ECONOTES 2012-05-28: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Going ‘Native’ in Texas With Less Water (Daniel Ramirez – StateImpact, 05/24/2012)
As Texas has just experienced severe drought, water conservation has become very important. One Texas survey found that about 2/3 of residents’ water use in the summer goes to watering their yards. Fertile Ground Organic Gardens, an Austin company designs landscapes to be more compatible with the Texas climate by building up a soil that retains water much better. This soil should be able to support shrubs, flowering annuals, and succulents mostly native to Texas that save water and thrive in dry, hot weather.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Lege should not waste ‘a good drought,’ water experts say (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 05/22/2012)
Water planners, policy experts and scientists that attended the Texas Water Summit discussed their concerns that lawmakers will not sufficiently address increasing water demands when they convene in January because the most populated areas no longer are in severe drought. Although the state lost a lot of water, lawmakers did not seek out a way to fund water develop beyond asking voters for authority to issue debt through bonds. Although the state’s water plan calls for a $53 billion in future water development, the challenge is to find a way to fund it.
http://www.chron.com/ - White Stallion Corralled For Now (Larry R. Soward – Air Alliance Houston, 05/23/2012)
The White Stallion coal plant proposed to be built near Bay City in Matagorda County has been delayed. The air permit that was granted by the TCEQ in September of 2010 is being reconsidered. White Stallion had filed a site plan which differed from the site plan submitted to TCEQ as part of the air permit application, which has created uncertainty regarding expected levels of air pollution from the proposed coal plant.
http://airalliancehouston.org/
EcoNotes
- 25 May
- In Photos: Carbon Sinks Across the World (Jillian Schantz Patrick – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - How the Drought Exposed Texas’ Water Insecurity (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 24 May
- Going ‘Native’ in Texas With Less Water (Daniel Ramirez – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Lessons from the Outback: How Australia Survived Drought (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Measuring the Drought: How New Tools Show Its Impact (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - $3 Million in Trail Grants Awarded Across Texas (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - $100,000 Coca-Cola Grant Will Go to Park with Most Votes (Parks & Recreation)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - TPWD Re-Launches Zebra Mussel Awareness Campaign (Texas Parks & Recreation)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - 23 May
- On Dry Land: Fighting for Water in Travis County (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - White Stallion Corralled For Now (Larry R. Soward – Air Alliance Houston)
http://airalliancehouston.org/ - With a Letter to the TCEQ, the Battle for Colorado River Water is Rejoined (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 22 May
- Lege should not waste ‘a good drought,’ water experts say (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Sea-level rise poses expensive questions for New York City (John J. Fialka – E&E Publishing)
http://www.eenews.net/ - The Secrets Behind San Antonio’s Water Conservation Success (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - School programs lead fight against childhood obesity (Monica Rhor – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Steffy: Coal plant operators find a convenient scapegoat in the EPA (Loren Steffy – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Seagrass Stores More Carbon Than Forests – Study (Deborah Zabarenko – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - How the Military is Re-thinking Energy (Daniel Ramirez – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 21 May
- On Dry Land: How One Texas Community Lives Without Water (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 20 May
- Matagorda County coal plant developer fights new EPA rules (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - 16 May
- Texas must secure a reliable, long-term water supply (John W. Nielsen-Gammon – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - 14 May
- The War Between Organic and Conventional Farming Misses the Point (Ari Levaux – The Atlantic)
http://www.theatlantic.com/