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January 26, 2015

Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: January 27, 2015

Featured

  1. EPA Regional Haze Hearing: Thank You! (Adrian Shelley – Air Alliance Houston, 1/20/2015)
    “Last week, Air Air Alliance Houston and the Sierra Club joined forces in Austin to attend a public hearing on the EPA’s proposed Regional Haze Rule. Haze is air pollution that affects scenic views in our national parks and wilderness areas. It is caused by air pollutants including sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulates. Haze from one state can travel into neighboring states and impact their scenic views as well. Texas is by far the largest contributor to haze in the region. In 2012 Texas emitted 338,853 tons of SO2 pollution–more that twice that of Oklahoma and Arkansas, which combined for 152,599 tons. Much of Texas’ SO2 pollution comes from coal fired power plants, of which there are 19 in Texas.”
    http://airalliancehouston.org
  2. First round of Prop. 1 a boost to suburban freeways (Dug Begley – Houston Chronicle, 1/16/2015)
    “The term “shovel ready,” coined a few years ago during a federal spending spree on roads, is making a comeback in Houston, with regional and state transportation officials planning to spend nearly $279 million on area highways. The quick construction boom, however, won’t have the mega-project panache of a Grand Parkway or light rail line. This time, extra money is likely to mean stretches of suburban freeway some would like to see widened will open up far sooner than anyone expected, and battered highways might get a little maintenance.”
    www.houstonchronicle.com
  3. University Of Houston To Lead Subsea Research Consortium (Laurie Johnson and voiced by Edel Howlin – Houston Public Media, 1/20/2015)
    “The new Subsea Systems Institute is funded partially by penalties paid by BP after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The new research institute is a joint venture led by UH, and includes Rice University and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and Texas Southern University, Lone Star College and Houston Community College. Ramanan Krishnamoorti is the chief energy officer at UH. He says the main focus of the research will be how to prevent future oil spills without stifling oil exploration.”
    www.houstonpublicmedia.org

EcoNotes

  • 23 January
    • Recycling: The big picture benefits (Nan Kirlin – Gason Gazette)
      www.gastongazette.com
    • Environmental scientists find antibiotics, bacteria, resistance genes in feedlot dust (John Davis – PHYS Org)
      http://phys.org
    • Lawmakers Consider Boosting Earthquake Research (Jim Malewitz – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Keeping PACE in Texas: Revitalizing Industry, Saving Water, Guiding Better Policy (Breaking Energy)
      http://breakingenergy.com
    • Groundwater Wars Brewing in Austin’s Suburbs (Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
  • 22 January
    • Video: What Low Oil Prices Mean for Houston (Edel Howlin – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Texas Builder Elected Second Vice Chairman of NAHB (NAHB News)
      www.nahb.org
    • Aquatic Informatics Wins Second EBJ Business Achievement Award (Market Wired)
      www.marketwired.com
  • 21 January
    • Whooper appeal to Supreme Court underway (David Sikes – Corpus Christi Caller Times)
      www.caller.com
    • US Geological Survey to Increase Earthquakes Risk Levels in Texas (Mose Buchele – StateImpact)
      http://stateimpact.npr.org
    • With Keystone In Limbo, Enbridge Pipelines Carry Oil Sands Crude To Houston Refineries (Andrew Schneider – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Wildland fire response courses offered at Mile High Wildfire Academy (InForney)
      http://inforney.com
    • NOAA Fisheries Requests Applications From Commercial Fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico Fishing Region for Participation in the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species 2015 Shark Research Fishery (NOAA Fisheries)
      www.nmfs.noaa.gov
  • 20 January
    • EPA Regional Haze Hearing: Thank You! (Adrian Shelley – Air Alliance Houston)
      http://airalliancehouston.org
    • University Of Houston To Lead Subsea Research Consortium (Laurie Johnson and voiced by Edel Howlin – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Wind Or Flooding? Texas Supreme Court Considers What Insurance Should Cover (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Keeping PACE in Texas: Revitalizing Industry, Saving Water, Guiding Better Policy (Kate Zerrenner – EDF News)
      http://blogs.edf.org
    • The Houston Zoo is Protecting African Painted Dogs in the Wild! (Renee Bumpus – Houston Zoo)
      http://blogs.houstonzoo.org
  • 19 January
  • 18 January
  • 17 January
    • What has eight legs and is coming to a school near you? “Awesome Arachnids” from HMNS! (HMNS Blog)
      http://blog.hmns.org
  • 16 January
  • 15 January
    • Armand Bayou Nature Center begins the New Year by getting outdoors (The Pasadena Citizen)
      www.yourhoustonnews.com
    • Irrigation conference educates farmers about water conservation (Drew Powell – Connect Amarillo)
      www.connectamarillo.com
    • State calls on local citizens to help protect Mill Creek (Joe Southern – Sealy News)
      www.sealynews.com
  • 12 January
    • Armand Bayou Nature Center offers various volunteer opportunities (Sara Briggs – Houston Chronicle)
      www.chron.com
    • EPA Toxics Release Inventory Regional Workshop (Brian Butler – AirCurrent News)
      http://airalliancehouston.org