (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - TCEQ approves fines totaling $887,147 (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - 15 May
- Texas and carbon capture: A status report on power plants, policy and research (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Planned Coastal Bend power plant in jeopardy (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Regulation Top Risk Seen By Energy Companies: U.S. Study (Erwin Seba – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Las Brisas Power Plant Will Likely Lose Air Permit (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - An Interactive Map of the Keystone XL Pipeline in Texas (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 14 May
- Taking a Closer Look at the Drought’s Toll on Trees (Sheyda Aboii and Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Texas Forest Service Launches Scientific Survey Of Drought (Carrie Feibel – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Price Tag of Drought Goes Up Again (Sheyda Aboii)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - TCEQ announces grants for alternative fueling stations (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - TCEQ hosts toxicology workshop May 22-24 (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - 13 May
- Lake levels rise after storm but are still less than half-full (Farzad Mashhood – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/ - 11 May
- Water, Water, Everywhere (For Now) (Filipa Rodrigues and Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Water conservation still important despite recent rainfall (Michael Womack – Corpus Christi Caller)
http://www.caller.com/ - Waste Management joins in on natural gas fueling trend (Molly Ryan – Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - 9 May
- U. of Texas at Austin research award promotes algae modeling (Biorefining Magazine)
http://biorefiningmagazine.com/