Gulf Coast Institute investigates major transportation plan

Few people know about it but it has the potential to dramatically change the face of Houston well beyond the large rail and bus transit package approved by voters last fall, according to the local nonprofit Gulf Coast Institute. We are talking about the $77 billion Regional Transportation Plan (2025 RTP) that, among its many projects, would pave enough roadways to build a road from San Francisco to South Africa and help generate parking spaces that would cover an area two and a half times the island of Manhattan.

"It’s has the potential of being the 1000-pound gorilla that no one knew about," said Catherine Rentz Pernot, associate at the Gulf Coast Institute. "Though this could affect you just as much as light rail – possibly resulting in a raised express roadway near you – it slips under the radar partly because it doesn’t go to a vote by Houston residents. Everyone living and doing business in Houston should be aware of the projects in here, as long-term transportation planning is critical to the health of the region," she said.

The 2025 RTP is the region’s most comprehensive, long-term transportation plan; it includes all projected road, bus, rail, pedestrian, bicycle, port, and airport improvements. The Gulf Coast Institute is researching the plan and publishing a series of "Transportation Bulletins," or fact sheets about the plan. They prepared similar fact sheets for Metro Solutions, which ended up being used by neighborhood and civic groups, elected officials, and local media. They’ve also held several meetings to help generate awareness and educate the public about the RTP.

H-GAC has increased public involvement with the draft plan from one to six public meetings and pushed the deadline on approving the plan back a month. A group of 25 public officials are set to vote on the plan May 28th. For Gulf Coast Institute’s bulletins, visit http://www.livablehouston.org. For upcoming RTP public meetings and a draft copy of the RTP, visit http://www.2025plan.org.

New report says chemical safety measures don’t work

Chemical facilities owned by companies enrolled in an industry-sponsored voluntary safety program have had more than 1,800 accidents per year since 1990, according to a new report released today by the Texas Public Interest Research Group (TexPIRG).

The report, "Irresponsible Care: How the Chemical Industry Fails to Protect the Public From Chemical Accidents," analyzes the history of accidents at the facilities that implement Responsible Care®, a voluntary security code subscribed to by companies that are members of the American Chemistry Council, the largest industry lobbying organization and loudest opponent of mandatory safety standards. The report criticizes Bush administration plans to address safety and security at chemical facilities by continued industry self-regulation.

"The chemical industry's so-called Responsible Care plan lets the fox guard the chicken coop," said Stephanie Gros, field organizer with TexPIRG. "As we have seen in just the past week, accidents are happening at chemical facilities. The Bush administration and Congress should not wait for a catastrophe. They should act now to create minimum federal standards for safety at chemical facilities."

TexPIRG analyzed accident data compiled by the National Response Center, the sole national point of contact for reporting oil and chemical discharges into the environment in the United States, from 1990 through 2003. TexPIRG looked only at ACC member companies, who are required to adopt the Responsible Care® guidelines as a condition of their membership in the trade association.

"The safety record of ACC member companies since the inception of Responsible Care® shows that voluntary measures do not work," added Juan Parras, Community Outreach Coordinator with the Environmental Law and Justice Center at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at TSU. "To protect both workers and the public, safety measures must be improved."
Among the key findings in the report:

- Facilities in Texas that are owned by ACC member companies have had 7,072 accidents since 1990, ranking the state first in the nation.

- BP, owner of the refinery in Texas City that was rattled by an explosion last Tuesday, ranked first for the most accidents at its facilities since 1990. ExxonMobil, owner of the chemical plant in Baytown that experienced a fire last Thursday, ranked fourth for ACC-member facilities responsible for chemical accidents, with 1,133 accidents since 1990.

- The top 10 states for numbers of accidents at ACC-member facilities since 1990 were: Texas, Louisiana, Alaska, Ohio, South Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, and New York.

- Between 1990 and 2003, there has been no downward trend in the number of accidents at facilities that have implemented Responsible Care®.

- The accidents that have happened in Texas and Louisiana alone accounted for more than 49 percent of accidents at ACC member facilities across the country.

TexPIRG criticized ACC's voluntary code because it ignores substituting safer chemicals and processes wherever possible, thereby eliminating the possibility of serious consequences from an accident. Citing numerous high profile security breaches at chemical plants, the group also criticized the single-minded focus on perimeter security since September 11th shifted concerns to preventing a terrorist attack at chemical facilities. A comprehensive approach to security that seeks safer technologies is imperative because fences and guards alone are not enough to protect the public.

"It is unacceptable that chemical facilities continue to threaten so many lives across the country," said Jane Laping with Mothers for Clean Air. "Far too many people in the Houston-Galveston area are inconvenienced and put at risk from preventable accidents at refineries and chemical plants."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified more than 120 chemical facilities that each put more than one million people at risk of injury or death because of the hazardous chemicals they use and store on site. No federal government regulation requires industries to consider implementing inherently safer technology.

"To date, the chemical industry has failed to meet the challenge," asserted Sal DePasquale, a former member of the American Chemistry Council's Security Guidelines Committee and a member of the task force on security vulnerability of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. . "More than two years after the horror of September 11, the industry has proffered little more than smoke and mirrors."

