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Houston Environmental News Update February 10, 2015
February 10, 2015

Houston Environmental News Update February 10, 2015

As you know, the Houston region always has too many environmental events to keep track of, and this newsletter is here to help. CEC itself doesn’t host many of those events, but we have three coming up that we want to make sure you know about:

  • The Greater Houston Environmental Summit–March 3, 2015
  • State Park Funding Event: Support Truth in Budgeting and Support Parks–March 5, 2015 (CEC is a co-host)
  • Environmental Poetry & Puns–April 1, 2015

On another note, we’d be extremely grateful if you would take about 5 minutes to complete a survey about the CEC. Over the next few months, we will be developing some ways to help others better understand the work that we do and the impact we make. We want your input as we develop our plan.

CEC NOTES

  1. Greater Houston Environmental Summit March 3, 2015
    Order tickets via Eventbrite:
    http://cecenvsummit.eventbrite.com

    SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. Contact rachel@cechouston.org for more information.Please join the CEC to learn from some of the most influential members of the environmental community, and network with a great community of environmental influencers.Speakers include:

    • Opening Keynote: Laura Huffman, State Director for the Nature Conservancy
    • Closing Keynote: Dr. Robert Bullard, Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University
    • Panelists (Moderated by Lisa Gray of the Houston Chronicle):
      • Dr. Steven Klineberg, Kinder Institute at Rice University: Changing demographics & the Environment
      • Dr. Wayne Klotz, Klotz Associates: Sustainable Infrastructure
      • Ms. Ashley Wadick, TCEQ Houston Region Director: Regulatory Outlook
    • Ms. Elizabeth Love, Houston Endowment, will provide a brief address on environmental philanthropy.

    Lunch will be provided by Pat Greer’s Kitchen.

  2.  State Park Funding Event — Support Truth in Budgeting and Support Parks!Calling all conservationists:  This legislative session in Austin may be the year to finally add dollars to our state park and local parks grants programs for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.   For years, our elected officials have been using dollars that should have gone to the parks to instead balance our state budget.  But transparency may finally be winning and a call for truth in budgeting is being made so that dollars collected under the sporting goods sales tax go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as they were originally intended.  This is not a new tax but rather a call to end the diversion and spend those dollars on state parks and the local parks grant program.

     

    Brian Trusty from Texas Audubon will address the role of state park funding for the local parks grant program and why every conservationist should get involved this year.

     

    State parks are an important part of our regional park system, but for years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been underfunded and dollars meant for the parks system have been diverted to balance our state budget.

    This year, we’re partnering with a broad-based Texas Parks Coalition to finally end that diversion and fund the parks system at a greater level.

    Join us to hear from Brian Trusty of Texas Audubon about the role of state park funding for the local parks grant program and why every conservationist should get involved this year.

     

    Come learn more on March 5, 2015 6:30 PM at the United Way.

    Co-Hosted by the CEC, Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition, Houston Parks Board, and Buffalo Bayou Partnership. Support Texas Parks Support Local Parks

  3. New Subscribers: Thank you Craig, Mary, Molly, and Liz, our newest subscribers. We hope you enjoy our emails!
  4. Save the Date…. …for CEC’s second annual Environmental Poetry & Puns on April 1, 2015.

