BUSH ADMINISTRATION ROADLESS ROLLBACK AFFECTS LOCAL FORESTS
by Sarah Morgan

The Bush administration announced another proposal aimed at eroding the Clinton-era Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects 58.5 million acres of national forest from logging, drilling and development, including 4,000 acres of the Sam Houston National Forest in Texas.

The new Bush proposal would repeal the federal protection of these lands granted under the roadless rule, instead allowing state governors to petition for protection of individual areas in their states, should they so choose, leaving it up to the governor whether to seek greater or fewer protections.

The rule, which Clinton signed on his way out of office in 2001, covers the last third of America¹s national forests across 39 states, protecting wildlife and the clean drinking water that these lands provide for more than 60 million Americans, according to the Heritage Forest Campaign, an alliance of conservation advocates. While allowing access to the lands for recreational use, the rule restricts commercial use. New roads could be built for specific reasons like fire protection, and some logging is permitted if it reduces the risk of forest fires. Furthermore, under the rule, areas of land with existing oil and gas operations are allowed to continue working.

But timber industries and others who desire expanded use of these lands have not been content with these provisions, according to the HFC, who have been documenting the rise and steady fall of the rule.

"The timber industry and its allies have filed nine lawsuits in an effort to undermine the Roadless Area Conservation Rule," HFC states.

BushGreenwatch, a nonprofit project of Environmental Media Services, pointed out another aspect of the Bush proposal that the opposition might not have considered:

"Under the Forest Service¹s antiquated road building policies ­ which the Bush ruling put back into play with its rejection of the Clinton-era roadless rule ­ taxpayers pay the entire cost of building new roads into forests in order to provide logging trucks and drilling rigs access to the public¹s resources."

The administration¹s reasons behind the proposed change are unclear. The U.S. Agriculture Department spokesperson Julie Quick told Grist Magazine, "The lawsuits have raised all kinds of questions about the constitutionality of the roadless rule, which we believe is at odds with [the National Environmental Policy Act] and the Wilderness Act." The administration also claims that this rollback will boost state revenues and put more jobs on the market.

But environmental groups point to campaign contributions from the timber industry and others with a profit-driven interest in the land.

The Bush administration seems to have had it out for the rule since day one, as it was one of the Clinton administration¹s initiatives frozen when Bush took office. Then the rule took another hit in December of 2003 when the Bush administration declared that the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the nation¹s largest at eight times the size of Yellowstone, was temporarily exempt from the roadless rule, despite receiving 250,000 comments in opposition to this proposal.

A 60-day public comment period on the new proposal to rollback the Roadless Area Conservation Rule will begin this week.

For more information, visit:
http://www.ourforests.org/fact/public_support.html

TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT STILL AT A CROSSROADS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CONTINUE TO SURFACE
by Sarah Morgan

The Transportation Equity Act, the bill that defines the budget and guidelines for nearly every transportation project in America, has been at the center of a debate among the House, Senate and Bush administration, concerning conflicting budget numbers and possible changes to environmental provisions that could effect many communities.

The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, or TEA 21, was a six-year plan that provided more than $200 billion for transportation projects including highways, public transportation, railroads, waterways, aviation, and oil and gas pipelines. The bill also outlined the responsibilities for planning, construction, maintenance and regulation of various transportation projects. TEA 21 expired in September of 2003 and has gone through a series of extensions as the federal government hashes out the provisions for a new six-year transportation act that would take us into 2009. The Senate, House, and the President have each brought their own draft of the bill to the table.

The main conflict, it seems, is that each party has their own ideas about just how much money is required to support the nation¹s growing transportation infrastructure.

The President has threatened to veto a bill for anything over $275 billion, while the Senate is pushing for a budget closer to $318 billion. Transportation groups say the more the better, with many supporting the Senate¹s version.

"For Houston, the amount has to be very high," said David Crossley, president of the Gulf Coast Institute. Crossley explained that Houston¹s projects are at the bottom of a long list for federal funding with projects for many other cities taking priority.

Another growing issue for Houston is sprawl. The Bush administration¹s version of the bill proposes to reduce the federal funding match for public transportation projects to 50 percent from 80 percent while continuing to fund up to 80 percent for highway projects. This change would require local governments to scrounge up an additional 30 percent to cover the costs of burgeoning light rail projects or bus lines. Critics including the Sierra Club point out that this provision would put several transportation projects across the country on hold, including rail lines in Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana, causing state transportation planners to favor highway projects instead.

The Sierra Club¹s report, Missing the Train, outlines the benefits of public transportation, including the creation of jobs, boosting local economies, and lowering stress levels of Americans who spend hours sitting in heavy traffic.

"The Bush administration proposal maintains a severe imbalance between overall road and transit funding where roads receive $4 for every $1 spent on public transit," the report states.

Though the Sierra Club¹s report puts Houston¹s light rail on its list of compromised projects should this funding proposal pass, Houston¹s Metropolitan Transit Authority says it would not affect the expansions of the rail system.

"Some of our transit funding is already 50/50," said Russ Frank, manager of government affairs for METRO. "That¹s nothing different than we¹ve expected already."

