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August 11, 2013

ECONOTES 2013-08-13: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region

Featured

  1. Whooping Crane Case Could Affect State Water Supplies (Neena Satija, The Texas Tribune – KUHF News, 8/11/2013)
    As drought conditions and dry forecasts persist across Texas, lawyers will argue a case in front of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday that could have major implications for water supplies in the state — and for natural resource planning nationally. Known as the “whooping crane case,” the lawsuit pits environmental and endangered species advocates against state and local officials across the country. State agencies worry it could end up making them responsible for protecting federally designated endangered species.
    http://app1.kuhf.org/
  2. High water everywhere: Scientists map the risks of rising seas for Texas (Texas Climate News, 8/6/2013)
    Texas faces a challenging future as human-caused climate change brings what scientists project will be escalating rates of sea-level rise. A couple of recently published, nationwide studies provide graphic portrayals of the threats that sea-level rise poses to populated areas in Texas and other states. Looking ahead, more in-depth mapping and evaluation of how rising seas could affect Houston and nearby areas on the upper Texas coast, plus “tools to address this critical issue,” will be forthcoming from a recently announced project being launched by researchers at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
    http://texasclimatenews.org/
  3. Battle looms over expanding shipments of coal in Houston (Matthew Tresaugue – Fuel Fix, 8/5/2013)
    The expansion of a terminal along the heavily industrialized Houston Ship Channel normally receives little attention. But Kinder Morgan Energy Partners’ plans to refurbish two docks have opened a new front in the fight over coal. Environmentalists are mounting a campaign to stop the projects and a dozen other proposed shipping terminals along the Gulf Coast because the docks, if built to capacity, could export as much as 200 million tons of coal per year from Appalachia and the Rockies to Asia and Europe.
    http://fuelfix.com/

EcoNotes