COALITION NOTES

  1. 2015 Action for Apes Challenge at the Houston Zoo! Action for Apes Challenge is a yearly contest hosted by the Houston Zoo where schools, community organizations, and businesses compete to see who can recycle the most cell phones by April 30, 2015. The group that recycles the most cell phones wins a one-of-a-kind painting by the apes at the Houston Zoo! Why recycle cell phones through the Houston Zoo’s Action for Apes Challenge? Recycling cell phones directly helps animals like gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild. A mineral (called tantalum) is found in almost every cell phone, as well as laptops and cameras. This mineral comes from the ground in central Africa, which happens to be where animals like chimpanzees, gorillas and okapis live. When the mineral is taken from animal habitats, the homes of chimps, gorillas and okapis become disrupted and these animal populations decrease. To participate in the challenge, register your school or organization at www.houstonzoo.org. Cell phones must be mailed by April 30, 2015. Email conservation@houstonzoo.org with any questions.
  2. Air Alliance Houston at OKRA. Air Alliance Houston is one of the featured charities at the OKRA Charity Saloon for the month of February! The concept is simple: For each drink purchased, guests receive one vote that they may cast that night for one of four charities selected by OKRA’s members. The charity with the most votes at the end of the month receives the next month’s proceeds. Have a drink and cast your vote for Clean Air and a Healthy Future. Meet up with the AAH team on Thursdays during happy hour from 4-6:30pm. You can visit OKRA at any other time of the month to help support the cause. Learn more at http://airalliancehouston.org.
  3. MyHouston2040. MyHouston2040 will be held at the OKRA Charity Saloon this month on February 12, 2015, from 5-7pm. Houston Tomorrow, Air Alliance Houston, Better Houston, Citizens’ Transportation Coalition, CNU (Congress for the New Urbanism), and Community Artists’ Collective agree that Houstonians can build a better Houston today by thinking about the Houston we may inherit in 2040 and the Houston we want in 2040. The speaker for the evening is Chris Browne, Associate Department Manager for EHRA. Chris Browne has a degree in Architecture from the University of Houston and transitioned to land planning over 20 years ago. Chris manages the design and execution of master planned communities, conceptual site development, and Low Impact Development projects. He takes great pride in the idea that what he designs eventually becomes a place people call “home.” More at www.facebook.com.
  4. Anti-Idling Campaign. One of the exciting movies at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival was “Idle Threat,” a story about a passionate crusade to reduce vehicle idling in New York City. Almost everyone at the festival signed a petition in support of Air Alliance Houston’s “Houston Anti-Idling Ordinance Petition,” which was circulated during the film. You too can sign the petition!
  5. Greens Bayou Project Funded. In early 2009 the Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition Board of Directors made a decision to advocate for the funding of a 108 acre flood damage reduction project on Greens Bayou located at W. Greens Road and Antoine, just north of Beltway 8. The project also includes nearly 4 miles of channel modifications (from Cutten Road to Veterans Memorial) and will remove 52% of the current at-risk structures out of the flood plain and provide more than $12 million in annual benefits. Led by GBCC’s Public Policy Committee, this effort included numerous trips to Washington D.C. and development of many key relationships with congressional members, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Assistant Secretary of the Army-Civil Works and the Office of Management and Budget. Undertaken during a challenging funding environment the committee has nevertheless persevered. GBCC has just announced that this $55 million infrastructure project has received new start construction status and funding! Learn more at http://greensbayou.org.
  6. Bayou Land Conservancy Ambassador Training. Interested in learning about local ecology, trail maintenance, navigation, and the Spring Creek Greenway trail systems? Join us for BLC’s Ambassador training starting February 12, 2015, at the Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center. After you complete these 5 classes, you’ll be ready to help serve as the eyes, ears, and boots on the ground to protect the Spring Creek Greenway preserves. There is no fee for any of the training program nor for the supplies provided, but attendees are asked to become BLC members for insurance coverage purposes. See all training dates and details at www.bayoulandconservancy.org. If you or someone you know is interested in signing up, please call 281-576-1634 or email info@bayouland.org to RSVP.
  7. Rain Barrel Workshop. Galveston Bay Foundation’s rain barrel program in 2014 conserved over 500,000 gallons of water for Galveston Bay. Now, the goal is to double that in 2015! Sign-up today for GBF’s next rain barrel workshop on February 21, 2015, from 9:30-11:30am in Baytown, and you can protect the Bay while lowering your water bill! Visit www.galvbay.org/rainbarrel to register and get more information.
  8. 2015 Abandoned Crab Trap Removal. Galveston Bay Foundation is looking for volunteers with boats for the 2015 Abandoned Crab Trap Removal on February 21, 2015, 9am-noon in Anahuac, TX. Abandoned crab traps result in the inadvertent death of several aquatic species including, but not limited to, blue crabs, estuarine sport fish, stone crabs, birds, diamond-backed terrapins, river otter, and–if found on land–terrestrial animals as well. Not only are abandoned traps hazardous to wildlife, they are unsightly, problematic for fishers and boaters, and can even smother seagrasses. Each year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) closes crabbing in all Texas waters for a 10-day period in February. Any trap left in the water during those ten days is considered “litter” under state law and is susceptible to being removed. Read more and learn how to get involved by visiting http://galvbay.org.