But Sierra Club contends that this proposal shows Bush¹s lack of understanding about issues concerning lower income communities and others that rely on public transportation.

"The Bush administration has again failed to maximize opportunities for economic growth that benefits both the workforce and the environment," says the report.

Also, many nature and historic preservation groups are concerned about the possible rollback of section 4(f) of the Transportation Equity Act. This section concerns the protection of historic sites, public parks, recreation areas and wildlife refuges. The current language requires that transportation projects using federal funds are prohibited from the use of land from those resources unless there is no "prudent and feasible alternative."

The House version of the bill includes "heavily watered-down" provisions of section 4(f), according to the Galveston Houston Preservation Association. These revised provisions could eliminate the existing requirements for public involvement in the planning process and concurrence by state preservation officials on transportation projects, according to GHPA. These revisions would streamline the process of approval for some transportation projects, reducing the possibilities for public comment and environmental impact reviews.

Most recently, the nonprofit group Environmental Defense has sent out a warning to environmentalists that the Senate¹s version of the bill may contain "secrecy provisions." The group says that important information concerning oil spills, nuclear waste transportation, and air pollution could be deemed "sensitive security information," and therefor could be withheld from the public.

The TEA 21 has been extended until July 31 when the government is expected to pass a new version. However, with the deadline nearing, another extension could occur, possibly putting off the revision until after the presidential election, and keeping some transportation projects in a holding pattern until that time.

GBCPA TO SUE TCEQ OVER OZONE VIOLATION

The Galveston Bay Conservation Preservation Association has filed a notice of intent to sue the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, stating that TCEQ has failed to make the region's air safe to breathe. The Houston-Galveston region has been out of attainment with the one-hour ozone standard since the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1970, according to a press release from GBCPA. On these grounds, GBCPA will file suit under the citizen suits provision of the Clean Air Act. This provision allows anyone to take legal action against a state agency that is in violation of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency order on a timetable of compliance with the act. Numerous members of GBCPA live in the Houston-Galveston non-attainment area. Many live in the eastern part of Harris County, where residents are subject to some of the higher levels of ozone air pollution within the non-attainment area.

HREG AND THE BENEFITS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

Houston Renewable Energy Group is a local chapter of the Texas Solar Energy Society. Their mission is to further the development of renewable energy and related arts, sciences, and technologies, with concern for the ecological, social, and economic fabric of our local community. One of HREG¹s primary goals is public education and to highlight the advantages of the infinite power of renewable energy. HREG is member-supported and consists of architects, engineers, teachers, business people, and concerned citizens. To learn more about HREG or to join, there will be a meeting Sunday, July 25, from 2pm to 4pm at Texas Southern University School of Technology. For more information, contact (281) 326-1853, or visit http://www.txses.org/hreg

LEADERSHIP HOUSTON AND MFAH EVENT

Leadership Houston, founded in 1981, is a nonprofit leadership community organization dedicated to identifying and developing adult leaders representative of the greater Houston area. Once a year, Leadership Houston makes applications available for a group of existing and emerging leaders who are then trained throughout the year to better understand and address the complex issues facing the Houston area and to enhance their leadership skills. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and Leadership Houston will host a private, complimentary event, a Networking Mixer, Wednesday, August 4, from 6pm to 8pm at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet. For more information, contact (713) 529-2231 or visit http://www.leadershiphouston.org

MEMORIAL PARK CONSERVANCY SEEKS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Executive Director will report directly to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the following activities:
- Assisting the board in establishing and implementing a 5-year strategic plan based on the recently completed master plan
- Administrative management of the Conservancy, including coordination of board and committee activities, development of budgets, and maintenance of organization records
- Development and coordination of capital improvement projects in the park
- Development and implementation of fundraising strategies for operating expenses and capital improvement projects to ensure the fiscal integrity of the organization
- Development and coordination of community outreach and volunteer efforts within the park
- Coordination of all activities with the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Dept. and the Memorial Park Administrator

The Conservancy is seeking candidates with the following qualifications:
- Demonstrated executive skills and leadership qualities
- Demonstrated personal initiative in previous positions
- Possession of effective people skills and ability to be an articulate, effective spokesperson
- One professional skill set in a core activity of the organization preferred
- Demonstrated interest in parks and natural resource issues
- Experience managing both budget and personnel
- Development experience and proven ability

Please send a letter of interest and personal resume to Memorial Park Conservancy, Inc., P.O. 131024, Houston, TX 77219.

TEXAS FOREST SERVICE 2004 URBAN FORESTRY PARTNERSHIP GRANT

The Texas Forest Service, the agency responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's forest resources, offers financial assistance in the form of challenge grants. The Partnership Grants are designed to start or improve a local urban forestry program or to educate the public about the importance of urban trees. Grant awards range from $1,000 to $10,000 and must be matched dollar-for-dollar (except for the application for a new professional staff position, for up to $30,000). Applicants may include any local or state government entity, schools, or nonprofit groups. Application deadline is July 15, 2004. To apply, e-mail the program secretary at lscasta@tfs.tamu.edu, or visit: http://www.texasforestservice.tamu.edu
Go to the Urban Forestry page and click the link for grants.

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

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