In Houston, A Growing Debate About Flooding And Sand Mining (Travis Bubenik – Houston Public Media, 01/16/2019. Photo by Travis Bubenik.) While sand mining is good business in Texas, where cities are growing and construction is booming, there are concerns around Houston that companies that dig for sand along rivers contributed to the disastrous flooding the region saw from Hurricane Harvey. In an unusual move in a business-friendly state, lawmakers are now considering new restrictions on the industry. houstonpublicmedia.org

Huge shift to cleaner fuels a jackpot for Texas energy (Marissa Luck – Houston Chronicle, 01/18/2019. Photo by Smiley N. Pool.) Gulf Coast refiners and Texas oil producers are predicted to benefit substantially from a shift to cleaner fuels in the shipping industry that would dramatically hike demand for diesel fuel and the lighter grades of crude oil produced in the Permian Basin and other Texas oil fields. In less than a year, the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency that oversees international shipping, will impose new pollution rules that will force most of the shipping industry to shift from a cheap, dirty fuel with high sulfur content to low-sulfur, cleaner burning marine fuels made with diesel, which analysts estimate could significantly boost demand for diesel by as much as 20 to 30 percent. houstonchronicle.com

Climate-change experts seek dialogue with Gov. Abbott [Opinion] (Andrew Dessler – Houston Chronicle, Updated 01/22/2019. Photo by Brandon Thibodeaux.) “Gov. Greg Abbott recently said it is “impossible” for him know whether human-made climate change is contributing to natural disasters in Texas because he is not scientist. Yes, climate change is complex. But my colleagues and I are here to help. With the start of the 2019 legislative session, 26 climate scientists and experts, including myself, offered to brief Gov. Abbott on the hard evidence that the climate is changing, humans are primarily responsible, and if we don’t act soon, Texans may suffer mightily.” houstonchronicle.com 

How Researchers Are Keeping Tabs On Oil And Gas Emissions In West Texas (Mitch Borden (Marfa Public Radio) – Houston Public Media, 01/22/2019. Photo by Diana Nguyen.) Houston-based drillers are finding record amounts of oil in West Texas, but environmentalists from groups like Earthworks say they’re finding methane, benzene, and other vapors escaping from oil and gas facilities. houstonpublicmedia.org

Church in The Woodlands focuses on environmental causes for a purpose (Jane Stueckemann – Houston Chronicle, 01/18/2019. Courtesy Photos.) The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church is an “Earth Care Congregation” that cares for the church’s environmental commitments in four areas: worship, education, facilities and outreach. About six years ago, church member and team leader Cinda Hitchcock read an article about the program and presented the stipulations to the church’s social justice group, thereafter getting an environmental audit done about how the church used water and electricity, chemicals, the amount of plastic waste and even what was taught during the church sermons to ultimately garner sufficient points and get certified under the program. chron.com