ECONOTES 2012-08-06: Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region
Featured
- Why the Las Brisas Coal Plant Air Permit Was Reversed (Terrence Henry – StateImpact, 07/26/2012)
The construction of Las Brisas, a proposed coal plant in Corpus Christi, has been set back after an air permit was revoked. The permit was granted in January 2011, and following, a challenge to that permit was brought by a coalition of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Corpus Christi Clean Economy Coalition, and several Texas cities.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Galveston: Rising Gulf, coastal erosion complicate development planning (David Barer – Texas Climate News, 08/06/2012)
Studies by Texas scientists suggest infrastructure on the West End will eventually be lost to rising tides and erosion. This has sparked a debate, one side proposing thath new development should move to the island’s east; the other side questioning the validity of the findings and believing the building should continue.
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Forecast calls for more downpours, according to Environment Texas (Asher Price – The Statesman, 07/31/2012)
Environment Texas is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization that defends the environment through independent research, tough-minded advocacy and spirited grassroots action. This group released an analysis Tuesday that found that heavy rainstorms are happening increasingly frequently. This storm analysis has been linked to climate change.
http://www.statesman.com/
EcoNotes
- 6 August
- Galveston: Rising Gulf, coastal erosion complicate development planning (David Barer – Texas Climate News)
http://texasclimatenews.org/ - Lawmaker offers new approach to price carbon in US (Valerie Volcovici – Planet Ark News)
http://planetark.org/ - Houston Teacher To Receive Inspiration Award (Tamu Times)
http://tamutimes.tamu.edu/
- Galveston: Rising Gulf, coastal erosion complicate development planning (David Barer – Texas Climate News)
- 3 August
- Editorial: Don’t mess with Texas waters (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Metro mobility fund plan divides board (Mike Morris – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Pro-transit coalition demonstrates at Metro in support of Spiegler proposal (Marc Pembroke – The Examiner)
http://www.examiner.com/ - Houston-area voters will have option to expand Metro’s share of sales tax proceeds in November (Mike Cronin – Texas Watchdog)
http://www.texaswatchdog.org/ - The Texas Plant That Polluted for Years, and a Whistleblower That Helped Expose It (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - While Drought Hurts Farming, It’s Actually Helping the Gulf (Olivia Gordon – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - US CO2 emissions fall to lowest first-quarter level in 20 years: EIA (Valerie Volcovici – PlanetArk News)
http://planetark.org/
- Editorial: Don’t mess with Texas waters (Houston Chronicle)
- 2 August
- Look, Don’t Touch; The problem with environmental education (David Sobel – Orion Magazine)
http://www.orionmagazine.org/ - As Texas Use More Power, Conservation Must Follow (Laurie Johnson – KUHF News)
http://app1.kuhf.org/ - Metro to decide on mobility funding plan (Mike Morris – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Texas Using Health Care Reform Ruling To Fight EPA (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://insurancenewsnet.com/ - There Was Enough Profit in Texas Market Last Year to Build New Power Plants (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - TPWD Seeks Businesses to Weigh Big Fish (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - “Wildlife for Lunch” webinar addressing rainwater harvesting to be held August 16 (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Even When the Lights Are On in Texas, the Public Could Be in the Dark (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - TxDOT designs FM 1960 safety improvements (Stephen Thomas – Your Dayton News)
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/ - Why Most Smart Irrigation Controllers Failed the Drought Test (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Drought bill offers livestock farmers up to $100,000 each (Charles Abbott – PlanetArk News)
http://planetark.org/
- Look, Don’t Touch; The problem with environmental education (David Sobel – Orion Magazine)
- 1 August
- Port Aransas and Corpus Christi find success riding the wings of their feathered friends. (Rob McCorkle – Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwmagazine.com/ - Use this helpful calendar to spot migrating birds: Fall 2012–Spring 2013 (Shelly Plante – Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwmagazine.com/ - Feds Help Fund Biofuel Producers in Texas (Olivia Gordon and Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Cyrus Reed Named Acting Chapter Director for Lone Star Chapter of Sierra Club (Guidry News)
http://www.guidrynews.com/ - Walmart Becomes A Solar King, Just Not in Texas. Yet. (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/
- Port Aransas and Corpus Christi find success riding the wings of their feathered friends. (Rob McCorkle – Texas Parks & Wildlife)
- 31 July
- Forecast calls for more downpours, according to Environment Texas (Asher Price – The Statesman)
http://www.statesman.com/ - Emergency Zebra Mussels Order Signed (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ - Texas PUC Waits for Power Companies that Dare Raise Prices (Dave Fehling – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - EPA and USDA Announce First-Ever Microbial Risk Assessment Guidance (EPA News)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/
- Forecast calls for more downpours, according to Environment Texas (Asher Price – The Statesman)
- 30 July
- Calvin’s video testimony: Coastal Prairie & Restoration Not Incarceration, Esteban Park, Houston, TX (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/ - Wanted: Plan to improve museum district (Flori Meeks – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - Texas orders new rules to halt invasive mussels (Ramit Plushnick-Masti – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - State warns about invasive mussels in Trinity River basin (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/ - What’s really killing Texas trees? (Texas Water Resources Institute)
http://twri.tamu.edu/ - Only a few “smart” irrigation controllers able to deal with 2011 drought (Texas Water Resources Institute)
http://twri.tamu.edu/ - Study updates population of endangered golden-cheeked warblers (Texas Water Resources Institute)
http://twri.tamu.edu/ - In the Great Energy Race, Coal Takes Another Hit (Sheyda Aboii – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Environmentalists spy coral near Shell Arctic drill site (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – My SA News)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/ - Feel Dusty in Here? Texas Gets a Visit From the Sahara (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/
- Calvin’s video testimony: Coastal Prairie & Restoration Not Incarceration, Esteban Park, Houston, TX (YouTube)
- 27 July
- Plans for Coal Plant Stalled as Permit is Denied (Terrence Henry – The Texas Tribune)
http://www.texastribune.org/
- Plans for Coal Plant Stalled as Permit is Denied (Terrence Henry – The Texas Tribune)
- 26 July
- Why the Las Brisas Coal Plant Air Permit Was Reversed (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ - Will (a lack of) Water Threaten U.S. Energy Production? (Melissa C. Lott – Scientific American)
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/
- Why the Las Brisas Coal Plant Air Permit Was Reversed (Terrence Henry – StateImpact)
- 20 July
- Thinking outside the parks: Green space spreads in the Big Apple (Rebecca Messner – Grist)
http://grist.org/
- Thinking outside the parks: Green space spreads in the Big Apple (Rebecca Messner – Grist)