Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: February 7, 2019
Houston to Dallas bullet train gives the green light to local environmental company
(Marcy de Luna – Houston Chronicle, 02/05/2019. Photo by JR Central) While construction is not set to start until late 2019, plans for the highly-anticipated high-speed bullet train project that will connect Houston to Dallas in 90 minutes are inching along as developers at Texas Central are making moves to get the project on track. This week, Texas Central announced via press release that it has partnered with Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) to help protect and enhance natural ecosystems and the environment throughout construction and operations. houstonchronicle.com
Report finds Harvey’s hit led to 27% increase in plant pollution
(Matt Hollis – The Baytown Sun, 02/03/2019.) “Texas industrial facilities reported releasing more than 63 million pounds of air pollution without authorization in 2017, a 27 percent increase over the previous year, according to a report by Environment Texas Research and Policy Center. While the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality could issue fines as high as $2.3 billion for 2017 violations, the report found the agency only levied a total of $1.2 million in fines in 2017 or 2 cents per pound of pollution.” baytownsun.com
We need science fiction to fight climate change [Opinion]
(Charlie Jane Anders, The Washington Post – Houston Chronicle, 01/31/2019. Photo by Universal/Getty Images) “Sen. Kamala Harris was half right in her speech launching her 2020 presidential campaign, when she said we need to address climate change based on “science fact, not science fiction.” The truth is, we need both. Science fiction has an important role to play in rescuing the future from the huge challenges we’re facing – and the responses to Harris’ statement illustrate this perfectly.” houstonchronicle.com
EcoNotes
- 6 February
- Houston petrochemical firm fined $214,000 for pollution (Marissa Luck – Houston Chronicle) https://www.houstonchronicle.com
- 2018 was world’s fourth hottest year on record, scientists confirm (Oliver Milman – The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com
- 5 February
- Texas ranks No. 5 for green building in 2018 (Katherine Feser – Houston Chronicle) https://www.chron.com
- Environment America response to the 2019 State of the Union (Andrea McGimsey, John Rumpler, Rob Sargent, Steve Blackledge – Environment America) https://environmentamerica.org
- Third of Himalayan glaciers can no longer be saved: study (Binaj Gurubacharya, Associated Press – Houston Chronicle) https://www.chron.com
- 4 February
- Hong Kong makes record seizure of pangolin scales, ivory (Violet Law, Hong Kong, Associated Press – Macau Daily Times) https://macaudailytimes.com.mo
- 31 January
- America colonisation ‘cooled Earth’s climate’ (Jonathan Amos – BBC) https://www.bbc.com