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Houston Environmental News Update June 5, 2019
June 5, 2019

Houston Environmental News Update June 5, 2019

World Oceans Day, Waters of the US, “How’s the Water?” report, Deepwater Horizon, Houston Green Film Series: Don’t Panic, Green Jobs, and more

Saturday, June 8, is World Oceans Day. More than three-quarters of our planet is covered by oceans which, according to The Ocean Project, provide most of the oxygen we breathe, clean the water that we drink, grow the fish that we eat, and help regulate our climate.

This year’s World Oceans Day is focused on plastic pollution, a problem that most heavily affects oceans around the world, as discarded plastic can easily travel from the land to the sea, taking thousands of years to finally break down. Scientists have found that plastic is not just limited to giant, circulating patches of ocean, like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Single-use plastics have even been found at a depth of 36,000 feet inside the Mariana Trench, affecting deep sea life. Learn how you and your family can make a difference at this blog post from the NOAA Marine Debris Program.

Below are a few events happening in the Houston-Galveston region to help raise awareness for the environmental issues facing oceans and what residents can do to help.

  • Artist Boat promotes awareness and conservation of the Gulf Coast through fun, educational, and creative public events. This Saturday, June 8, they will host a free celebration of World Oceans Day at Stewart Beach in Galveston from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., including kayak paddling, a Marine Debris Art Contest, and a sandcastle building demonstration.
  • The Houston Museum of Natural Science will host a family festival beginning at noon on Saturday, featuring life-size 2D models of coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico with coral researcher Adrienne Correa, Ph.D. of Rice University, presentations by Rice’s Department of Earth Science, and hands-on stations. Additionally, on Thursday, June 6, Correa will present a screening of the documentary Saving Atlantis, which celebrates the majesty and mystery of coral habitats and sheds light on the dramatic decline of global coral reef ecosystems and the impact on human populations that depend on them.
  • On Thursday, from 10:30-11:30 a.m., from here will be a Galveston Beach Cleanup at Hershey Beach, hosted by Thompson & Co. Public Relations and the Galveston Park Board of Trustees. For more information, visit the Facebook event.
  • Galveston’s Moody Gardens will host a three-day celebration from Friday through Sunday featuring several family-friendly activities, including a dive pool, a penguin yoga class, film screenings, and more.
  • Sugar Land Town Square will host a celebration on Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon, featuring speakers, crafts, activities, and educational exhibits. This event is free and open to the public.

CEC NOTES

Save the Dates: Green Films, Greater Houston Environmental Summit, Environmental Educators Exchange, Earth Day

  • Houston Green Films: Please join CEC, the Houston Green Film Series, the Rice Media Center, and additional partners on June 19, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. for conversation, networking, and a light meal, followed by a film at 7 p.m. and panel discussion at 8 p.m. The June feature will be Don’t Panic: The Truth About Population, an infographic extravaganza with world-famous Swedish statistician/showman Hans Rosling. His main message – that our world is profoundly changing in ways most of us simply don’t realize, much of it for the better.
  • Greater Houston Environmental Summit: Friday, August 2, 2019, from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the United Way of Greater Houston’s Community Resource Center. In addition to excellent presentations, we will again offer small-format table talks. Details and registration will be available early summer 2019.
  • Earth Day Houston, part of the 50th worldwide observance, will be held at Discovery Green on Sunday, April 19, 2020.
  • The Environmental Educators’ Exchange next quarterly meeting will be on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, at 4:30 p.m. Location TBD.

Candidate Forums and Questionnaires

7 days of being engaged in the community

Are you organizing a candidate forum or questionnaire for the November 2019 election? CEC is gathering information about election-related activities within our environmental communities. Let us know what you are planning, and we’ll keep you in the loop. CEC is interested in either hosting, coordinating, and/or supporting the efforts of local environmental nonprofits leading up to the election. Send your comments to rachel@cechouston.org. Note: the filing deadline for the November City of Houston elections is August 26, 2019.

Networking & Field Trips for Summer Interns

Are you interested in meeting future environmental leaders and telling them about your important work? CEC will be hosting several interns this summer and would like to arrange field trip, networking, and mentorship opportunities for them. If you are interested in hosting them for a meeting or tour, please let us know. If you are interested in having your environmental interns join CEC’s interns, we’d be delighted to have them join us. Email rachel@cechouston.org for more information.

