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June 12, 2016

Environmental Headlines for the Houston Region: June 12, 2015

Featured

  1. Delayed by Massive Rainfall, $72 Million Addicks & Barker Dam Rehabilitation Remains USACE Priority (Energy Corridor, 6/2016)
    “Delayed by repeated deluges of rain, two dams that for seven decades have prevented $10 billion in property damages – according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – are being rehabilitated in a $72 million effort to reduce downstream flooding risk. The Corps began vital structural renovations in January for Barker Dam and Addicks Dam. While the runoff-full reservoirs have postponed work, the project remains at the front of the Corps’ national priorities, with completion still slated for 2019, according to USACE. The two dams protect some 1.2 million Houstonians from downstream flooding, the USACE estimates.”
    http://energycorridor.org
  2. Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary expansion proposed (NOAA, 6/7/2016)
    “Building on more than 30 years of scientific studies, including numerous reports released in the last decade and in the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, NOAA today announced a proposal to expand Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary to protect additional critical Gulf of Mexico habitat. The plan lays out five expansion scenarios, ranging from no expansion of the 56-square-mile sanctuary, to one bringing it to a total of 935 square miles. In NOAA’s preferred scenario, the sanctuary would expand to 383 square miles to include 15 reefs and banks that provide habitat for recreationally and commercially important fish, as well as a home to 15 threatened or endangered species of whales, sea turtles, and corals. ”
    www.noaa.gov
  3. Cleanup plans could give San Jacinto River new life (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle, 6/6/2016)
    “The San Jacinto River’s west fork runs for 35 miles below the Lake Conroe dam, providing alternate glimpses of tall pines and gravel mines, willow oaks and busy overpasses. The waterway is prone to flood, not to inspire. But the sporadically beautiful river is getting a second look from state and local officials, who are making a new push to make it safe for swimming and wading again. The recently formed West Fork Watersheds Partnership is developing plans to reduce the river’s load of bacteria at a time of rapid development in surrounding Montgomery and Harris counties. The river is in ‘the sweet spot,’ exceeding state standards for bacteria, ‘but not so much that we can’t do anything about it,’ said Justin Bower, senior environmental planner for the Houston-Galveston Area Council, a regional body that is involved in the cleanup effort.”
    www.houstonchronicle.com

EcoNotes

  • 16 June
    • ADM, biofuel supporters say EPA underestimates use of higher-ethanol fuels (Chris Prentice – Planet Ark News)
      http://planetark.org
  • 10 June
  • 9 June
  • 8 June
  • 7 June
  • 6 June
    • Cleanup plans could give San Jacinto River new life (Matthew Tresaugue – Houston Chronicle)
      www.houstonchronicle.com
    • Delayed by Massive Rainfall, $72 Million Addicks & Barker Dam Rehabilitation Remains USACE Priority (Energy Corridor)
      http://energycorridor.org
    • Relief expected after a week of falling rain, rising water (Danny Shapiro – Beaumont Enterprise)
      www.beaumontenterprise.com
    • Frustrated Motorists, Not Rain, a Factor as City’s $40MM Memorial Drive Rebuild Marches Onward (Energy Corridor)
      http://energycorridor.org
    • Conversation on Multimodality Stirs Ideas to Solve Future Transportation Needs for West Houston (Energy Co)
    • Leave That Wild Animal Alone, Experts Advise (Texas Parks & Wildlife)
      http://tpwd.texas.gov
    • Sewage Never Smelled So Sweet (Louisa Jonas – Texas Public Radio)
      http://tpr.org
    • You Might Not Know as Much About Gentrification as You Think (Ryan Holeywell – The Urban Edge)
      http://urbanedge.blogs.rice.edu
    • “Suburban Urbanism” Is No Longer Just a Niche (Ryan Holeywell – The Urban Edge)
      http://urbanedge.blogs.rice.edu
  • 4 June
  • 3 June
  • 2 June
    • Are you prepared for a flood? Here’s what to put in an emergency kit (Statesman)
      www.statesman.com
    • Texas Water Development Board approves More Than $525,000 in Ggricultural Water Conservation Grants (Texas Insider)
      www.texasinsider.org
    • Marine Pest Invades Gulf Stream, Stinging Beachgoers (Ryan Phillips – The Weather Channel)
      https://weather.com
    • 2015 a record breaker: Meteorologist says weather made history with floods and drought (Jim Williamson – Texarkana Gazette)
      www.texarkanagazette.com
  • 1 June
    • Temporary Streamgages Installed to Assist Texas Flood Response (USGS)
      www.usgs.gov
    • Want to conserve more water? Target those who already save a little (Science Daily)
      www.sciencedaily.com
    • Supreme Court ruling offers clues on fate of Obama rule (Tiffany Stecker – E&E Publishing)
      www.eenews.net