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July 1, 2014

Houston Environmental News Update July 1, 2014

COALITION NOTES

  1. Teaching Prairies to City Slickers – Interpretation Training. Become a trained storyteller at the next event of the 2014 Prairie Power Series! These storytellers are needed to serve as ambassadors between the a diverse, urban population and our misunderstood local prairies. On July 2, 2014, the first part of the training, teaching theory class, will be taught at the Katy Prairie Conservancy Home Office from 6-8pm. The second part of the training will be in the field on July 5, 2014, from 6:30-8:30pm, at Lawther – Deer Park Prairie. Learn more and register at http://prairiepartner.org.
  2. Summer Salon II: How Cities Innovate. The Summer Salon Series, hosted by Center For Houston’s Future, continues on July 9, 2014, from 7:30-9:30am. at the Junior League of Houston. The Center’s Summer Salons are a series of casual breakfast conversations, bringing big-picture thinkers and regional experts together with broader audiences, for an extended deep-dive discussion of our Indicators research, with a focus on the next steps for creating a sustainable and competitive Houston. On July 9, discuss innovative practices other cities developed to support the arts and proven innovation techniques that nurture cultural heritage. The cost is $20 per person. Learn more and register at www.futurehouston.com.
  3. Illegal Dumping Camera Sharing Program Workshop. Illegal dumping is a problem. It threatens human health, harms the environment, impacts quality of life, and burdens the community with significant costs. To assist in this battle against illegal dumping, the Houston-Galveston Area Council Solid Waste Program has purchased illegal dumpsite surveillance cameras which are able to capture clear videos day or night as well as license plates of cars traveling at speeds up to 50 mph. Cameras will be available for local governments to use, but must be used for illegal dumping enforcement 100% of the time. If you are interested in participating in the program, attend the workshop to learn how to use the cameras, best practices for setting them up in the field, and using the information for court cases. The workshop will be held on July 10, 2014, 10am-noon, at the H-GAC offices. If you have any questions or if you would like to register, contact Erin Livingston at erin.livingston@h-gac.com or 832-681-2525.
  4. Alternatives to the Traditional Lawn. Architecture Center Houston will host a panel discussion and Q&A session exploring alternatives to traditional lawns on July 10, 2014, at 5:30pm. Karen Lantz, AIA, Lantz Full Circle, will discuss her recent project using sustainable design solutions and practices easily achieved in Houston’s climate. Heidi Sheesley with Treesearch Farms will introduce a conversation about alternative plants, concepts and trends in gardening. David Cater with Utility Research Garden will talk about garden design, planting food and bamboo, and why rainfall can be enough to nourish our landscape. Garden Architecture curator Kathleen English, AIA, English & Associates Architects, will moderate the evening. Treesearch Farms is generously donating several door prizes to be given away by raffle to attendees. Learn more at aiahouston.org.
  5. City of Houston Case Study – Benchmarking City Properties. Houston Advanced Research Center has released a study detailing the steps The City of Houston is taking to learn about energy consumption in its building. The study shares what they are doing and how other cities can take similar steps to do effective benchmarking. Read the study at www.harcresearch.org.
  6. Additional Upcoming Events

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COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. Few Americans “very worried” about global warming. The consequences of global warming are steadily mounting in the United States. According to the 2014 U.S. National Climate Assessment:
    “Residents of some coastal cities see their streets flood more regularly during storms and high tides. Inland cities near large rivers also experience more flooding, especially in the Midwest and Northeast. Insurance rates are rising in some vulnerable locations, and insurance is no longer available in others. Hotter and drier weather and earlier snow melt mean that wildfires in the West start earlier in the spring, last later into the fall, and burn more acreage. In Arctic Alaska, the summer sea ice that once protected the coasts has receded, and autumn storms now cause more erosion, threatening many communities with relocation.”

