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November 17, 2014

Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: November 18, 2014

Featured

  1. U.S. and China Reach Agreement on Climate After Months of Talks
    China and the United States made common cause on Wednesday against the threat of climate change, staking out an ambitious joint plan to curb carbon emissions as a way to spur nations around the world to make their own cuts in greenhouse gases.The landmark agreement, jointly announced here by President Obama and President Xi Jinping, includes new targets for carbon emissions reductions by the United States and a first-ever commitment by China to stop its emissions from growing by 2030.
    www.nytimes.com
  2. In Houston, better air isn’t good air (Adrian Shelley – Trib Talk, 11/6/2014)
    Here’s the good news: Air quality in Houston is improving. 2014 will be the best ozone season in Houston since our city claimed the title of worst air in the nation nearly 20 years ago… But recent improvements in air quality shouldn’t overshadow the work that still needs to be done. The oil and gas industry is using a good ozone season to tout a problematic message: There are no more air pollution problems in Houston, so we should all stop worrying about it.
    http://tribtalk.org
  3. What New Master Plan Means For Houston’s Memorial Park Trails (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media, 11/11/2014)
    A huge makeover is in the works for Houston’s Memorial Park. But bikers and runners who venture into its dense forest to use a network of remote trails worry what the changes will mean. The park on Houston’s west side covers 1,500 acres and is cut in half by busy Memorial Drive. The majority of park users are on the north side running, golfing, playing tennis or swimming. The south side is — in more ways than one — the wild side. It’s a dense forest criss-crossed by miles of dirt trails.
    www.houstonpublicmedia.org
  4. Settlements reached in Texas river pollution case (Beaumont Enterprise, 11/14/2014)
    Two of three businesses targeted by Harris County prosecutors in a lawsuit over polluting the San Jacinto River with poisonous paper-mill waste have agreed to pay $29 million to the county and state. The county on Thursday resolved its claims against McGinnes Industrial Maintenance Corp. and Houston-based Waste Management Inc… Prosecutors have argued the businesses were responsible for the release of carcinogenic chemicals from three paper-mill disposal pits near the river between 1973 and 2008.
    www.beaumontenterprise.com

EcoNotes

  • 14 November
  • 13 November
    • Settlements, split verdict yield murky result in waste pit case (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
      www.houstonchronicle.com
    • A Green paradise: Memorial Park’s $100 million makeover promises to be a dream for bikers and walkers (Barbara Kuntz – CultureMap Houston)
      http://houston.culturemap.com
    • Texas State Parks Finally Flaunting Their Fall Foliage (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
      www.tpwd.state.tx.us
    • NOAA Fisheries Reopens the Public Comment Period on the Proposed Rule for the Aquaculture Plan for Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Southeast Fishery Bulletin)
      http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov
  • 12 November
  • 11 November
  • 10 November
    • Oceanic dead-zones are only getting worse with warming (James Maynard – Tech Times)
      www.techtimes.com
    • Will Prop 1 Money Help Ease Houston’s Freeway Congestion? (Gail Delaughter – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Dead zones are coming for your rivers, lakes, and oceans (Liz Core – Grist)
      http://grist.org
    • Will Big, New Power Line Make Electricity Cheaper in Houston? (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Fracking Has Amazing Benefits. So Why Did This Texas Town Just Ban It? (The Daily Signal)
      http://dailysignal.com
    • Dobie Aquatic Science class joins Galveston Bay Foundation program (The Pasadena Citizen)
      www.yourhoustonnews.com
    • What’s more likely to kill you: A car crash or vehicle emissions? (Eric Jaffe – Grist)
      http://grist.org
    • Texas official ignores voters’ ban on fracking (Sara Bernard – Grist)
      http://grist.org
  • 9 November
    • How to protect our city against storms? First, make it lovable. (John S. Jacob, special to the Houston Chronicle – Houston Chronicle)
      www.houstonchronicle.com
  • 8 November
  • 7 November
  • 6 November
    • Water Project Funds Ready to Flow — Almost (Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • In Houston, better air isn’t good air (Adrian Shelley – Trib Talk)
      http://tribtalk.org
    • Which Houston Area Roads Will Be Repaired Next? (Steve Champion)
      http://abc13.com
  • 4 November
    • Editorial: Respect the trees (Houston Chronicle)
      www.chron.com
    • Cy-Fair chamber forum focuses on mobility funding issues (Bryan Kirk – Houston Chronicle)
      www.chron.com
  • 3 November