  9. Texas Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Workshop – Dickinson Bayou. The riparian education workshop, held on February 27, 2015, 9am-4:30pm, at the Galveston County Extension Office. It will cover an introduction to riparian principles, watershed processes, basic hydrology, erosion/deposition principles, and riparian vegetation, as well as potential causes of degradation and possible resulting impairment(s), and available local resources including technical assistance and tools that can be employed to prevent and/or resolve degradation. These one-day trainings in watersheds across the state include both indoor classroom presentations and outdoor walks along the Bayou. The goal is for participants to better understand and relate to riparian and watershed processes, the benefits that healthy riparian areas provide, and the tools that can be employed to prevent and/or resolve degradation and improve water quality. At the conclusion of the training, participants will receive a certificate of completion. CEU’s available. RSVP’s must be in by February 23, 2014. Register at http://naturalresourcestraining.tamu.edu.
  10. 2015 Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium: Reduce & Reuse–making water conservation work for the Gulf Coast Region. March 5, 2015, 8:00 am to 3:30 PM at the United Way of Houston’s Community Resource Center. View agenda and register. What you will learn:
    • Results of a statewide poll focused on public attitudes and perceptions on water supply, water conservation and what utilities can do to promote water conservation
    • Proven methods from around the state to reduce outdoor water use in your community
    • How building codes and green building principles can save water in growing communities
    • HB4 / State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) and how it works
    • How Texas utilities can use SWIFT funds for water conservation programs
    • What role does reuse play in meeting the Gulf Coast’s future water needs
  11. Support Truth in Budgeting and Support Parks! Calling all conservationists:  This legislative session in Austin may be the year to finally add dollars to our state park and local parks grants programs for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.   For years, our elected officials have been using dollars that should have gone to the parks to instead balance our state budget.  But transparency may finally be winning and a call for truth in budgeting is being made so that dollars collected under the sporting goods sales tax go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as they were originally intended.  This is not a new tax but rather a call to end the diversion and spend those dollars on state parks and the local parks grant program. Come learn more on March 5, 2015 6:30 PM at the United Way. Brian Trusty from Texas Audubon will address the role of state park funding for the local parks grant program and why every conservationist should get involved this year.
  12. 43rd Annual Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta. Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s 43rd Annual Regatta will be held on March 7, 2015, from 7:30am-2pm at Sesquicentennial Park. This is Texas’ largest canoe and kayak race! Houstonians (ages 12 and up) are encouraged to participate in the 15-mile ACA santioned race along the scenic Buffalo Bayou. The cost to register is $45. Learn more and register today at http://buffalobayou.org.
  13. NOAA Seeks Input on Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Boundaries. NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is soliciting public and stakeholder comment on a recommendation to modify the current boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This is the first step in a process that could expand the sanctuary. All comments must be submitted to NOAA by close of business on April 6, 2015. You can submit your comment at www.regulations.gov. Learn more about the sanctuary at http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov. There will also be a public meeting to learn more about the proposal and comments. The public meeting in Houston will be held on March 5, 2015, 6-8pm, at the Bayland Community Center. There will be another meeting in Galveston on March 11, 2015, 6-8pm, at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Office.
  14. Bayou Greenway Day 2015. On April 4, 2015, thousands of Houstonians will participate in an exciting new community event: Bayou Greenway Day 2015! This free, day-long event will offer individuals and teams the chance to walk, bike, run, stroll, play, and paddle between park sites along Brays Bayou – the star of this year’s event. Four “hubs” – Fonde Park, Gragg Park, Spurlock Park, and Mason Park – will feature an array of fun activities for all ages in festival-like atmosphere. Participants will be able to start at any of these locations, enjoying activities and exploring the trails that connect the hubs. For many, this will be the first opportunity to experience the transformation happening along Houston’s bayous. Read more at http://houstonparksboard.org. This is also a great opportunity to spread awareness about your organization! The event has opportunities for any combination of the following – a booth, a demonstration, activity, service offering, etc. To learn more about becoming a partner or sponsor for Bayou Greenway 2015, contact Lauren McMicken Sands at lmcmicken@sterlingandassociates.com.
  15. Additional Upcoming Events