    Yet,a survey from April 2014 finds that only one in three Americans currently thinks people in the U.S. are being harmed “right now” by global warming in the United States, a number that has waxed and waned slightly over the past several years. Learn more at http://environment.yale.edu.

  2. Brownfields Tools for Economic Growth & Community Livability. You are invited to a FREE brownfields workshop on July 15, 2014 at the Houston Permitting Center. The workshop is for the full day and will run from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, and lunch will be provided. Does your community have an abandoned building, old gas station or other potentially contaminated property that is impeding your future growth? This workshop is designed to help communities gain a better understanding of what a Brownfield is, learn how Brownfield revitalization can be a part of your community’s economic development strategy, and hear from state and national leaders on resources available to your community. For more information, contact Jennifer Clancey (City of Houston) jennifer.clancey@houstontx.gov, (832) 394-9005.
  3. Japeht Creek Updates. Japhet Creek has a new website and a new schedule for fall 2014 clean-ups. Visit www.japhetcreek.org for more information.
  4. EPA Environmental Justice Training Workshop. August 6-8, 2014, Houston. Embracing Environmental Justice:  Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of E.O. 12898. This is a community workshop for grassroots organizations and partners to better understand today’s Environmental Justice challenges; to exchange strategies/ideas, lessons learned and best practices that lead to healthier communities; and to participate in a collaborative process to draft a Region 6 Environmental Justice State Action Plan that addresses region-wide priorities. More at www.epa.gov.
  5. Additional Dates of Note
  6. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on municipal access cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Houston, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Sugar Land, and on HCC TV. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area).
    • Above Texas: Rivers & Lakes
    • Lone Star Land Steward: JA Ranch
    • Wild Things: Animal Coloration
    • Climate of Changes
    • Outdoor Info: Public Hunts
  7. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • July 1, 2014: Yellow–Moderate–Particulate matter 2.5. African dust should continue over most of the eastern two-thirds of the state, along and east of a line from Presidio to Lubbock to Childress, and should raise the daily PM2.5 AQI well into the “Moderate” range in most of this area.
    • July 2, 2014: Yellow–Moderate–Particulate matter 2.5. Light amounts of African dust should linger over most of the eastern two-thirds of the state and could possibly raise the daily PM2.5 AQI into the “Moderate” range in portions of this area.
    • July 3, 2014: Yellow–Moderate–Particulate matter 2.5. Light amounts of African dust should linger over most of the eastern two-thirds of the state and could possibly raise the daily PM2.5 AQI into the “Moderate” range in portions of this area.

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ECONOTES

  1. Landing in Houston: ‘Like sliding down a banister’ (Rob Holmes – World Magazine, 6/27/2014)
    Houston is set to be the first city to implement the NextGen project at its airports, which is designed to save fuel, time, and money. Airports will switch from the current radar-based traffic control system to a GPS satellite-based program. While enhancing passenger safety and reducing delays, this program could also “648,000 fewer nautical miles flown, 3 million less gallons of fuel used, and carbon exhaust cut by up to 31,000 metric tons.”
    www.worldmag.com
  2. Corridor to develop master plan (Lindsay Peyton – Houston Chronicle, 6/24/2014)
    Enormous business and population growth has the Energy Corridor Management District developing a new master plan to better accommodate pedestrians, bicycles, and transit vehicles. The master plan could include a Livable Centers bridge that spans I-10 and an update to the Energy Corridor’s Livable Centers Study that was completed four years ago. Growth in the corridor has been much higher than expected, with 17 buildings under construction and 10 more being planned.
    www.chron.com
  3. Supreme Court gives EPA another victory in Texas’ bid to thwart CO2 rules (Bill Dawson – Texas Climate News, 6/24/2014)
    Once again, the Supreme Court upheld an EPA regulation that requires emission-lowering construction permits at large new industrial facilities or existing plants where major modifications are planned. This requirement was challenged by Texas, business groups, and other states. This is just the latest ruling in a long battle with the EPA.
    http://texasclimatenews.org