Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: September 16, 2019
Harris County sues Houston refinery over recent toxic gas release
(Houston Chronicle, Perla Trevizo, Updated 09/13/19. Photo by Michael Ciaglo.)
“A Houston refinery is facing its second environmental lawsuit in as many years after releasing more than 320,000 pounds of toxic gases last week …
Short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide can harm the respiratory system, making it difficult to breathe, especially for vulnerable populations such as children or people with asthma. And hydrogen sulfide is an extremely hazardous gas that could be deadly in large concentrations. And although 300,000 pounds, the amount of last week’s release, is considered a large one, it is not the company’s biggest.”
Houston Botanic Garden’s edible ‘rooms’ will lead visitors around the world in an acre
(Houston Chronicle, Molly Glentzer, Updated 09/12/19. Photo by Jon Shapley.)
“Construction is underway to create an entrance from Park Place and transform the heart of the 132-acre site … Several feature areas, each a different kind of living laboratory, will fill the curvy island.
While the 3-acre Global Garden highlights an array of plants from around the world, with a focus on conservation, the 1-acre Edible Garden will celebrate Houston’s cultural diversity in ways that inspire local vegetable, fruit and herb growers — even those who have less than an acre to play with and are blessed (or cursed, depending on one’s point of view) with shade.”
Trump administration rolls back clean-water rule for streams and wetlands
(Houston Chronicle, Perla Trevizo, Updated 09/16/19. Photo by Brandon Thibodeaux.)
“The Trump administration on Thursday rolled back an Obama-era clean water rule, a move that won’t directly affect major waterways like the Houston Ship Channel but that some environmentalists contend will put wetlands in the region’s coastal prairies and more than 140,000 miles of streams at risk.
“It is unconscionable that we’re jeopardizing the drinking water of one in three Americans — not to mention damaging the waters where we swim and fish and that wildlife calls home,†said Anna Farrell-Sherman with Environment Texas.”
Additional Headlines
- 9/15/19
- Houston car lovers get charged up at EV show (Jordan Blum – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Shipping Fears Linger That Fuel Switch May Lead to Accidents (Firat Kayakiran – Bloomberg) www.bloomberg.com
- A fracking ban is about as realistic as a border wall (Chris Tomlinson – Houston Chronicle Opinion) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/14/19
- White House Plans Biofuel Quota Boost to Offset Refinery Waivers (Jennifer Jacobs, Mario Parker and Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Bloomberg) www.bloomberg.com
- Greenpeace protesters who shut down Houston Ship Channel released from jail, plead not guilty to federal charges (Dylan McGuinness – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/13/19
- Divided Congress finds some common ground on climate (James Osborne – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Company announces $14 billion deal to build Texas Bullet Train, but is still long way from the end of the line (Dug Begley – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/12/19
- Craddick: 2020 Democrats’ policies would devastate Texas’ economy. (Christi Craddick – Houston Chronicle Outlook) www.houstonchronicle.com
- House Dems pass offshore drilling bans, despite oppositions from Texans (James Osborne – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/11/19
- Oil and gas companies need to rethink their business (Chris Tomlinson – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Harris County boosts pollution efforts, staff in response to spring chemical fires (Zach Despart – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Climate change an increasing concern for Texas voters, poll finds (Perla Trevizo – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/10/19
- Feds hope to start San Jacinto Waste Pits cleanup within 2 years (Perla Trevizo – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Environmental racism: It’s real and Democratic candidates must show how they’ll address it [Opinion] (Robert D. Bullard – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Valero, Darling planning major renewable diesel refinery in Port Arthur (Jordan Bum – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Fast-food chains are the new breeding ground for the plant-based-meat revolution (Greg Morago – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/09/19
- Can’t stand mosquito bites? Here’s how to avoid them (Gwendolyn Wu – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Valero, Darling planning major renewable diesel refinery in Port Arthur (Jordan Blum – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Feds hope to start San Jacinto Waste Pits cleanup within 2 years (Perla Trevizo – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Reporters Notebook: Natural gas-powered buses becoming more visible (Sergio Chapa – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Drilling Down: Denver saltwater disposal well operator makes Permian Basin push (Sergio Chapa – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Rick Perry says the U.S. leads on producing energy and reducing emissions. Is he right? (Madlin Mekelburg – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/08/19
- Widening I-45 will be a disaster for Houston [Opinion] (Jeff Speck – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Industry-funded group calls for natural gas to be part of Houston’s climate plan (Perla Trevizo – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- 9/07/19
- Environmental racism: It’s real and Democratic candidates must show how they’ll address it [Opinion] (Dr. Robert Bullard – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
- Monarch butterflies begin their extraordinary migration through Texas (Gary Clark – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com