ENVIRONMENTAL HEADLINES, DECEMBER 1-7
CONSERVANCY GROUP DIRECTOR TO LEAD PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Austin American-Statesman 12/6/07
Growing up in Austin with a love of the outdoors, Carter Smith held a lifelong dream to someday work for Texas Parks and Wildlife.
FEDS TELL METRO TO RE-SUBMIT RAIL PLANS FOR APPROVAL
Houston Chronicle 12/05/07
Federal transit officials have told the Metropolitan Transit Authority it must re-apply for approval of its preliminary engineering work for planned light rail lines in the north and southeast corridors.
BAYOU’S OXYGEN LEVEL FAILS STATE STANDARD
Galveston County Daily News 12/6/07
A study says Dickinson Bayou’s dissolved oxygen levels are lower than state standards, but effects on marine life and development aren’t known.
ABANDONED BARGES SINK, SICKEN BAYOUS
CLEANING UP THE STREAMS
Baytown Sun 12/7/07
Baytown City Council unanimously approved a new city ordinance aimed at protecting local waters at a special meeting Thursday.
SUBURBAN SPRAWL HELPS HOUSTON BE ‘WALKABLE’
Houston Business Journal 12/4/07
Sugar Land’s Town Square snagged Houston a spot on a list of “walkable places” in the 30 largest metropolitan areas in the country.
SURVEY: HOUSTON AMONG TOP WALKABLE CITIES IN U.S.
HARRIS COUNTY WEIGHS TOLL ROAD FOR GRAND PARKWAY
Houston Chronicle 12/4/07
A joint venture led by a road construction company and an engineering firm has asked Harris County to enter into a public-private partnership to build and operate the 197-mile Grand Parkway as a toll road.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY LEADERS BEGIN DRIVE TO CREATE TOLL ROAD
COUNTY COMMUTERS TURNING TO CARPOOLS
Brazosport Facts 12/4/07
For a growing part of Brazoria County’s population, carpooling is the way to beat congestion and rising gas costs.
BAYTOWN PARK AND RIDE SEES INCREASE IN USE
MARQUETTE OPPONENTS GO AFTER CITY
Galveston County Daily News 12/2/07
After the city voted to go ahead with a controversial West End development, opponents threatened to sue and unseat a council member.
MATAGORDA NUCLEAR PLANT ONE STEP CLOSER TO FRUITION
Houston Business Journal 11/30/07
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted an application to build two new units at the South Texas Project nuclear power station 90 miles southwest of Houston, near Bay City, in Matagorda County.
BALD AND BEAUTIFUL
Baytown Sun 12/6/07
A bald eagle, with an approximate 7-foot wingspan, was spotted at the Baytown Nature Center Tuesday near the butterfly exhibit. Sightings of these majestic creatures are extremely rare in this area.
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT TIME IS DRAWING NEAR
BUSY MONTH SET FOR STARGAZERS
Houston Chronicle 12/3/07
December is a special month for Mars. The Red Planet reaches its peak on Christmas Eve when it is opposite the sun and closest to Earth, appearing larger than it will in the next nine years.