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COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. Private Profit vs. Public Good: Do Energy Companies Have a Social Responsibility? Join UH Energy for the second annual Energy Symposium Series: Critical Issues in Energy on February 10, 2015, 5:30-8pm at the UH Student Center South Theater. Guest speakers include Badar Khan, Direct Energy; Nate Teti, Statoil North America; Aneel Karnani, University of Michigan; Kathleen Hartnett White, Texas Public Policy Foundation; and Moderator John Beddow, Houston Business Journal. For more information, please contact UH Energy at uhenergy@uh.edu or call 713-743-6100. RSVP at www.eventbrite.com.
  2. Public Comment Meeting for Armand Bayou Watershed. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has scheduled a meeting to take public comment on six draft total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for indicator bacteria in the Armand Bayou watershed of the San Jacinto-Brazos Coastal Basin in Harris County. The meeting will be held on February 12, 2015, at 6pm in the Discovery Room (#108) at the Johnson Space Center, Gilruth Center. At the meeting, individuals have the opportunity to present oral statements when called upon in order of registration. An agency staff member will give a brief presentation at the start of the meeting and will be available to answer questions before and after all public comments have been received. Written comments will also be accepted until March 9, 2015. Submit written comments to Jason Leifester, Water Quality Planning Division, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, MC 203, P. O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas, 78711-3087. Learn more at www.tceq.texas.gov.
  3. Houston & the Legislature: Previewing the 84th Session. The Texas Tribune, in partnership with Houston First, will present a quarterly conversation series on the major policy debates on the agenda of the 84th Legislature — and what they mean for the state’s largest city and surrounding communities. Come out to the Wortham Center for the first installment of this series on February 12, 2015, 11:30am-1pm. Tribune CEO and Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith will moderate. The event is free and open to the public and includes a light lunch. The conversation will also be livestreamed at texastribune.org/livestream (starting at noon), and the video will be accessible for viewing afterward. Learn more at www.texastribune.org.
  4. OHBA Successful Organic Gardens and Lawns. OHBA is hosting a series of organic gardening events around the Houston area. Each events will feature local Organic experts demonstrating simple Organic lawn care and gardening methods. Register early for a fun and festive learning experience that includes “how-to” hand-outs, samples, door prizes, and refreshments. Learn more and register at www.ohbaonline.org. The event dates and locations are:
    • Successful Organic Gardens and Lawns / Central Houston: February 14, 2015, 9am-noon, at the United Way Building
    • Successful Organic Gardens and Lawns / The Woodlands: February 21, 2015, 9am-noon, at The Woodlands Township Hall
    • Successful Organic Gardens and Lawns / Kingwood: February 28, 2015, 9am-noon, at the Kingwood Community Center
    • Successful Organic Gardens and Lawns / Fort Bend: March 7, 2015, 9am-noon, at the Harmon Center
  5. STEM Student Research Facilitation Course. The Office of STEM Education Partnerships (OSEP) at Northwestern University is offering a professional development opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers to develop or advance a program that facilitates their own students’ research. Through a generous grant from Motorola Solutions, teachers participate in an 11-week course and learn about models and tools for implementing student research in their school district, advance planning efforts to facilitate student research opportunities, and share best practices with experienced area teachers and STEM leaders. The course is online (contact meetings are optional) and begins February 16, 2015. Please contact amy.pratt@northwestern.edu with any questions. Register at www.surveygizmo.com.
  6. Mountainfilm Film Festival in Houston. The original Mountainfilm Film Festival, one of the oldest film festivals in the US, is based in Telluride, Colorado. Mountainfilm on Tour is a program of festival films brought to Houston by the local non-profit ICEtalks. This will be their fourth year of bringing the festival here to the Asia Society Texas Center in the museum district. The festival will take place over 2 nights on February 20 and 21, 2015. Tickets are available on the website ICEtalks.org. Doors will open at 6:00pm when festival goers can purchase drinks, dinner and dessert provided by Shade and Canopy. Drinks and dinner will also be available at intermission. Films include: Xmas Without China, which follows an American family that must remove everything made in China from their home temporarily and cannot purchase any new products with a Chinese label for an entire holiday season; Tashi and the Monk, in which Lobsang, a former monk, takes in 84 orphaned children; and DamNation, which explores the damning of America’s free-flowing rivers under Floyd Dominy, the longtime commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. Information and tickets are available at http://icetalks.org.
