ECONOTES 2012-02-01: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Matagorda County cries foul over EPA’s foul-air claim (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 01/27/2012)
Federal environmental regulators believe that Matagorda County is a significant contributor to Houston pollution. However, local leaders don’t agree, and Matagorda County Judge Nate McDonald believes that the two local plants are “minute by Houston’s standards.” Carl Young, a scientist for the EPA’s Region 6, has said that there is no definite link that ties Matagorda’s emissions to Houston’s pollution, but there may be a connection.
http://www.chron.com/ - Activists want climate change on TV weather reports (Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle, 01/27/2012)
Forecast the Facts is a campaign with the goal of changing how meteorologists report on climate change. Daniel Souweine, director of the Forecast the Facts drive, believes that it is important to discuss the role that climate change plays in events such as droughts and heat waves. One way the campaign is trying to trigger the change is by releasing a list of meteorologists who deny mainstream climate change science.
http://www.chron.com/ - Reckoning for an Environmental Tragedy (Vicki Wolf – CLEAN, 1/27/2012)
The Harris County Attorney’s office is suing the parties responsible for the poisoning of the San Jacinto River, Upper Galveston Bay and the Houston Ship Channel. The major concern is with the waste pits on the San Jacinto River that are leaking dioxin (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins) into the water. The dioxins can cause long term health effects. Therefore, the State of Texas has issued a consumption advisory for crab and all species of fish from the San Jacinto River.
http://www.cleanhouston.org/
EcoNotes
- 30 January
- Keystone To Be Linked To U.S. Highway Bill: Boehner (Kim Dixon – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - How the Texas Oyster Made a Comeback (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Texas Tech scientist sees intimidation effort behind barrage of hate mail (Bill Dawson – Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/wp/?p=4153 - 27 January
- There’s a reason native plants thrive here (Editorial Board – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/There-s-a-reason-native-plants-thrive-here-2757749.php - Matagorda County cries foul over EPA’s foul-air claim (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Activists want climate change on TV weather reports (Eric Berger – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Reckoning for an Environmental Tragedy (Vicki Wolf – CLEAN)
http://www.cleanhouston.org/ - More Than a Rain Dance: One Lawmaker’s Plan for a Thirsty Texas (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Houston Recycling Hot Spots (Andrea Watkins – My FOX Houston)
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/ - Surviving the Drought: One Rancher’s Story (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - John Porretto: Leader of Sustainable Building in Houston (Vicki Wolf – CLEAN)
http://www.cleanhouston.org/ - 26 January
- Cabot blasts EPA’s water testing near shale formation (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/ - Boom in wind power may be headed for a bust (Jack Z. Smith – Star-Telegram)
http://www.star-telegram.com/ - Missouri City Recycling Center Now Accepting Clear and Colored Glass (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Restoring The Gulf (Laurie Johnson – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Texas State Parks Donations Break $1 Million Mark (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - During Texas Drought, Will Spicewood Beach Be the First to Run Dry? (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 14 students selected as winners in Galveston Bay Foundation calendar contest (Bay Area News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - 25 January
- Electric Deregulation Turns Ten in Texas (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - EPA Releases New Tool with Information about Water Pollution Across the U.S. / EPA to host webinar on how to use tool to access information on pollutants released into local waterways (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - TCEQ approves fines totaling $411,578 (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - 24 January
- State park officials say drought has turned away visitors (Gary Scharrer – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/news/ - January 23
- Medina Lake withers on (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - 17 January
- Plant nutritious veggies now (Kathy Huber – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/