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September 6, 2015

Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: September 6, 2015

Featured

  1. Houston Argues for Right to Regulate Pollution (Jordan Rudner – The Texas Tribune, 9/2/2015)
    “Two ordinances passed by the city of Houston to regulate air pollution reflect the spirit of the Texas Clean Air Act and state environmental regulations and should be allowed to stand, lawyers for the city argued on Wednesday before the Texas Supreme Court. The ordinances, passed in 2007 and 2008, require industrial polluters to register with the city and follow state emission guidelines, at risk of being fined. The local rules are necessary, attorney Robert Higgason argued on Houston’s behalf, so the city can plug gaps in environmental enforcement left by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.”
    www.texastribune.org
  2. Will Big Gates To Stop Hurricane Flooding Ever Be Built? (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media, 9/1/2015)
    “Seven years, Hurricane Ike roared ashore in Galveston and left nearly $30 billion in damage across the region. But at Rice University, civil engineering researcher Philip Bedient says he can’t believe the lack of prevention. ‘I mean were coming up on the seven year anniversary and it’s astounding to me that we sit here at this point in time and have not moved a single truckload of dirt or sand to build a dike or do anything,’ says Bedient. He and other researchers are releasing a report on the status of proposals to something and something big: public works projects that could be making a difference to minimize flooding from the ‘storm surge’ of sea-water pushed inland by a storm. The proposals include giant gates across the ship channel that would close before a hurricane hit, blocking the surge. A system of gates and levees could cost several billion dollars — at least — but compared to what they might save by reducing flood damage, the researchers say they’re a good deal.”
    www.houstonpublicmedia.org
  3. New Air Monitors Protect Public Health (Guidry News, 9/1/2015)
    “Monitoring and analyzing data about what’s in the air we breathe is an important part of protecting public health. Having the latest state-of-the-art equipment to do so benefits everyone who calls Galveston County home. That’s why the Galveston County Health District (GCHD) is excited about the recent deployment of two new air quality monitors. The monitors keep track of particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in diameter. Particle pollution — especially fine particles — contains microscopic matter so small it can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems.”
    www.guidrynews.com

EcoNotes

  • 4 September
    • Houston fights for local control over pollution (Anthony Hennen – Red Alert Politics)
      http://redalertpolitics.com
    • EPA Water Rule Applies to Texas After All (Jim Malewitz – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Explosive news: Plants can fight back against TNT pollution – researchers (Will Dunham – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • Report: Colleges That Stop Investing In Oil And Gas Risk Losses (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
  • 3 September
    • Earth has 3 trillion trees but they’re falling at alarming rate (Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • Railroad Commission Refutes Peer-Reviewed Study Linking Quakes to Oil and Gas Industry (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
  • 2 September
    • Houston Argues for Right to Regulate Pollution (Jordan Rudner – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Building Community Capacity By Building Community Organizations (Brian Butler – airCurrent News)
      http://airalliancehouston.org
    • A new lizard in town – Cuban brown anole and its effect on our native species (Amy Barton and Chris Garza – Houston Arboretum & Nature Center)
      http://houstonarboretum.org
    • Environmental group calls for policy embracing new technology (Gerry Tuoti – Walpole)
      http://walpole.wickedlocal.com
    • Governor Abbott Asks Texas Court To Rule Against Houston Pollution Police (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Texas Tries Gates And Texts To Reduce Toll Of Deadly Flash Floods (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Cuellar: House Will Pass Bill Lifting Crude Export Ban (Jim Malewitz – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Well Explosion Could Put Pressure on Texas Regulators (Jim Malewitz – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Texas Railroad Commission Rejects Quake Study (Mose Buchele, KUT News – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Texas Farmers Brace for New Clean Water Rule (Ally Mutnick – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Texas Railroad Commission Refutes Study Linking Quakes to Oil and Gas Industry (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
      https://stateimpact.npr.org
    • Global warming intensified the record floods in Texas and Oklahoma (John Abraham – The Guardian)
      www.theguardian.com
  • 1 September
  • 31 August
  • 29 August
    • A Funding Boost For Texas’ Parks (Michael Stravato and Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
  • 28 August
    • Judge Casts EPA Rule into Muddy Legal Waters (Jim Malewitz, Kiah Collier, and Ally Mutnick – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • How much time and money do Houstonians waste in traffic? New report reveals surprising numbers (Elizabeth Rhodes – Culture Map Houston)
      http://houston.culturemap.com
  • 27 August
    • Texas teenager creates $20 water purifier to tackle toxic e-waste pollution (Karl Mathiesen in Stockholm and Tess Riley – The Guardian)
      www.theguardian.com
  • 26 August
    • As Fracking Waste Piles Up in Texas, Environmental Groups Threaten To Sue For More Regulation (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Houston among urban areas where commuters endure most extra hours (ABC 13 News)
      http://abc13.com
  • 25 August
    • May flooding’s severity partly due to climate change, scientists calculate (Bill Dawson – Texas Climate News)
      http://texasclimatenews.org
    • Houston Suburbs Challenge CenterPoint Gas Rate Hike (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
  • 20 August
    • $7.6 Million in Local Park Grants Awarded to Texas Communities (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
      http://tpwd.texas.gov
  • 17 August
    • New Artificial Reefs To Provide Enhanced Fishing off Texas Coast (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
      http://tpwd.texas.gov