  7. Disruption Screening. Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church will screen the documentary film, Disruption, about climate change on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at 12:45pm. The film investigates the science of climate change, the politics, and the consequences of inaction, and makes a compelling call for bold action on this issue. It also takes viewers behind the scenes of the organization of the climate rally last fall. Disruption is 51 minutes long, and a facilitated discussion will be held after the screening. A sandwich lunch will be provided for $5.00 for those attendees who pre-register and request a lunch by e-mailing ctk@ctkelc.org. Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church is located 2353 Rice Blvd., at the corner of Greenbriar and Rice Blvd. For more information about this event, contact gcs.lrc@gmail.com. For more information about this film, please see watchdisruption.com.
  8. Eric Klinenberg, “Climate Change and the Future of Cities.” March 9, 2015 at Rice U, Sewall Hall 309. Sponsored by CENHS, the Kinder Institute, and the Department of Sociology. The fundamental threat to the human species is our collective inability to reduce our carbon emissions and slow the pace of climate change. Yet even if we managed to stop increasing global carbon emissions tomorrow, we would probably experience several centuries of additional warming, rising sea levels, and more frequent dangerous weather events. If our cities and communities are to survive, we have no choice but to adapt. For the past decade and a half, governments around the world have been investing in elaborate plans to secure their cities from the ravages of climate change—protecting people, businesses, and critical infrastructure against weather-related calamities. Much of this work involves upgrading what engineers call “lifeline systems”: the network infrastructure for power, transit, and communications, which is crucial in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Some of the solutions are capital-intensive and high-tech; some are low- or no-tech approaches, such as organizing communities so that residents know which of their neighbors are vulnerable and how to assist them. In this talk, NYU sociologist Eric Klinenberg, author of Heat Wave, editor of Public Culture, and research director of the Rebuild by Design competition, explores emerging ideas and recent designs for climate change adaptation.
  9. Update on Whooping Crane Litigation. The Aransas Project is an alliance of citizens, organizations, businesses, and municipalities who want responsible water management of the Guadalupe River Basin and bays that represents all interests throughout the basin. Recently, the decision in TAP v. Shaw, et al was overturned by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. A Motion for Rehearing from the full 5th Circuit was turned down. Now, TAP is putting together a Petition for Certiorari, or the “cert petition” for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. TAP has 90 days from mid-December to file a cert petition. The board of directors of TAP has authorized the legal team to prepare this petition and work is underway. Support is needed for the petition as TAP anticipates at least $50,000 will be needed for this effort. To support the effort or learn more, visit thearansasproject.org, contact jbb@blackburncarter.com, or read the latest update.
  10. TPWD Local Park Grants. Recreation Grants is now accepting applications for the Urban Outdoor, Non-urban Outdoor, and Small Community Local Park Grant Programs. Applications are being accepted through the online portal at https://tpwd-recgrants.fluidreview.com. If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, contact rec.grants@tpwd.texas.gov or 512-389-8224. The deadline is March 31, 2015.
  11. Additional Community Announcements 
  12. 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). For a preview, visit TPWD’s YouTube Page.
    • Pronghorn CSI
    • Lake Tawakoni State Park
    • Frog People
    • A Not-So-Easy Rider
  13. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • February 10, 2015:
    • February 11, 2015:
    • February 12, 2015:
    • February 13, 2015:

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