Interested in serving on CEC’s Board of Directors or one of its committees?

June 24

Scroll down to read notes from our member organizations and the community, or view the emailed version of the newsletter, which includes a green job listing.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

We have endeavored to confirm the events listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts.

Federal judge remands “waters of the U.S.” rule to EPA

Bayou City Waterkeeper informs us that on May 28, 2019, Galveston-based federal District Judge George C. Hanks, Jr. remanded the 2015 Obama-era “waters of the United States” rule, more commonly known as the “Clean Water Rule,” to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for additional administrative proceedings. In 2015, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, along with real estate developers and other industry groups, sued the EPA, asking Hanks to reverse the Clean Water Rule, including its protections for Texas coastal prairie wetlands, which benefit Galveston and Houston-area communities with billions of dollars‘ worth of floodwater detention and protection from coastal storm surges. In sending the rule back to the EPA, Hanks declined the Attorney General’s invitation to remove this legal protection for regional wetlands. See more, including a statement from Bayou City Waterkeeper legal director Kristen Schlemmer, at bayoucitywaterkeeper.org.

“How’s the Water?” 2019 Basin Highlights Report available online

The Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Clean Rivers Program publishes an annual report for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality summarizing the state of water quality in the region. The 2019 Basin Highlights Report includes a water quality summary and trends analysis for all segments in the Clean Rivers Program region. It also provides updates on related water quality projects and outreach activities. The full report, with interactive maps, photos, and graphics, is available at h-gac.com.

Deepwater Horizon Trustees’ 2018 reports available

In 2018, the Deepwater Horizon NRDA Trustees continued restoration in the Gulf of Mexico. Annual reports on all of the Trustees’ work, and an annual financial summary are now available. The 2018 annual reports include new information on the Trustees’ planning activities and project implementation. They show each activity’s status as of December 31, 2018. In total, there are 171 reports available, which include 139 approved restoration projects. The remaining reports focus on restoration plans and other planning activities.

Our Great Region Awards applications open through July 31

The Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Our Great Region Awards recognize outstanding projects in the region advancing the goals and strategies identified in the Our Great Region 2040 plan. The application period is open through Wednesday, July 31. Plans, programs, projects, or polices that implemented or are implementing a strategy of the Our Great Region 2040 plan within the 13-county H-GAC planning region in the past three years are eligible to apply. More information is available in the 2019 application guide or emailing ourregion@h-gac.com. Learn more at ourregion.org.

Central City Co-Op brings organic food to the public

Founded in 2001, Central City Co-Op’s mission is to make organic food available to everyone at reasonable prices. It hopes to co-ops throughout Houston that provide locally grown, high-quality organic to people on a weekly basis. You can check out their new website at centralcityco-op.com.

Harris County Hazard Mitigation Plan Public Survey

The Greater Harris County Regional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Steering Committee is residents to help to identify and plan for future disasters by taking an online survey. Data collected will help assess residents’ level of awareness regarding disasters; determine areas vulnerable to various types of disasters; coordinate activities to reduce the risk of injury or property damage in the future; and update the multi-jurisdiction Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. For more information and to take the survey, visit surveymonkey.com.

Flower Garden Banks research webinar

On June 6, 2019, from 9-10 a.m., there will be a Gulf of Mexico Forum webinar titled “Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary – 2016 Localized Mortality Event and Ongoing Research” with research biologist Dr. Michelle A. Johnston (read a story about her research here). To register for the free webinar, visit gotowebinar.com.

“Green” Happy Hour at Saint Arnold’s Beer Garden

On June 6, 2019, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., the US Green Building Council, Gulf Coast Chapter and Bayou Land Conservancy will host a “Green” Happy Hour for green builders, conservationists, and environmental professionals at Saint Arnold’s Beer Garden. A free tour of Saint Arnold’s will be offered to the group at 7 p.m. For more information, see the Facebook event.

Proposals for 2019 CAST due June 7

The 2019 Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST) presented by the Science Teachers Association of Texas will take place Nov. 21–23, 2019 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. With more than more than 5,000 educators and science advocates attending, CAST is one of the nation’s premier science education conferences. The proposal submission deadline has been extended to June 7. For more information, visit goeshow.com.

