Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: May 13, 2014
Featured
- Harris Co. Urges EPA To Order Cleanup Of Dioxin Pits (David Pitman – Houston Public Media, 5/6/2014)
The Harris County Attorney is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to order the cleanup of a local Superfund site. Vince Ryan formally made the request for the agency to force the companies responsible for pulling the San Jacinto River to remove the worst-contaminated soil. If you’ve ever driven across the San Jacinto River on I-10, you’ve passed through one of the most polluted parts of the country. That’s where International Paper, along with Waste Management, dumped tons of dioxin – a byproduct of paper production.
www.houstonpublicmedia.org - Metro unveils major change to bus service, awaits public outcry (Dug Begley – Houston Chronicle, 5/8/2014)
Houston bus service will change dramatically next year if officials approve a sweeping plan to restructure the city’s routes, adapting them to changes in patterns of work and travel over the last 30 years. Fixing it, however, will require major changes in timing, routing and even the naming and numbering of Metropolitan Transit Agency buses – changes that would significantly alter thousands of trips.
www.houstonchronicle.com - Largely invisible tank cleaning industry awash in risk. (Ingrid Lobet – Houston Chronicle, 5/10/2014)
Cleaning tanks and barges may be the riskiest work you’ve never heard of. Health and safety experts haven’t known many of the places it’s done. This report by the Houston Chronicle includes a map that is a first attempt to create a geography of the work.
www.houstonchronicle.com - Obama to give push on climate. (Coral Davenport – New York Times, reprinted in Houston Chronicle, 5/8/2014) President Barack Obama on Friday will announce a handful of executive actions and private and nonprofit groups’ investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. The rule, which has already run into objections, will limit carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants and is expected to create a major new market for zero-carbon energy from sources like wind and solar.
www.houstonchronicle.com
Also see article from 5/10/2014 “Report: Climate change already affecting US” in the Houston Chronicle. - Future of Texas climate may look a lot like 2011 (Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle, 5/6/2014)
Texas will be hotter and drier at century’s end, a climate report released Tuesday concluded. The findings in the National Climate Assessment for Texas suggest that the extraordinarily hot and dry year the state endured in 2011 may be a harbinger of what is to come. “Rising temperatures are leading to increased demand for water and energy,” the report states. “In parts of the region, this will constrain development, stress natural resources and increase competition for water among communities, agriculture, energy production and ecological needs.” The third U.S. climate assessment is an attempt by scientists and U.S. policy makers to bring home the present and future effects of climate change on Americans. The report is required to be prepared every four years.
www.houstonchronicle.com
EcoNotes
- 9 May
- What’s the Magic Number on Texas’ Water Needs? (Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
www.texastribune.org - There’s Been Hundreds of Small Quakes in North Texas Since December (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - Obama doubles down on solar, energy efficiency in climate push (Laura Barron-Lopez – The Hill)
http://thehill.com
- What’s the Magic Number on Texas’ Water Needs? (Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
- 8 May
- How Climate Change Is Making Allergies Worse (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No, It’s an Airborne Wind Turbine! (Shawna Reding – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - The Source: Where Should Burden For New Water Supply Be? (Paul Flahive – Texas Public Radio)
http://tpr.org - Texas Electric-Car Purchase Rebates Up To $2,500 To Start Soon (Stephen Edelstein)
www.greencarreports.com - Fleming, Williamson: Beautification efforts can bring more business to Houston (Ronald Lee Fleming and Claudia Williamson – Houston Chronicle)
www.chron.com
- How Climate Change Is Making Allergies Worse (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
- 7 May
- Nature Fest in Bridgeland sets world record for bird calling (Houston Chronicle)
www.chron.com - US climate change report warns of regional impacts (Brian Kahn – Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Still Doesn’t Believe in Climate Change (Eric Nicholson – The Dallas Observer)
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com - Denton Petition to Ban Fracking Filed, Likely on the Ballot in November (Alex Dropkin – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - Drought forces a Texas city to turn to toilet water (Carrie Taylor – Houston Chronicle)
www.chron.com - Photographer Specializes In Images Of The Energy Industry (Michael Hagert – Houston Public Media)