TexPIRG urged the Bush administration to use EPA's existing authority under the Clean Air Act to mandate that chemical facilities substitute safer chemicals and processes where possible. Barring such action from the Bush administration, TexPIRG urged Congress to pass legislation introduced earlier this year by Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and similar legislation by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) that would require facilities to consider changing their chemicals and processes where available. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston has co-sponsored the House version of the legislation, which would vastly improve safety at chemical facilities in the greater Houston area.

Piney Woods Wildlife Society Shows African Birding Safari

Last month we heard the talk; this month we’ll see the pictures. "Africa’s Creatures Great and Small: A South Africa Safari" is the fascinating title of the April 20 program of the Piney Woods Wildlife Society. Members David and Ednelza Henderson will share photos and stories from their birding safari across South Africa last June. (Technical problems in March prevented the Hendersons from showing their many photos.) They will show some of the unique birdlife, butterflies, and the incredible mammalian fauna that inhabit this underside of the "Dark Continent."

KODAK AMERICAN GREENWAYS GRANTS
Application deadline: June 1, 2004

The Greenways Awards Program, a partnership of the Eastman Kodak Company, the Conservation Fund, and the National Geographic Society, provides small grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout America. Grants can be used for all appropriate expenses needed to complete a greenway project, including planning, technical or legal assistance, and other costs. The maximum grant award is $2,500, although most grants will range from $500 to $1,500.
http://www.conservationfund.org/?article=2372

THE WILD GIFT
Application deadline: June 1, 2004

The Wild Gift provides exceptional youth, ages 18-30, an experience in deep wilderness and encourages commitment to a self-designed leadership project that will benefit the human and natural community. The 17-month program is provided to Wild Gift recipients at no cost.
http://www.wildgift.org

CANON ENVIROTHON

Annual competition for high school students throughout North America, designed as a way to teach kids about environmental education. The best teams from 47 states and Canadian provinces compete at a summer play-off during July or August on a selected topic. To expose students to diverse environmental issues, ecosystems, and topography, a different state or province hosts the Canon Envirothon each year. In addition to the actual competition, the event also includes social, cultural, and educational activities organized by the Canon Envirothon Host Committee.
http://www.envirothon.org/competition/Canon2004/index.htm

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY TEACHER GRANTS
Application Deadline: June 10, 2004

The foundation provides grants to educators to facilitate their work in the classroom, school, district, and community. This year, projects will be funded in either of two broad categories: Promoting Stewardship of Cultural and Natural Resources, and Promoting Geographic Knowledge Through Education. The foundation plans to make approximately $100,000 available, in grants of up to $5,000 each. Applications may be submitted by a single teacher or by a project team leader on behalf of a group.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/education/teacher_community/get_grant.html

CONSUMER GUIDE DETAILS ILLS AND ALTERNATIVES FOR COMMON PRODUCTS

A free online consumer guide published in March by the Worldwatch Institute describes the environmental, social, and health harms associated with a wide range of products, including appliances, baby products, DVDs, clothing, cell phones, and food. The guide takes a behind the scenes look at how products are made, and offers simple advice and alternatives that enable people to reduce some of the ills associated with the things they buy.
For each product, the guide also describes successful efforts by governments, businesses, and nonprofit groups around the world to reduce negative impacts associated with common products.
http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/goodstuff

NEW REPORT IN PARKS FOR PEOPLE SERIES

The Trust For Public Land’s Parks for People initiative works in cities across America to ensure that everyone--in particular every child--enjoys access to a park, playground, or open space. A new Parks for People report by Peter Harnik, director of TPL's Center for City Park Excellence, highlights the need for parks in Newark, New Jersey. The report's release follows by several months the publication of TPL's Parks for People white paper, which makes the case for new city parks nationwide. Upcoming Parks for People publications will focus on other US cities.
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_item_id=13843&folder_id=175

A HANDBOOK FOR ACTIVISTS

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, Wilderness Forever has created a handy-dandy guide to taking action. Learn how to draft your own action letters, organize enjoyable activism events, and get in touch with local media.
To obtain your own tree-free version of the guide:
http://www.wildernessforever.org/action/index.html
Learn more about the Wilderness Act:
http://www.wilderness.org/OurIssues/Wilderness/act.cfm

CONSERVATION ACROSS BOUNDARIES EDUCATION COURSE

Conservation Across Boundaries’s Enhancing Wildlife Conservation through Education is a fully-funded, two-week course for junior and senior high school science teachers. The course is being held June 12-25, 2004. To download a brochure and application, visit www.boone-crockett.org, http://www.eih.uh.edu/education/bboard/cabflyer_2004_small.pdf or contact Selma Glasscock, Welder Wildlife Foundation, selmaglass@aol.com for more information. Application deadline: March 30, 2004. $125 application fee.

SEASIDE CLUB BECKONS TO TEXAS TEACHERS

Texas A&M University's Marine Advisory Service (MAS) will be hosting two development workshops for Texas educators on the environment, and natural resources in Texas and the Gulf Coast. Participates who are teachers, science curriculum specialists, or department heads working in public and private schools are encouraged to register. Training sessions for elementary school educators are June 28-30; training for secondary school educators will take place July 7-9. For more information or to enroll, contact (979) 863-2940 or email lbeach@neo.tamu.edu.

EPA SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

The EPA Summer Opportunities for Students website is now up and running. The site provides a web portal through which students may enter to learn about EPA programs, offices, and summer employment opportunities. They also will be able to submit a job application directly to the EPA location where there is a vacancy.
http://www.epa.gov/ohros/student