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November 3, 2014

Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: November 4, 2014

Featured

  1. City to seek damages after restaurant cuts down trees (Mike Morris – Houston Chronicle, 10/30/2014)
    Houston officials say they will pursue those responsible for illegally removing six street trees in the early morning hours Wednesday along a property at Kirby Drive and North Boulevard, the latest in a string of city attempts to drive home the message that cutting down trees on public rights of way is no different than destroying any other public property. The six live oaks, downed as part of the renovation of a Wendy’s restaurant, were planted two decades ago by Trees for Houston. http://www.houstonchronicle.com
  2. Deaths of tiny clams in Galveston Bay may portend problems (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 10/24/2014)
    Scientists are finding fewer rangia clams in a northeast inlet of Galveston Bay, suggesting that not enough fresh water is flowing from the Trinity River to protect the ecological health of a drought-plagued state’s most bountiful estuary. For ages, the inflows mixed with the Gulf of Mexico’s salty backwash to produce ideal conditions for crabs, shrimp, oysters and a wide variety of fish. Rangia, an important but often overlooked resident of the bay, served as a first link in its food chain. ow, a team of scientists raking the muck where the quarter-size bivalves once were found is coming up with only empty shells.
    www.houstonchronicle.com
  3. Opponents Of Bayou Project Shut Out Of Flood Control Meeting (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media, 10/28/2014)
    The Harris County Flood Control Task Force gave overwhelming approval to a controversial plan to reconfigure Buffalo Bayou along Memorial Park. But opponents were unhappy not only with the vote but how the meeting was held. As two deputy constables stood on either side of the door of a meeting room at flood control headquarters, Susan Chadwick with the group Save Buffalo Bayou waited in the hallway. She and a handful of other conservation activists wanted to be inside to hear the discussion the Flood Control Task Force which is a 31-member panel of engineering, environmental, government and business people. But they were told only members would be allowed inside the room.
    www.houstonpublicmedia.org
  4. Interactive: How long is your commute, Houston? (John D. Harden – Houston Chronicle10/22/2014)
    Houston-Galveston Area Council officials unveiled two plans recently that explain how The Woodlands and surrounding communities can take more cars off of the already heavily congested roadways. The two plans, The Woodlands Transit Plan and the South Montgomery Mobility Study, are area leaders’ response to the swelling population and the subsequent congestion in South Montgomery County. According to the plan, it will take billions to improve mobility around and in South Montgomery County, which resembles a parking lot during many parts of the day. And though residents have expressed concerns about the costs, the two Montgomery County plans aren’t unique. Other counties surround Houston are also investing heavily into improving mobility and mass transit, according to area council officials.
    http://blog.chron.com

