Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: January 20, 2022

Farmers find ‘kink in armor’ in fight against proposed landfill

(Houston Chronicle, Emily Foxhall, Updated 01/16/22. Photo by Elizabeth Conley.)

“Weldon received a letter in December saying state environmental regulators had tentatively OK’d the project to go next to his land. He’d been fighting it for months, fearing the landfill would contaminate his well water….”

houstonchronicle.com

Surfside Beach builds dunes with Christmas trees

(Houston Chronicle, John Tedesco, Updated 01/16/22. Photo by Mark Mulligan.)

“The tree branches create baby dunes by trapping loose sand. As the dunes grow and coastal grasses take root on top of them, the trees decompose and nourish the grass, which helps ensure that the dunes don’t blow away.”

houstonchronicle.com

Solar power comes to some renters

(Houston Chronicle, Shelby Webb, Updated 01/14/22. Photo by Lori Van Buren/ Albany Times Union file photo.)

“Some renters in Montrose soon will be able to plug in to an electrical grid powered by solar panels atop their apartment buildings — just like homeowners who pay for the pricey rooftop equipment.”

houstonchronicle.com

Additional Headlines

• 01/20/22
  • Some allowed home as Bastrop wildfire slows (Annie Blanks – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • Democrats pursue greater federal oversight on natural gas pipelines (James Osbourne- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
• 01/19/22
  • Oil production in Permian sets a record (Briefs- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • Permian earthquakes should jolt action (Editorial – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • Exxon joins rivals in net-zero aim (Paul Takahashi – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
• 01/18/22
  • ERCOT gives plants good marks for winter (Bob Sechler- Austin American-Statesman [repost Houston Chronicle]) www.houstonchronicle.com
• 01/17/22
  • Advanced recycling yields first commercial batch of ‘circular’ plastic (Biz Feed – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • Honeywell bets on UT carbon-capture technology (Fuel Fix- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • Pemex set to take over Deer Park refinery (George Baker- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • 2021 another exceptionally warm year (Emily Foxhall- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
• 01/16/22
  • Energy transition facing a gridlock (James Osbourne – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • As oil produces struggle to meet demand, prices stay high (Stanley Reed- New York Times [repost Houston Chronicle]) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • 3 ways to reinvent the grid and solve the climate crisis (Charles F. Kutscher and Jeffrey Logan- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • As solar industry outlook shines, demand for skilled workers grow (Bob Weinstein – Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
• 01/15/22
  • After setbacks, White House again focuses on infrastructure package (Josh Boak- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • 01/14/22
  • Value of oil mergers rose 25% in 2021 (Paul Takahashi- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • Cold front to drop temperatures below freezing (Joel Umanzar- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com
  • La Nina cools earth, but 2021 goes down as 6th-warmest year (Seth Borenstein- Houston Chronicle) www.houstonchronicle.com