www.houstonpublicmedia.org - Texas Victims Of Citgo’s Air Pollution Denied Restitution After Waiting 7 Years (Jared Keever – Opposing Views)
www.opposingviews.com - Winds of change (Houston Chronicle)
www.chron.com - Bill McKibben: Major Force in Climate Change Movement (CLEAN)
www.cleanhouston.org
‘Tis the Season to Pay Attention to Your Investments (CLEAN)
www.cleanhouston.org
- Nature Fest in Bridgeland sets world record for bird calling (Houston Chronicle)
- 6 May
- Harris Co. Urges EPA To Order Cleanup Of Dioxin Pits (David Pitman – Houston Public Media)
www.houstonpublicmedia.org - Future of Texas climate may look a lot like 2011 (Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle)
www.houstonchronicle.com - A&M developing water test to reveal previously undetectable bits of fecal matter (Carol Christian – Houston Chronicle)
www.chron.com - Suing Polluters: Texas Again Considers Curbing County Attorneys (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
www.houstonpublicmedia.org - TCEQ tests show no indication of contamination upstream (Ty Johnson – The Monitor)
www.themonitor.com - Will The Water Crisis Tank The Texas Economy? (Sara Jerome – Water Online)
www.wateronline.com - State of the Air 2014: 19 Texas Counties Continue to Struggle with Ozone Pollution (Elena Craft, PhD – Environmental Defense Fund Blog)
http://blogs.edf.org/texascleanairmatters - Worse global warming effects ahead for Texas, federal report says (Randy Lee Loftis – Dallas News)
www.dallasnews.com - Q&A: Former astronaut looks to the sea (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
www.houstonchronicle.com - Wichita Falls Sees Wastewater Recycling As Solution To Drinking Water Shortage (Shelley Kofler – KERA News)
http://keranews.org - Suing Polluters: Texas Again Considers Curbing County Attorneys (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - More Drought, Heat and Water Wars: What Climate Change Already Means for Texas (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - White House picks 2014 fight on climate (Laura Barron-Lopez – The Hill)
http://thehill.com
- Harris Co. Urges EPA To Order Cleanup Of Dioxin Pits (David Pitman – Houston Public Media)
- 5 May
- Water board aiming to make Texas water proof (Petrina J. Johnson – The Potpourri Tomball Edition)
www.yourhoustonnews.com - Lawsuit Highlights Concern Over Air Quality and Shale Drilling (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - El Ni̱o a Drought-Buster for Texas? Not So Fast, Forecaster Says (Terrence Henry РStateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org - Water tests good so far (Ty Johnson – The Brownsville Herald)
www.brownsvilleherald.com
- Water board aiming to make Texas water proof (Petrina J. Johnson – The Potpourri Tomball Edition)
- 3 May
- Brazoria County wonders if desalination is the answer (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
www.houstonchronicle.com
- Brazoria County wonders if desalination is the answer (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
- 2 May
- Warming means more methane emissions from wetlands, study finds (Alex Kirby – Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org - In the Garden with Urban Harvest: Warm temperatures bring sweet smell of blossoms (Suzy Fischer – Houston Chronicle)
www.chron.com - Texas shouldn’t block interbasin transfers (Josiah Neeley – The Rancher)
www.yourhoustonnews.com - Editorial: EPA victory is good for Texas air (Dallas News)
www.dallasnews.com - Mexico energy reform progresses with contracts to Houston companies (Jordan Blum – Houston Business Journal)
www.bizjournals.com - LyondellBasell gets EPA permission to expand near Houston (Jordan Blum – Houston Business Journal)
www.bizjournals.com
- Warming means more methane emissions from wetlands, study finds (Alex Kirby – Texas Climate News)
- 1 May
- Air Quality Watchdog Worried About Proposed TCEQ Standard Change (Florian Martin – Houston Public Media)
www.houstonpublicmedia.org - Six New Power Plants Should Ease Strain On Texas Grid (Laurie Johnson – Houston Public Media)
www.houstonpublicmedia.org
- Air Quality Watchdog Worried About Proposed TCEQ Standard Change (Florian Martin – Houston Public Media)
- 29 April
- With Westlake Chemical’s spinoff, interest grows in chemical MLPs (Molly Ryan – Houston Business Journal)
www.bizjournals.com
- With Westlake Chemical’s spinoff, interest grows in chemical MLPs (Molly Ryan – Houston Business Journal)
- 28 April
- Get Growing at Community Gardens (Earth Share)
www.earthshare.org
- Get Growing at Community Gardens (Earth Share)
- 23 April
- Overfishing has wiped out 96 percent of Pacific bluefin tuna (Brad Plumer – Vox)
www.vox.com - LCRA Draws Criticism Over Proposed Rate Increases (Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
www.texastribune.org - As Rice Farmers Turn to Groundwater, Can They Stay Afloat? (Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
www.texastribune.org
- Overfishing has wiped out 96 percent of Pacific bluefin tuna (Brad Plumer – Vox)