Sims Bayou Greenway Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting

On June 8, 2019, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Houston Parks Board will host the grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the Sims Bayou Greenway and the first-ever CenterPoint recreational trail. The 1.5-mile hike-and-bike trail provides important connections to the communities living in this area. The family event will include plenty of activities for children. For more information, visit the Facebook event.

“The River and the Wall” screenings at 14 Pews

On June 8 and 15, beginning at 7 p.m., 14 Pews will screen the documentary “The River and the Wall,” directed by Ben Masters. The film follows five friends on an immersive adventure through the unknown wilds of the Texas borderlands as they travel 1,200 miles from El Paso to the Gulf of Mexico on horses, mountain bikes, and canoes (see the trailer). For more information and to purchase tickets, visit 14pews.org

Lunch Bunch: Behind the Scenes at Mercer Botanic Gardens

On June 12, 2019, from noon-2 p.m., Mercer Botanic Gardens will host a free Lunch Bunch in which collections curator Suzzanne Chapman and botantist Anita Tiller will discuss the collections housed at the Mercer Botanical Center and exciting facts about plants and their habitats. Participants should bring a lunch and dress for the weather. For more information, visit the Facebook event.

Managing Our Stormwater workshop

On June 12, 2019, from 1-4 p.m., the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension will host a free stormwater workshop at the John Hargrove Environmental Complex in Pearland. Managing Our Stormwater from Gutter to Stream will cover nature-based techniques to clean and conserve stormwater for people and wildlife at any scale: backyard to urban/suburban/industrial to regional. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Texas Coastal Management Program grant pre-proposals due June 12

The Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office is soliciting applications for projects that address environmental concerns within the coastal zone and promote sustainable economic development. Texas Coastal Management Program Cycle 25 involves a competitive pre-proposal process followed by an invitation-only final application submission. Pre-proposals (required) must be received electronically by 5 p.m. on June 12, 2019. For more information, visit glo.texas.gov.

Lower Colorado River Authority Habitat Conservation Plan comments due June 13

The Lower Colorado River Authority Transmission Services Corporation has submitted an application to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for an Incidental Take Permit under the Endangered Species Act. LCRA TSC has developed a proposed Habitat Conservation Plan to minimize potential impacts of transmission line construction and maintenance across 241 Texas counties on 22 federally listed endangered species and one non-listed species. The Service encourages the public to review and provide comments on LCRA TSC’s HCP and the Service’s draft Environmental Impact Statement during the 45-day public comment period. Written comments must be received by June 13, 2019. To see the associated documents, which includes directions on how to comment, visit fws.gov.

SSPEED Center annual conference early registration ends June 15

Rice University’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education, & Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center will hold its annual conference on October 8- 9, 2019 at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies. At this year’s event, “Post-Harvey Era: Resilient Engineering, Infrastructure & Policy”, top academic, consulting and governmental experts will present. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, City of Houston, Harris County will provide governmental updates. The deadline for early registration is June 15. For more information and to register, visit sspeed.rice.edu.

Texas A&M Forest Service Vegetative Control Goals Workshop

On June 15, 2019, from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., the Texas A&M Forest Service will present an Achieving Vegetative Control Goals workshop at Jones State Forest, Conroe. Landowners can learn more about forest health management, woodland aesthetics, wildlife enhancement, and wildfire prevention. The event is free; however, registration is required at eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Conner Murnane at 936-273-2261.

Galveston Bay Foundation Rain Barrel Workshop in Pearland

On June 15, 2019, from 11 a.m.-noon, the Galveston Bay Foundation will host a Rain Barrel Workshop to teach the public about the cost savings and environmental benefits of collecting rainwater, and proper rain barrel installation instructions and tips. The $35 registration fee includes one 35-gallon barrel, one connector kit, and admission to the workshop for the registrant and one guest. The workshop will be held at the Bakfish Brewing Company in Pearland. For more information and to register, visit galvbay.org.

TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife

Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3 p.m. each Saturday and on municipal access cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Houston, Texas City, Galveston, 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.

  • Biologists on the Colorado River search for the Blue Sucker
  • A nature photographer joins a group of Buffalo Soldiers re-enactors
  • See the Port O’Connor Paddling Trail

Additional Upcoming Events

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