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August 30, 2015

Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: August 29, 2015

Featured

  1. AgriLife Research study shows population changes cause woodlands encroachment (Texas Water Resources Institute, 8/2015)
    “Woody plant encroachment is one of the biggest challenges facing rangelands worldwide, but it consistently has been under-measured and poorly understood, according to Dr. Matthew Berg, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research postdoctoral research associate in the Texas A&M University Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. He is trying to change both the understanding and measurement with his latest study, which was published in the July issue of Rangeland Ecology and Management. Berg used time-series aerial imagery and historical census data to quantify changes in population, land ownership patterns and woody cover between 1937 and 2012 in three different settings in Central Texas:  a semi-urban watershed almost entirely within the city limits of Lampasas, rural watersheds in Lampasas County and a portion of Burnet County, and the adjoining rural watersheds in Mills County.”
    http://twri.tamu.edu
  2. $84 million set for south county road projects under fall bond plan (Bridget Balch – Houston Chronicle, 8/27/2015)
    “After a turbulent several months of debate surrounding the Montgomery County Road Bond that was voted down by the majority of Woodlands voters in May, the Commissioners Court has called a last-minute, compromise road bond for the November ballot that would not include the bond-sinking Woodlands Parkway extension and would give south county $84 million for a revised project list. The road bond that failed in May presented $350 million worth of road projects throughout the county, including the extension of Woodlands Parkway to Texas 249 – a project that drew opposition from many Woodlands residents who feared the extension would bring additional traffic through the heart of the master-planned community.”
    www.chron.com
  3. Judge Casts EPA Rule into Muddy Legal Waters (Jim Malewitz, Kiah Collier and Ally Mutnick – The Texas Tribune, 8/28/2015)
    “After a setback in court Thursday, can the federal government enforce its controversial “Waters of the U.S.” rule in Texas? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says yes. Texas says no. The agency on Friday said the regulation, aimed at better defining the scope of bodies of water protected under the federal Clean Water Act, took effect in Texas and several other states, rankling Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The confusion started Thursday. Hours before the regulation was set to take effect, U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Erickson of North Dakota granted a request from 13 states — not including Texas — to block the rule, which would allow the federal government to regulate small streams and wetlands.”
    www.texastribune.org

EcoNotes

  • 30 August
  • 29 August
    • A Funding Boost For Texas’ Parks (Michael Stravato and Neena Satija – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
  • 28 August
    • Judge Casts EPA Rule into Muddy Legal Waters (Jim Malewitz, Kiah Collier and Ally Mutnick – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Judge blocks EPA’s Clean Water Rule — but maybe only in 13 states (Kent Hoover – San Antonio Business Journal)
      www.bizjournals.com
    • Massive Bankruptcy Tests Texas Utility Regulators (Jim Malewitz – The Texas Tribune)
      www.texastribune.org
    • Seven proposed changes to Texas Constitution on November’s ballot (Casey Stinnett – Cleveland Advocate)
      www.yourhoustonnews.com
    • Kingwood Country Club Recognized for Environmental Excellence (The Tribune)
      http://ourtribune.com
    • Study links air pollution to children’s low GPAs (Science Blog)
      http://scienceblog.com
    • Kids Breathing Polluted Air Get Lower Grades: Study (Nick Tate – Newsmax)
      www.newsmax.com
    • Burn Ban Still in Effect, Extreme Caution Urged (Heather Wagner – The Llano News)
      www.llanonews.com
    • AgriLife Research study shows population changes cause woodlands encroachment (Texas Water Resources Institute)
      http://twri.tamu.edu
    • TWRI Mills Scholar finds high flow events critical for lower Brazos fish (Leslie Lee – Texas Water Resources Insitute)
      http://twri.tamu.edu
  • 27 August
    • $84 million set for south county road projects under fall bond plan (Bridget Balch – Houston Chronicle)
      www.chron.com
    • EPA Resources Can Improve Your School’s Environment (EPA News)
      http://yosemite.epa.gov
    • Global sea levels climbed 3 inches since 1992, NASA research shows (Irene Klotz – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • METRO Forecast of Uptown Dedicated Bus Lane Shows Revised Ridership Numbers (Guidry News)
      http://guidrynews.com
    • METRO Board Recognizes Bus Operator for House Fire Rescue
      and Others for Workplace Lifesaving Actions (Guidry News)
      http://guidrynews.com
    • Correction: Drilling Waste-EPA story (Springfield News-Sun)
      www.springfieldnewssun.com
    • Real Energy and Cost Savings. Right Now. Here, in Texas. (Kate Zerrenner – EDF)
      http://blogs.edf.org
  • 26 August
    • As Fracking Waste Piles Up in Texas, Environmental Groups Threaten To Sue For More Regulation (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Meeting with the EPA on the Refinery Rule (Bel Wranich – airCurrent News)
      http://airalliancehouston.org
    • Texas Grid Survives Heat, but Could Use More Energy Efficiency and Demand Response (John Hall – EDF)
      http://blogs.edf.org
    • NJ judge approves Exxon $225 million cleanup settlement (Jonathan Stempel – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • New Bus Network’s First Week Brings Big Boost in METRO Ridership (Guidry News)
      www.guidrynews.com
  • 25 August
    • Bond compromise leaves Robinson Road project in limbo (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
      www.houstonchronicle.com
    • Houston Suburbs Challenge CenterPoint Gas Rate Hike (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • BLUE ECONOMY: A water filter that doesn’t need a filter (Michael Pollick – Herald-Tribune)
      www.heraldtribune.com
    • State Leaders Urge Texans to Conserve Water (Mitch Goulding – Time Warner Cable News)
      www.twcnews.com
    • May flooding’s severity partly due to climate change, scientists calculate (Bill Dawson – Texas Climate News)
      http://texasclimatenews.org
    • Obama aims to boost homeowner renewable energy use (Julia Edwards – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
    • Texas Entomologists Find Redbanded Stink Bug to Be Dominant Species on Soybean (Entomology Today)
      http://entomologytoday.org
  • 24 August
  • 22 August
    • Hurricane Danny fizzles: Why are there fewer big hurricanes? (PatrikJonsson – The Christian Science Monitor)
      www.csmonitor.com
  • 21 August
  • 20 August
  • 19 August
    • Whooping Crane Decision Protects Texas Landowners (Pleasanton Express)
      www.pleasantonexpress.com
    • Trial Begins Over Undrinkable Water in Webb County (Neena Satija – Trib+Water)
      www.texastribune.org
    • A Houston Bayou Fought With Steel, Concrete And Boulders (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • City Of Houston Installing Warning Gates At Flood-Prone Underpasses (Dave Fehling – Houston Public Media)
      www.houstonpublicmedia.org
    • Water bill scam targeting Houston customers (Mike Glenn – Houston Chronicle)
      www.chron.com
    • Texas Kids: How They Fared In The 2015 Legislative Session (BJ Austin – KERA News)
      http://keranews.org
    • For Latinos, Environment Seems Just As Important As Immigration (Texas Public Radio)
      http://tpr.org
  • 18 August
    • Texas Sisters Raise $655k for Clean Water Charity by Selling Origami (Tiare Dunlap – People)
      www.people.com
  • 13 August
    • After 17 Years, Texas Poised to Resolve Oil Spill (Jim Malewitz – Trib+Water)
      www.texastribune.org