ECONOTES 2011-08-24: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Plants threaten health of Texas (The Galveston County Daily News, 08/24/2011)
According to researchers, invasive plants and animals are taking over Texas wetlands and prairies and threatening the ecological and economic health of Texas. Invasive species can cause the extinction of native species through direct competition, disease or indirect changes to the local ecosystem. Once invasive species become established, it is very difficult to stop their growth.
http://galvestondailynews.com/ - Record drought at the root of Houston-area trees’ deaths (Robert Stanton – Houston Chronicle, 08/18/2011)
Hundreds of trees in Houston parks have perished, which could potentially lead to a brown landscape next year. In Galveston, officials are struggling to protect 8,000 trees planted to replaced those killed by Hurricane Ike. Younger trees can die in a matter of weeks without irrigation.
http://www.chron.com/ - Week after restrictions, water use up (Chris Moran – Houston Chronicle, 08/23/2011)
Mayor Annise Parker announced mandatory lawn watering restrictions to go into effect on August 15, but water use has actually increased in Houston since then. The city plans to issue warnings for first offenses followed by fines of $150 for breaking the restrictions. The drought and high temperatures have emphasized the importance of conservation.
http://www.chron.com/news/
EcoNotes
- 24 August
- Toyota, Ford To Collaborate On Hybrid Trucks (Bernie Woodall – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Plants threaten health of Texas (The Galveston County Daily News)
http://galvestondailynews.com/ - Texas drought impacts power plants (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - Perry’s climate, evolution skepticism in sync with GOP base, Iowa poll finds (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - 23 August
- Sierra Club sues to halt Grand Parkway construction (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - Watershed training lays groundwork for plan (Mark Fleming – The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/ - Cedar Bayou dredging is maintenance (Mark Fleming – The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/ - Houston water use up a week into restrictions (Jay Blazek Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/ - Houston’s Environmental Penalties (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Week after restrictions, water use up (Chris Moran – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/news/ - With electricity reserves low and temps high, ERCOT issues emergency conservation alert again (Your Memorial News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - 22 August
- FTA defines ped, bike catchment areas (David Crossley – Houston Tomorrow)
http://www.houstontomorrow.org/ - This summer’s drought may worsen next year (Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Emmett: Infrastructure improvements crucial to growth (Jim Molony – Your Pasadena News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - 21 August
- Everyone looking for new sources of water (T.J. Aulds – The Galveston County Daily News)
http://galvestondailynews.com/ - Texas City Dike oil spill cleaned up, traffic back to normal (ABC 13 News)
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/ - 20 August
- December Gulf lease requires higher minimum bids (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Ranchers fear fracturing will add to drought woes (Vicki Vaughan – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - 19 August
- Water woes could cost Texas (Patricia Kilday Hart and Gary Sharrer – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Four Pinocchios†for Perry: Washington Post rates his “whoppers†on climate (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - City Says Mandatory Water Conservation Appears To Be Working (KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Anahuac struggling with water supply (Ben Tinsley – The Baytown Sun)
http://baytownsun.com/ - Cornyn Pledges to Work with Texas Farmers, Ranchers to Fight Effects of Historic Drought
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Wildlife Responds Fast To Climate Change: Study (Deborah Zabarenko – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Water woes keeping city employees busy (Chris Moran – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - U.S. Carbon Emissions Jumped Nearly 4 Percent In 2010 (Timothy Gardner – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Missouri City Finally Gets Second Park and Ride (Edel Howlin – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Houston Lacking In Transit For No Car Households (Edel Howlin – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - 18 August
- County: Pasadena oil recycling company leaked thousands of gallons of waste into bayou system (Dana Guthrie – Your Deer Park News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Oil firm owner to pay $3 million in pollution settlement (Dale Lezon – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Perry sharpens rhetoric on climate science, charges data “manipulated†for money (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Record drought at the root of Houston-area trees’ deaths (Robert Stanton – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - East Texas uses weevils to clear out the salvinia choking lakes (Sarah Moore – Beaumont Enterprise)
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com - 17 August
- Latest state agriculture report: $5.2 billion in drought losses a record (Farzad Mashhood – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/ - Mayor Hopes Water Restrictions Work (KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/ - Losses Incurred From Drought In The Billions (Andrew Schneider – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - 16 August
- Houston-Galveston Area Council and TxDOT to hosts public meeting for FM 1092 Access Management Study in Missouri City (Your Fort Bend News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - 15 August
- Energy company donates in support of county wildlife (Brad Meyer – Your Magnolia News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Brickhouse Gully gets vital facelift (Your Cypress News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Galveston Bay Oyster Restoration Expanding (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - 12 August
- Rice Design Alliance to host 2-part forum on water issues (Your Fort Bend News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - 8 August
- Texas Recreation and Parks Society honors Missouri City official (Cody Tucker – The Ultimate Fort Bend)
http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/ - 25 July
- Rice-Shell Center issue report on Houston’s sustainability: how future looks for economy, ecology and more (David Ruth – Your Fort Bend News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/