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Houston Environmental News Update January 26, 2022
January 26, 2022

Houston Environmental News Update January 26, 2022

Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour January 29, 2022 (in person and on demand), Birding 101, The Grammar of Creation, Sex Lives of Corals, Wonders of Wetlands, Green Jobs and more


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Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour January 29, 2022

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour is returning to Houston on January 29, 2022. Hosted by the Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, this year’s film fest will be a hybrid event, taking place both online and masked-in-person at MATCH to accommodate everyone’s COVID safety preferences. Virtual viewing will be available through February 3, 2022.

Information about the selected films available on Instagram.

Thank you to our 2022 Sponsors:

CEC NOTES

Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers

Engage your students with lessons outdoors or virtually. Sign up today at hereinhouston.org.

Join Gulf Coast environmental educators for a virtual coffee and chat, with a goal of networking and helping foster the EE community. Meetings will be held every other Friday, starting January 28, 2022 from 8:30-9:00 a.m.  Email Alicia at amein@hcp4.net for the Zoom link, or any questions.

Please scroll down to read about public engagement opportunities and notes from our member organizations and the community.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council meeting

The White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, which advises the Chair of the Council of Environmental Quality and the newly established White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council to increase the federal government’s efforts to address environmental injustice. will hold a two-day public meeting Jan. 26-27, 2022 from approximately 2-6:30 PM (CST) each day. The meeting is open to all members of the public. Members of the public are encouraged to provide comments relevant to the specific issues being considered by WHEJAC that include potential solutions and recommendations. Registration is required at zoom.us.

Community Flood Resilience Task Force seeks member

The Harris County Community Flood Resilience Task Force is accepting applications to fill a vacant seat. The Task Force is especially interested in candidates from the Greenspoint and Aldine areas, but all Harris County residents are invited to apply. These members will join the inaugural membership in working to further equitable flood resilience efforts across Harris County. If you are interested in serving on this Task Force, please submit an application to cfrtf.harriscountytx.gov by 11;59 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2022.

Revised Definition of “Waters of the United States”

On Dec. 7, 2021, EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published in the Federal Register a proposed new “Waters of the United States” definition. Find the proposed Revised Definition at federalregister.gov. The public comment period for the proposed rule continues through Feb. 7, 2022. Learn more and submit comments at federalregister.gov.

COALITION & COMMUNITY NOTES

We have endeavored to confirm the opportunities listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts, particularly in light of concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Houston Chronicle: EPA promises help with contaminated Fifth Ward rail yard, targeting ‘unjust conditions’

“Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan during a Tuesday evening news conference promised to inspect industrial facilities more aggressively, try a new strategy for air quality monitoring and address the way Texas regulates ethylene oxide, a chemical that can cause cancer,” writes Houston Chronicle reporter Emily Foxhall. “Regan also said that the agency finished reviewing Union Pacific’s plans to clean up the contaminated rail yard in the Fifth Ward area and intends in the coming weeks to send its feedback to Texas regulators who are working to finalize how that will be done.” Read the full story at houstonchronicle.com.

$15.3 M Settlement Finalized for Texas City Y Oil Spill Case in Galveston Bay

On Jan. 18, 2022, a $15.3 million settlement was finalized in Federal District Court to restore natural resources damaged from the 2014 Texas City Y oil spill in Galveston Bay, NOAA announced. The Texas City Y oil spill occurred on March 22, 2014 during a vessel collision between a bulk carrier and a tank barge. The incident spilled an estimated 168,000 gallons of intermediate fuel oil into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. More than 160 miles of Texas shoreline were oiled. Scientists identified impacts to a range of natural resources including birds, shorelines, and bottlenose dolphins, as well as recreational activities. This finalized settlement will go towards projects that restore bottlenose dolphins, birds, shoreline habitats, and outdoor recreational opportunities impacted by pollution during the oil spill. For more, visit response.restoration.noaa.gov.

Doomsday Clock Set to 100 Seconds to Midnight, Scientists Call for Action 

“While the past year offered glimmers of hope that humankind might reverse its march toward global catastrophe, the Doomsday Clock was set at just 100 seconds to midnight,” the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced on January 20. “The time is based on continuing and dangerous threats posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, disruptive technologies, and COVID-19. All of these factors were exacerbated by ‘a corrupted information ecosphere that undermines rational decision making.’ On the 75th anniversary of its Doomsday Clock, the Bulletin is asking people to help #TurnBackTheClock. The challenge encourages people to use social media to share stories about the actions that inspire them and strategies of how we can work together to save the world. For the past two years the Doomsday Clock has been set at 100 seconds to midnight, closer to midnight than ever in its history.” Learn more at thebulletin.org.

Causes and Impacts of Local / Relative Sea Level Rise on the Texas Coast

On Jan. 27, 2022, from 11 a.m.-noon, the Texas General Land Office will host a Clean Coast Texas webinar featuring Doug Marcy, coastal hazards specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Management. He will discuss sea level rise and its impacts on the Texas coast. The discussion will explore the current state of sea-level change in Texas, including the causes of past and present sea-level rise, and projections for the future. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Bird Survey at Mercer Botanic Gardens

On Jan. 27, 2022, from 8-10 a.m., Mercer Botanic Gardens will host a birdwatching led by longtime birder Paul Gregg and Mercer staff member Christy Jones. This monthly bird survey is suited for birders of all levels and experience, ages 12 and older. Wear comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing, as Mercer’s 1.7-mile survey loop is primarily crushed asphalt trails. For more information and to register, visit apps.hcp4.net.

Taking Action to Improve Water Quality

On Jan. 27, 2022, beginning at 7 p.m. The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. will hold a “Going Green Sustainability Lecture” featuring Rachel Windham, planner with the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and Teri MacArthur, environmental education specialist with the Environmental Services Department of the Woodlands Township. They will discuss the interconnectivity of local watersheds and some of the common challenges impacting the quality of water in Spring Creek. They will also outline strategies for responding to these challenges that can be carried out at individual, local, and regional levels. Learn more and find a link to the meeting at thewoodlandsgreen.org.

Take Care of Texas Student Video Contest open for public voting

Public voting is now open for the annual Take Care of Texas Video Contest. Hundreds of Texas students in grades 6 – 12 created 30-second videos about how they take care of the environment, using data from the website. Those entries have been winnowed to 12 finalists. The top three videos in each group will go on to the final round, with winners announced in late February. Two things to note: (1) Only one vote per person (2) The videos will not play using Microsoft Internet Explorer. Public voting closes on Jan. 28, 2022 at 4 p.m. Cast your vote at takecareoftexas.org, and share the link widely with friends and family.

EPA Healthy Environmental Living Program Grant opportunity

The U.S. EPA recently announced the availability of funds and solicits applications that work directly with communities to reduce environmental risk to protect and improve human health and the quality of life. The Healthy Environmental Living Program (HELP) will achieve this through identifying and funding projects that: assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risk; increase collaboration through community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems; build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems; achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits; reduce pollution at the source; and advance emergency preparedness and resilience. The closing date for applications is Jan 28, 2022. For more information and to apply, visit grants.gov.

Birding 101

On Jan. 29, 2022, from 9 a.m.-noon, Mercer Botanic Gardens will host a birding class led by longtime birder and photographer Paul Gregg, who will share four key tips to quickly identify common and migratory birds seen in the Houston area. This informative and family-friendly class is for beginner to intermediate birders, so bring a friend and learn insightful birding tips from a pro. This class concludes with a bird watching field excursion. For more information and to register, visit apps.hcp4.net.

Sustainable Living Through Permaculture

On Jan. 30, 2022, Urban Harvest is offering the second in a two-part course titled Sustainable Living Through Permaculture, coordinated by Shawn McFarland. Permaculture is a design methodology that focuses on sustainable practices using effective principles and process found in nature. In a post-Harvey Houston, permaculture principles directly address the ways to be more sustainable and flood resistant in both garden and home design. This two-part module is part of a five-module Permaculture Design Certificate Class Series hosted by Urban Harvest in partnership with the Permaculture Guild of Houston. Learn more at UrbanHarvest.org. Find Urban Harvest’s full listing of Spring courses at here.

The Grammar of Creation: What is Nature Speaking to Us? (Are We Listening?)

On Jan. 30, 2022, from 6-7 p.m., Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church will present a webinar featuring Sister Damien Marie Savino, dean of science and sustainability at Aquinas College and a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist with a Ph.D. in environmental engineering, who will reflect on the ancient notion of the “grammar of creation” in light of contemporary ecological challenges. She will share her “reading” of some key messages from the grammar of creation and how they can help us better understand the nature of Planet Earth, in order to heal its wounds. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

Bayou Preservation Association seeks nominations and applications for 2022 Board of Directors

The Bayou Preservation Association is seeking qualified nominations and applications for its 2022 Board of Directors. This is an opportunity to be part of a team shaping a long-standing environmental organization as it moves forward in strengthening its capacity and accomplishments. Board members will support the work of Bayou Preservation Association and provide mission-based leadership and strategic governance. The application outlines requirements, board member responsibilities, and qualifications. Applications are due Jan. 31, 2022 in order to be considered for board services starting in 2022. Find full information and a link to the application at bayoupreservation.org.

Civic Science: Inquiry to Action

From Feb. 1-17, 2022, the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation will offer its Civic Science: Inquiry to Action virtual learning course. This six-session synchronous course will delve into CELF’s Inquiry to Action Framework to enhance real-world learning in school communities and engage student learning through inquiry, place and action. Participants will join a multi-state cohort of 5th-12th grade educators, developing and building upon place-based projects and exploring environmental pathways, such as water, biodiversity and air. This program is designed to support educators at any point in their civic science journey providing the opportunity for students to become civic scientists, equipped to confront 21st-century challenges For more information and to register, visit celfeducation.org.

Jones Road Community Meeting

On Feb. 1, 2022, beginning at 6 p.m., Texas Health and Environmental Coalition will hold a hybrid community meeting for the Jones Road area. The in-person meeting will be held at Bleyl Middle School, 10800 Mills Rd. For more information and to register for the virtual meeting, visit txhea.org.

The Wonders of Wetlands

On Feb. 2, 2022, from 10 a.m.-noon, Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center will host a program in celebration of World Wetland Day with naturalists leading hands-on activities to learn how this ecosystem works. The program is geared for ages 10 and up. For more information and to register (up to 48 hours prior to the event), visit apps.hcp4.net.

Sex Lives of Corals: From Spawning to Conservation

On Feb. 2, 2022, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary will present the first of its 2022 Seaside Chats virtually. Sarah Davies, assistant professor of biology at Boston University, will share some of the research her lab is doing on the spawning behavior of corals, involving coral symbiosis, dispersal, and responses to climate change. She will also discuss some of the ways this research might inform coral conservation. For more information on the series of talks and to register, visit flowergarden.noaa.gov.

Ethnobotany of the Texas Prairie

On Feb. 5, 2022, from 10-11:30 a.m., Houston Botanic Garden will host a presentation by Kelly Kindscher, professor in environmental studies and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey at the University of Kansas, about conservation of prairie plants used by Native Americans in the Great Plains – from Texas to Canada – for food, medicine, and craft. Katy Prairie Conservancy and Texas Master Naturalists will be on-hand to provide actionable tips for participants interested in growing their own pocket prairies using seed packets provided to all who attend in-person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hbg.org.

Land Bridge Tunnel Preview Party

On Feb. 5, 2022, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., the Memorial Park Conservancy and partnering organizations will hold a special event celebrating Memorial Park’s transformational Land Bridge and Prairie project. Attendees will enjoy an exclusive opportunity to walk through and explore one of the project’s four tunnels. Tunnel 3 (the southwest tunnel), before they open to vehicular traffic. The family-friendly celebration will also feature a live DJ, fun photo opportunities, food trucks, giveaways, opportunities to learn more about Memorial Park’s Master Plan and Ten-Year Plan delivery and more. For more information, visit memorialparkconservancy.org.

Keep Texas Beautiful Opens Governor’s Achievement Awards Application

For more than 30 years, Keep Texas Beautiful, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation has awarded the prestigious Governor’s Community Achievement Awards to Texas communities for their outstanding overall efforts to keep their communities beautiful. This year, 10 winning communities will share $2 million in landscaping awards from the Texas Department of Transportation, with the amount based on population size. The funds are used for landscaping projects along local rights-of-way. There is a $25 application fee. The deadline to apply is Feb. 17, 2022. For more information and to apply, visit ktb.org.

Reminders About Ongoing Opportunities

  • Agents of Discovery: Sims Bayou at S. Post Oak Road. Through Feb. 4, 2022, the Houston Parks Board is hosting an Agents of Discovery mission where players will investigate a new prairie and bioswale area along Sims Bayou. Players will discover the purpose behind a bioswale and why native plants are important to our bats and birds! They will also get a chance to see the newest mural on Sims Bayou, a project of UP Art Studio made possible by Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum of District K, 5 Corners District, and TIRZ 9. For more information, visit houstonparksboard.org.
  • Climate Solutions 101. On Tuesdays through Feb. 15, 2022, the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston presents a webinar discussion on solutions to climate change. This course, presented in video units and in-depth conversations, combines Project Drawdown’s trusted resources with the expertise of several inspiring voices from around the world. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.
  • Faithful Resilience. On Thursdays through Feb. 17, 2022, the Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston presents a six-part online study on climate resilience for faith communities. The series will explore ways in which the faith community can become a force for climate resilience for the community. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.
  • Keep Texas Beautiful Opens Governor’s Achievement Awards. Keep Texas Beautiful in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation awards the prestigious Governor’s Community Achievement Awards to Texas communities for their outstanding overall efforts to keep their communities beautiful. This year, 10 winning communities will share $2 million in landscaping awards from the Texas Department of Transportation for landscaping projects along local rights-of-way. The deadline to apply is Feb. 17, 2022. For more information and to apply, visit ktb.org.
  • Spring Branch Virtual Bike Ride. Through Feb. 22, 2022, post a social media photo of your trip using the hashtag #ParksByYou, and tag Houston Parks Board when you cycle the trail to receive a Houston Parks Board swag bag, mailed directly to you. To read more about the Spring Branch Trail projects, visit houstonparksboard.org.
  • Enhanced Air Quality Monitoring for Communities grants. EPA has announced the availability of $20 million in competitive grants to conduct ambient air monitoring of pollutants in communities with environmental and health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. The application period will be open until Feb. 25, 2022, 11:59 PM EST and EPA expects to award the grants in summer 2022. To learn more, visit epa.gov.
  • Your Body Your Air. The Houston Public Library invites you to learn about types and sources of air pollution in Houston and the effect they have on our bodies in The Health Museum’s new exhibit Your Body Your Air. Created in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, Your Body Your Air can be seen at various Houston Public Library locations through February 2022. Learn more at houstonlibrary.org.
  • Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students. EPA and partners have launched this challenge to enhance communities’ capacity to address environmental and public health inequities. College and university students are encouraged to learn more about the challenge and how to participate at epa.gov. Submissions are due April 1, 2022.

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.

  • A group in the Rio Grande Valley helps fish habitat and the local economy by creating and sustaining the largest area of artificial reef on the Texas coast
  • Sun, sand, and surfing are not just found at the beach. Visit Monahans Sandhills State Park near Midland-Odessa and surf, slide, or tumble down the dunes for some family fun.
  • For Robin Bradbery the outdoors is what she calls her “happy place.” That’s no surprise, as many turn to nature for relaxation. But for Robin, it’s more than that–being outdoors helps her to escape the challenges of living with autism
  • Join a group of paddlers enjoying the calm Colorado River, downstream of Austin

Additional Upcoming Events

Check out the latest Green Jobs at cechouston.org/green-jobs/.