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CEC ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS UPDATE 3/05/04 - HOUSTON CEC NOTES CEC HOSTS ANNUAL MEETING NEXT WEEK The presentation at this year's annual meeting is "The Ecological City-How Green Is It?" Geoscientist and wetlands expert John Jacob will discuss the disputed theory that injecting green space into the inner city encourages sprawl. He will discuss green building programs and enlightened waste management as appropriate methods of "greening" the city without violating urbanity. As always, the annual meeting will provide our members the opportunity for networking and sharing resources and ideas. This year's event will be held Wednesday, March 10 the Houston Environmental Center on 3015, Richmond Ave, from 6:30-8:30 pm. For more information, email events@cechouston.org. COALITION NOTES OWL PROWL TOUR ON THE KATY PRAIRIE The Katy Prairie Conservancy will host an Owl Prowl Tour, Saturday, March 6, from 4-6:30 pm. The tour includes a visit to Nelson Farms where the group will view ducks, geese and raptors while touring the Live Oaks Ranch. The Owl Prowl takes place in the evening. Children's activities will include a stop at the crawfish pond where different species of insect and various animal signs can be explored. The tour group will meet at the Barn Owl Woods. Participants are encouraged to bring good walking shoes or boots, layered clothing, hats, binoculars, flashlights, and a signed release of liability forms. For directions and map, call Shelly Pollock at (713) 523-6135 or visit http://www.katyprairie.org/ FILM DOCUMENTS LIFE OF SEADRIFT SHRIMPER, ENVIRONMENTALIST The Conservation History Association will host a screening of the film "Texas Legacy: Profiles in Action with Diane Wilson." The 45-minute documentary features Diane Wilson, a fourth-generation shrimper and environmental activist who works to protect of San Antonio Bay and the communities of the Coastal Bend. Wilson is also well known for her protest against Dow Chemical, which she blames for contaminating the bay in her hometown of Seadrift and withholding vital health information from Bhopali victims of the Union Carbide disaster. The film will be shown at 4:30 pm on Sunday, March 14, at the Hideout, 617 Congress in downtown, Austin. Admission is $5. The screening will follow a short reception beginning at 4 pm. For more information, contact (512) 443-3688. TCEQ HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING IN HOUSTON TCEQ will hold a public hearing, Tuesday, March 9, 7 pm, at the Hilton Hobby, 8181 Airport Blvd, to hear from the public about changes in agency programs. The review comes in response to several reports from federal and state auditors, academics and non-profit groups concerned about air, soil and water pollution in local communities. For more information, contact Luke Metzger, (512) 479-7287 or luke@texprig.org,visit web site at www.texpirg.org. LOCAL TEXAN TAKES HELM AS CHAIR OF HOUSE ENERGY COMMITTEE He is known in Texas as "Smokey Joe," but US Rep. Joe Barton, a Dallas Republican, became one of the most powerful men on Capitol Hill last week, taking the gavel as chair of the House energy and commerce committee. The committee oversees regulations that affect virtually every aspect of everyday life from pump prices to environmental laws and prescription drug costs. "It’s quite an unusual situation where you have a member of congress who’s going to become so powerful in Washington, DC, while simultaneously he’s the butt of humor in his hometown newspaper," said Frank O’Donnell of the DC-based advocacy group Clean Air Trust. "The Republican leadership in the House bypassed normal procedures to elevate him to the job and I can only conclude that its because they see him as the best chair that special interests could buy." Barton_s critics say his congressional decisions can be traced to a documented trail of money between the representative and the energy industry that goes both ways. According to a report from the Center for Responsive Politics, oil, gas and coal lobbyists have poured roughly $1.6 million into Barton’s campaign coffers since 1989-more than any other House member. At the same time, Barton has invested his own money in energy companies he is tasked with regulating. In Tuesday’s edition of the congressional newspaper Roll Call, reporter Brody Mullins revealed the details of the congressman’s portfolio. "Compared with other members of congress, he hasn’t invested that much money," Mullins said. "But the money he has invested has all been in energy companies that he regulates." Barton managed to double and sometimes triple his investments in companies such as TXU Energy and Reliant Resources Inc. While profiting off of Reliant, Barton backed the company, Mullins said, when it was accused of artificially inflating prices during the California energy crisis. "He was one of the defenders of (Reliant), saying it was not the company’s fault, that the reason prices were so high was because of environmental regulations," he said. "That’s an example of where he supported them and Reliant ended up getting off by the skin of their teeth," he said. But Barton’s investments, all of which are legal, were not always profitable. The representative lost thousands in the Enron crash of 2001. "As this huge accounting scandal at the company was unveiled, and