ECONOTES 2013-02-04: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Houston needs a comprehensive sustainability plan for its future – Opinion (David Crossley and Joe Douglas Webb – Houston Chronicle, 1/25/13)
Houston needs a General Plan for the future based on citizens’ vision and values. Now, with City Council set to hear comments on the highly controversial changes to Chapter 42 next week and with a vote expected soon after, there will be an opportunity to begin the process for the city’s first general plan in its history. A plan can help lead the city to improved air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved public health, resulting in an enhanced quality of life for all Houstonians.
http://www.chron.com/ - Terry Hershey Park project earns award from H-GAC (The Examiner, 1/25/13)
The Houston-Galveston Area Council is pleased to announce the Removal of Litter and Invasive Species at Terry Hershey Park project earned an award as part of the 2012 Parks and Natural Areas Award competition. Developed by the Bayou Preservation Association, the Removal of Litter and Invasive Species at Terry Hershey Park project focused on the 15.5 mile long park running parallel to the western stretch of Buffalo Bayou. Through this project, volunteers removed 180 cubic yards of the following invasive species from 500 acres of the park.
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Texas Tenth in the Nation for Green Building (Madelyn Herzog – Texas Monthly, 1/26/13)
Texas ranked tenth in the nation for the most green building last year, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which assesses states annually according to the amount of their new construction that is certified LEED (for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design). In 2012, Texas had over 36 million square feet. One of Texas’ greatest and greenest building projects from last year is Houston’s L. T. Cunningham Elementary School, which features solar shading devices and roof overhangs to reduce heat gain, building placement that minimizes its footprint on the site, and low flow plumbing fixtures that increase water efficiency.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/
EcoNotes
- 4 February
- The business of weather watching gets a phone app (Steve Olafson – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Protecting Big Utilties When Hikers And Bikers Invade (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://app1.kuhf.org/
- The business of weather watching gets a phone app (Steve Olafson – Planet Ark News)
- 1 February
- U.S. backs off goal of one million electric cars by 2015 (Ayesha Rascoe and Deepa Seetharaman – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Third Earthquake in a Week Rumbles in East Texas Town of Timpson (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/
- U.S. backs off goal of one million electric cars by 2015 (Ayesha Rascoe and Deepa Seetharaman – Planet Ark News)
- 31 January
- Resident Input Needed for Future Parks Projects; Take an Online Survey by Feb. 25 (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Registration Open for 2013 Beaumont Trash-Off (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Arbor Day Celebrated in Nassau Bay (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Texas Bills Aim to Douse HOAs’ Limits on Xeriscaping (Kate Galbraith – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/ - Pedaling Adventures Await in Texas State Parks (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://tpwd.state.tx.us/ - Lawmakers Discuss How to Prioritize Water Plan (Terrence Henry and Filipa Rodrigues – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Bikes, Trees And Leprechauns — 2013 Tour De Houston Falls On St. Patrick’s Day (Florian Martin – StateImpact)
http://app1.kuhf.org/
- Resident Input Needed for Future Parks Projects; Take an Online Survey by Feb. 25 (Guidry News)
- 30 January
- Harris County Flood Control District to Co-Sponsor Tree-Planting Events in 2013 (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Reminder – Gulf of Mexico Recreational Grouper Season to Close February 1 (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Mixed Results in New EPA Report on Toxins and Children (David Barer – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - How Much Oil is Texas Producing? (Plenty.) (David Barer – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Included $757,153 against Pasadena Refining System and $592,868 against Exide Technologies (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/
- Harris County Flood Control District to Co-Sponsor Tree-Planting Events in 2013 (Guidry News)
- 29 January
- Galveston lifts Stage 2 water restrictions; enacts Stage 1 (Your Houston News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Mayor Annise Parker Introduces All-New 311 Help & Info Smartphone App (Guidry News)
http://guidrynews.com/ - Statement of Ken Kramer, Water Resources Chair, Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, on the Governor Perry’s Comments on Water in Today’s State of the State Address (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - TAB Statement on the Governor’s State of the State (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - State legislators propose plan for conserving water during state drought (Matthew Hart – The Daily Texan)
http://dailytexanonline.com/ - State of the State: Perry calls for tax relief, investing in water and roads (Jonathan Tilove – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/ - Big cities’ heat can change temperatures a continent away: study (Deborah Zabarenko – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Former first lady Laura Bush continues focus on environmental issues (Tom Benning – Dallas News)
http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/ - TCEQ executive director signs emergency order (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - Amid Opposition, South Texas Coal Mine Approved (David Barer – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Governor Joins Chorus Calling for Water Funding (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Water For Texas: Lawmakers Say State Needs More Than Money (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/
- Galveston lifts Stage 2 water restrictions; enacts Stage 1 (Your Houston News)
- 28 January
- Unlikely pick to lead effort to clean Houston’s air (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Texas Coastal Management Program awards $1.75 million in grants (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Fort Bend County Subregional Planning Initiative discusses county growth plans with the public (Cory Stottlemyer – Your Fort Bend News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - TCEQ to consider approval of I-Plan (Deer Park Broadcaster)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Shady Lane – Houston Parks and Recreation Department (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - New ERCOT Report Shows That Texas Wind And Solar Are Highly Competitive With Natural Gas (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/
- Unlikely pick to lead effort to clean Houston’s air (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
- 27 January
- Texas A&M part of project to harvest wind energy in the Valley (Brooke West – The Eagle)
http://www.theeagle.com/
- Texas A&M part of project to harvest wind energy in the Valley (Brooke West – The Eagle)
- 26 January
- Texas Tenth in the Nation for Green Building (Madelyn Herzog – Texas Monthly)
http://www.texasmonthly.com/
- Texas Tenth in the Nation for Green Building (Madelyn Herzog – Texas Monthly)
- 25 January
- Terry Hershey Park project earns award from H-GAC (The Examiner)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Houston powers up car charging, though few are plugging in at city spots (Dug Begley – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/ - Houston needs a comprehensive sustainability plan for its future (David Crossley and Joe Douglas Webb – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Galveston Lifts Stage 2 Water Restrictions; Enacts Stage 1 (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Transportation committee to explore dedicated bike lanes (The Courier of Montgomery County)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Texas A&M Forest Service partners with Boy Scouts to reforest popular ranch in Bastrop (Guidry News)
http://guidrynews.com/ - TCEQ to join new air alliance, one composed of states that have squabbled with EPA (Asher Price – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/ - Texas, New Mexico tangle over water (Michael Haederle – Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/
- Terry Hershey Park project earns award from H-GAC (The Examiner)
- 24 January
- Houston firm drops plans for Corpus power plant (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix)
http://fuelfix.com/blog/ - Cities keeping an eye on drought, water restrictions (Judy Wiley – Community Impact News)
http://impactnews.com/
- Houston firm drops plans for Corpus power plant (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix)
- 23 January
- Sierra Club names new Texas chief (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix)
http://fuelfix.com/
- Sierra Club names new Texas chief (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix)