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October 19, 2015

Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: October 19, 2015

Featured

  1. Katy Prairie Conservancy looks to take next step (Leah Binkovitz – Houston Chronicle, 10/13/2015)
    “As developers continue to carve out master-planned communities in the Katy area, Mary Anne Piacentini has other plans. The executive director of the Katy Prairie Conservancy is that hoping her nonprofit conservation group, which now covers some 20,000 acres, will soon join the growing ranks of groups accredited by the national Land Trust Alliance… Now in its final stages, the conservancy’s application is open for public comment through October. Then the commission will take another look and conduct a follow-up interview before making its final decision. If approved, the conservancy would join 317 accredited land trusts across the country – helping to solidify both the future of the organization and the land it protects.”
    www.houstonchronicle.com
  2. Houston’s Comprehensive Bike Plan Could Be Finalized This Spring (Gail Delaughter – Houston Public Media, 10/16/2015)
    “Cycling advocates have just wrapped up a three-day meeting on how to make Houston a more bike-friendly city. The event was held as the city prepares to hold public meetings on a comprehensive bike plan. The goal of the plan is to identify future projects, like new bike paths or protected bike lanes on city streets.  It will also look at safety issues, like how to better enforce Houston’s safe passing ordinance. Planning Director Patrick Walsh says more Houstonians are cycling these days, but he admits it’s not always easy.”
    www.houstonpublicmedia.org
  3. Greens Bayou flood risk project groundbreaking ceremony (Taelor Smith – The Potpourri, 10/15/2015)
    “The Harris County Flood Control District broke ground on the brand new Greens Bayou Flood Risk Management Project that will reduce the chance of flooding in neighborhoods and communities along Greens Bayou… By partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Harris County Flood Control District will widen and deepen Greens Bayou on the 3.7 mile stretch of waterway between Cutten Road and Veterans Memorial Drive. USACE holds the task of designing and building the project while the Flood Control District acquires property, relocates utilities and maintains the basin and channels upon completion of the project.”
    www.yourhoustonnews.com

EcoNotes

  • 18 October
  • 17 October
    • Sid Miller Sees Human Role in Climate Change (Jordan Rudner – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
  • 16 October
    • Houston’s Comprehensive Bike Plan Could Be Finalized This Spring (Gail Delaughter – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Clean Power Plan to Shutter 4,000 MW of Texas Coal Output (Harry Weber – Bloomberg Business)
      www.bloomberg.com
    • Predictions of Woe from Federal Clean Air Plan Softened (Jim Malewitz and Kiah Collier – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • ERCOT: Obama’s ‘Clean Power Plan’ Will Raise Texas Electricity Prices (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • U.S. announces new moves to limit super greenhouse gases (Valerie Volcovici – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • Texas should go along with the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, EDF report says (Dianna Wray – Houston Press)
      www.houstonpress.com
    • Abbott to BLM: Cease “Unconscionable” Land Grab (Jordan Rudner – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
  • 15 October
    • Greens Bayou flood risk project groundbreaking ceremony (Taelor Smith – The Potpourri)
      www.yourhoustonnews.com
    • Sealy one of 20 Texas cities honored by Scenic Texas (Sealy News)
      www.sealynews.com
    • Austin cleans up as one of America’s greenest cities — and No. 1 in Texas (Nicole Raney – Culture Map Austin)
      http://austin.culturemap.com
    • Texas A&M Forest Service calls in DC-10 to help fight wildfire (Texas A&M Forest Service)
      http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu
    • In the garden with Urban Harvest: Start your own citrus orchard (Suzy Fischer – Houston Chronicle)
      www.chron.com
    • The Morning Risk Report: EPA Targets Small Cos Over Hazardous Waste (The Wall Street Journal)
      http://blogs.wsj.com
    • How Lower Oil Prices Impact the Competitiveness of Oil with Renewable Fuels (Geoffrey Heal and Karoline Hallmeyer – Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy)
      http://energypolicy.columbia.edu
    • Austin Council Votes to Boost Solar Power (Jim Malewitz – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Study finds high-speed rail line an economic shot for Texas (Dug Begley – Houston Chronicle)
      http://blog.chron.com
  • 14 October
    • Texas can easily meet EPA’s CO2 rules — and cash in, too, EDF report says (Texas Climate News)
      http://texasclimatenews.org
    • Report: Texas already on path to meeting most Clean Power Plan goals (Jordan Blum – Fuel Fix)
      http://fuelfix.com
    • Report faults Texas’ plans to rebuild after hurricanes (Harvey Rice – Houston Chronicle)
      www.houstonchronicle.com
    • Houston Tomorrow honors leaders working toward making this area a better place to live (Shelby Hodge – Culture Map Houston)
      http://houston.culturemap.com
    • High Court Might Clarify Water and Surface Rights (Kiah Collier – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • EPA hasn’t decided if new software on 2016 VW diesels is legal (Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
  • 13 October
  • 12 October
    • To Texas AG Paxton’s Cheers, Court Blocks EPA Clean Water Rule (Jim Malewitz and Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune – GovTech)
      www.govtech.com
    • In Volkswagen Challenge, Paxton Wants to Do It Himself (Jim Malewitz – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Houston’s Trashed Bayous: What Could Make A Difference (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Why the Earth’s past has scientists so worried about the Atlantic Ocean’s circulation (Chris Mooney – The Washington Post)
      www.washingtonpost.com
    • Appeals court issues ‘stay’ halting EPA’s ‘Waters of the U.S.’ regulation (Bill Archer – Bakken)
      http://bakken.com
    • Study finds slightly higher temps tied to increase in huge wildfires (Bobby Magill – Texas Climate News)
      http://texasclimatenews.org
    • Harmful algae may be used to boost high-performance batteries, scientists reveal (Karla Tecson – International Business Times)
      www.ibtimes.com.au
    • Flooding the system: Climate change could knock the Internet offline (Joshua Eaton – Al Jazeera)
      http://america.aljazeera.com
    • Texas A&M AgriLife Dallas’ Water University named EPA WaterSense Partner of the Year (AgriLife Today)
      http://today.agrilife.org
    • MWH Global Awarded Multi-Million Dollar Contract for Environmental Services by the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center (IT Business Net)
      www.itbusinessnet.com
    • 6 Facts About Net-Zero Buildings (EarthShare)
      www.earthshare.org
  • 10 October
    • Hydrologists Tackle a Deceptively Simple Question: Where’s the Water? (Mika McKinnon – Earth & Space)
      http://space.io9.com
    • Trick or treat, bats bring us lots to eat! (Micaela Jemison – EarthShare)
      www.earthshare.org
    • Earth’s Warming: How Scientists Know It’s Not the Sun (David Appell – Yale Climate Connections)
      www.yaleclimateconnections.org
  • 9 October
    • U.S. court places hold on clean water rule nationwide (Ayesha Rascoe – Reuters)
      www.reuters.com
    • House votes to repeal ban on exporting crude (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – San Antonio Express-News)
      www.expressnews.com
    • U.S. keeps outlook for strong El Nino through Northern Hemisphere winter (Chris Prentice – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • NOAA awards $5.7 million to improve hazardous
      weather forecasts (NOAA)
      www.noaanews.noaa.gov
  • 8 October
    • Rapid method for water, soil pathogen screening developed (Science Daily)
      www.sciencedaily.com
    • Texas drying up, despite historic rainfall (Amanda Brandeis – KXAN News)
      http://kxan.com
    • Wildlife federation files suit over pipeline spills (Amy Joi O’Donoghue – Deseret News)
      www.deseretnews.com
  • 7 October
    • Support for crude oil exports is eroding (Jennifer A. Dlouhy – San Antonio Express-News)
      www.expressnews.com
  • 1 October
    • Gulf Council to Hold Public Hearings and Scoping Workshops Around the Gulf of Mexico (The Outdoor Wire)
      www.theoutdoorwire.com

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