Barton as subcommittee chair was holding hearings about that on the one hand, he was investing his own money on the other hand," Mullins said, "and every time the stock went down he bought more shares and it went down again and he bought more, thinking the company would turn around and he would profit. And he lost." A staunch supporter of energy deregulation, Barton told reporters at the time, that Enron’s story was proof that free markets work. His comments came after the accounting fraud was revealed, and O’Donnell said they give evidence of the congressman’s broad philosophy. "I think his comments defending Enron say a lot about his approach-that free enterprise means allowing companies to do whatever they want even if that means fleecing investors from time to time," O’Donnell said. The dubious moniker Smokey Joe was first hung on the representative by a political cartoonist for the Dallas Morning News. The name stuck as Barton’s reputation for crafting industry-friendly legislation, and his campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry, grew while air quality in Dallas worsened. In congress, Barton worked to undermine court decisions that would compel Dallas/Fort Worth to reduce smog, crafting legislation that would give the region more time to comply with the Federal Clean Air Act. "He was arguing that he was trying to protect people living downwind by not requiring pollution reductions, and that was really turning the meaning of words on their heads because what he was actually doing was ensuring that (people) would be subjected to higher pollution levels for longer," O’Donnell said. He also criticized Barton’s performance as chair of the House subcommittee on energy and environment. Barton was the primary author of an energy bill that calls for oil and gas drilling on protected lands including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and the Padre Island National Seashore. "One of his key assignments was to develop energy legislation that would be effective in reducing our dependence on foreign (oil)-four years later that has not happened," he said. "We’ve muddled around with a bill that is really more of a wish list of special interest provisions." The bill, a comprehensive overhaul of energy legislation is currently stalled over a controversial provision that would protect makers of the gas additive MTBE from liability if the chemical contaminated water supplies. Barton was unable to speak with CEC, but in a written statement he said, "Everything I am, I owe to the people of the 6th District of Texas." COMMENT CLOSES THIS MONTH FOR GALVESTON BEACH ACCESS PLAN The Texas General Land Office is currently seeking public comment on the city of Galveston’s plan for dune protection and beach access. Unanimously approved by the city council, the plan stirred controversy among many residents who argue that it illegally limits beach access. The major point of contention, as the plan was taking final form, was a provision to close a four-mile stretch of beach on San Luis Pass to vehicular traffic. Members of a group opposing the plan, the Texas Open Beach Advocates, accused city officials of using concerns such as dune erosion and safety to cloak the council’s true agenda, which TOBA members allege is to accommodate development on the island. Two weeks after passing the beach access plan last December, council approved a land use plan submitted by Centex, a development company that builds homes on public beaches throughout the city’s West End. GLO spokesman Jim Suydam said there are no black and white answers when it comes to beach management. He said, though it is true driving causes erosion, the problem can be addressed by enforcing existing laws, without further limiting access. "We will be reviewing the plan to make sure it strikes a balance (between) protecting the ecosystems and citizens_ rights to access," he said. In addition to limiting vehicular access, the beach management plan would institute paid parking along the Seawall. Another group of citizens were in court this week over that provision. They are asking an appellate court in Houston to let the issue be decided by a referendum on the May ballot. After the GLO reviews the plan and makes recommendations, Galveston’s beach access plan will be sent back to the city’s planning commission and city council for more public hearings before final adoption. The GLO will accept public comments by mail to Ms. Debbie Cantu, Texas Register Liaison, Texas General Land Office, Legal Services Division, P.O. Box 12873, Austin, TX. 78711-2873, by fax at (512) 463-6311 or by email at debbie.cantu@glo.state.tx.us, until Friday, Mar. 27. The complete plan may be viewed at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/ by accessing the Texas Register, "February 27th issue," p 1845-1846.
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION CEC Environmental News Update is a weekly publication by the Citizens' Environmental Coalition, a 501(c)3 dedicated to fostering dialogue, education and collaboration about environmental issues in the Houston-Gulf Coast Region. Visit the CEC online at www.cechouston.org. To subscribe or unsubscribe, or to suggest items for inclusion, send your request via e-mail to David Gresham at david@cechouston.org. Phone: 713-524-4232 Fax: 713-524-3311 |
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