EcoNotes

  • 31 October
    • Liberty High School Students INTERACT with Nature at Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge (i-Dineout)
      http://i-dineout.com
    • Texas Gets The EPA Approval It Never Wanted (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Air near fracking sites carries cancer risk, study finds (Brian Nearing – Eagle Ford Texas)
      http://eaglefordtexas.com
    • EPA Approves GHG Permitting Program in Texas (Big Country Homepage)
      www.bigcountryhomepage.com
    • History of U.S. biofuel mandate provides opening for legal challenge (Ayesha Rascoe – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • Austin ties to massive San Antonio water project (James Aldridge – Austin Business Journal)
      www.bizjournals.com
  • 30 October
  • 29 October
    • Managing Development On Texas Coast In The Face Of Hurricanes (Carrie Feibel – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Texas A&M University at Qatar research could lead to safer, greener wells (Tamu Times)
      http://tamutimes.tamu.edu
    • New Texas Land Trends report shows decline in rural working land acreage (Kathy Wythe – Conservation Matters)
      http://twri.tamu.edu
    • Thursday in San Antonio: Lost Water Conference for water suppliers (Conservation Matters)
      http://twri.tamu.edu
    • Meet a Scientist: Rusty Feagin (Sara Carney – Conservation Matters)
      http://twri.tamu.edu
    • New study: Forest sector contributes $30.3 billion to Texas economy (Conservation Matters)
      http://twri.tamu.edu
    • U.S. EPA seeks more input on sweeping power plant rule (Valerie Volcovici – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
  • 28 October
  • 27 October
    • Texas Enviromental Regulators Question Ozone’s Impact On Health (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality tip: Use ceiling fans effectively (William Taylor – Rowlett Lakeshore Times)
      http://starlocalmedia.com
    • Midterm Elections Could Strengthen Opponents of Crude Oil Export Ban (Andrew Schneider, Houston Public Media – StateImpact)
      http://stateimpact.npr.org
    • New pain for seniors resulting from EPA ‘Climate Crusade,’ says AMAC (StreetInsider)
      www.streetinsider.com
    • Does a community have a right to clean air and water? (Ruthi Engelke – OpEdNews)
      www.opednews.com
    • Texas A&M program merges art and science to address climate issues (Bakken News)
      http://bakken.com
    • Texas A&M Forest Service urges caution to prevent spread of oak wilt disease (Texas Forest Service)
      http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu
  • 25 October
    • Connecting neighborhoods to bike-sharing proves tough (Dug Begley – Houston Chronicle)
      http://blog.chron.com
  • 24 October
    • Deaths of tiny clams in Galveston Bay may portend problems (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
      www.houstonchronicle.com
    • Kingwood resident elected to the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (The Kingwood Observer)
      www.yourhoustonnews.com
    • Perfect night for owls (Gary Clark – Houston Chronicle)
      www.houstonchronicle.com
    • Texas High-Speed Rail Routes Revealed (Brandon Formby – Government Technology)
      www.govtech.com
  • 23 October
    • Once a leader, Texas now ranks 34th in energy efficiency (Matt Johnson – Sierra Club News)
      http://texas2.sierraclub.org
    • Gray water trial will help determine feasibility for landscape irrigation (Paul Shattenberg – Phys.Org)
      http://phys.org
    • Clean air (Houston Chronicle)
      www.chron.com
    • Get Out Here Houston: Organization Aims to Get More Houstonians to Explore the Outdoors (Michael Hagerty – Houston Matters)
      www.houstonmatters.org
  • 22 October
    • Interactive: How long is your commute, Houston? (John D. Harden – Houston Chronicle)
      http://blog.chron.com
    • TCEQ Scientist Says the Smog Is Fine Because Texans Stay Indoors (Dianna Wray – Houston Press)
      http://blogs.houstonpress.com
    • Texas Supreme Court case set water groundwater rules for state (Justin Horne – KSAT News)
      www.ksat.com
    • Big Thicket Association Awards Jeansonne for Outstanding Service (The Liberty County Vindicator)
      www.thevindicator.com
  • 21 October
    • Texas on Lonely Side of Battle Over Ozone Pollution (Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Interior, Agriculture Departments Partner to Measure Conservation Impacts on Water Quality (USGS News)
      www.usgs.gov
  • 20 October
  • 19 October
    • EIA seeking to improve data collection (Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Washington Bureau – Express News)
      www.expressnews.com
  • 18 October
    • Thinking Outside the Trash Can: Austin Business Diverts Food Scraps to Organic Gardens by Bicycle (Christina Sarich – Natural Society)
      http://naturalsociety.com
  • 9 October
    • Urban Harvest Farmers Market Celebrates 10 Years With Fundraiser Dinner at Underbelly (Molly Dunn – Houston Press Blogs)
      http://blogs.houstonpress.com
    • Will EPA’s Proposed New Ozone Standards Provide Measurable Health Benefits? (TCEQ News)
      www.tceq.state.tx.us
  • 7 October
  • 8 October
    • Sierra Club suggests specific funding for invasives control, park grants for parks & wildlife (Matt Johnson – Sierra Club News)
      http://texas2.sierraclub.org
  • 2 October