ECONOTES 2012-06-18: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Whooping cranes survive Texas’ devastating drought (My SA News, 06/18/2012)
Despite concern that the endangered whooping cranes would not have enough food due to the drought, the population number is stable. There are an estimated 245 birds in the flock, a flock so large that The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can’t count individual birds.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/ - Dozens of dolphins stranded in Texas since fall (Ramit Plushnick-Masti – Houston Chronicle, 06/12/2012)
From November through March, 123 dolphins have been stranded on Texas shores. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has called it an “unusual mortality event” and will be conducting an investigation to determine whether it is related drought-induced algae bloom or a more widespread mortality in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.chron.com/ - Texas struggles to find water for healthy rivers and bays (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 06/17/2012)
The Texas Water Trust is a program that was established 15 years ago to acquire water rights through donations for environmental purposes. The trust has not had a deposit since 2006 as many landowners don’t seem willing to donate rights. One new idea is to establish a fund, possibly from fines paid by water polluters, to purchase rights for the protection of rivers and coastal estuaries.
http://www.chron.com/
EcoNotes
- 17 June
- Texas struggles to find water for healthy rivers and bays (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - 15 June
- Whooping cranes survive Texas’ devastating drought (My SA News)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/ - John Nielsen-Gammon: State climatologist and Texas A&M professor (Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - New soot limits may squeeze Houston (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Solar energy could help Texas peak power demand, study says (Barnett Shale)
http://blogs.star-telegram.com/ - High Schoolers Produce Video Series on the Drought (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - How the Conservation Plan for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Works (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 14 June
- World’s Largest Flowering Plant in Full Bloom at Moody Gardens (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - How to Build a Drought-Resistant Landscape in West Texas (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Reax Roundup: Little Lizard Causes Big Stir (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Proposed changes to air quality permit announced (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - Clinton To Attend Rio+20 Conference (Rory Carrol – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - 13 June
- Feds say West Texas lizard does not merit protected status (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Contested Matagorda County power plant gets green light from TCEQ (Matthew Tresaugue – My SA News)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/ - TCEQ Approves Fines Totaling $521,924 (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Not Endangered (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Pollinator Week Raises a Buzz for Bees (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - How Juniper and Mesquite Trees Could Help Fuel Texas (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - EPA’s Fifteen Hot Tips for a Cool Summer (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - Prescribed Burn Planned for Government Canyon State Natural Area (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - After Hearing, White Stallion Coal Plant Keeps its Air Permit (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - 12 June
- Dozens of dolphins stranded in Texas since fall (Ramit Plushnick-Masti – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - New Studies Show Kids Thrive Outside (The Trust for Public Land)
http://www.tpl.org/news/ - KUT and StateImpact Texas Win Murrow Award for Drought Coverage (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - State environmental agency makes money available to get older vehicles off the roads (Asher Price – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/ - Revolving Door: Oil & Gas Companies Hire Former Texas Regulators (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Texas Fish Hatcheries Serve as Refuges for Imperiled Species (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - Rice University’s Pedro Alvarez wins Clarke Prize for water research (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - EPA Announces Framework to Help Local Governments Manage Stormwater Runoff and Wastewater (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ - 11 June
- Texas Gets Creative With Recycling Water (Kate Galbraith – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/ - Even a Greenhouse Can’t Keep Out Mother Nature (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Helping Kids Stay Active This Summer Vacation (Pat Hernandez – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - How Increased Groundwater Use May Lead to Sea Level Rise (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - TCEQ announces grants for alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles (TCEQ News)
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/ - 10 June
- Texas’ Water Woes Spark Interest in Desalination (Kate Galbraith – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/