TEXAS COASTAL WATERS FACE FRESH WATER SHORTAGES
by Sarah Morgan

Lack of freshwater inflows to bays and estuaries in Texas is endangering coastal ecosystems and the economy those ecosystems support, according to the National Wildlife Federation in a report released this week.

The report, "Bays in Peril," ranks five of the seven major bays along the coast at the danger level, saying that they are at high risk of a severe loss of productivity.

The water in the Texas coastal estuaries is a delicate mix of fresh water from rivers and salt water from the Gulf of Mexico, the report explains.

"These brackish areas and marshlands serve as nursery grounds for young shrimp, crabs, and many fish. Oysters are found only in estuaries and are totally dependant upon receiving beneficial amounts of freshwater inflow," said Norman Johns during a press conference. Johns is a water resource scientist for the National Wildlife Federation. The report states that 95 percent of the Gulf's recreationally and commercially important fish and other marine species rely on estuaries during some part of the life cycle.

As the population continues to grow, more fresh water is being siphoned off for human, agricultural, and industrial use, shifting the estuarine fresh to salt water balance and causing a decline in water quality that endangers many species, according to the report.

"Fresh water flowing into these bays is absolutely vital to keeping them productive," said Johns. "Unfortunately, despite their importance, Texas bays are the last in line, both geographically and legally when it comes to getting the fresh water they need."

Johns said that the system of issuing water permits in Texas is one reason that the bays are in danger. The permits, granted by the state, allow other entities, such as a river authority, city, or an industry or agricultural interest, to construct a damn or pump water from a stream or river.

"Water use permits in Texas now total about 23 million acre-feet," said Johns. "We have a lot of water use permits out there, and 92 percent of that total was issued before the state recognized the need to address the effects on fish and wildlife in our rivers and estuaries."

Currently, some of the permits granted are not being used, but that is expected to change as demand grows.

The analysis of the future risks these estuaries may face was based on those permits, as well as on biological and weather statistics.

Assuming that these permits are used to their full extent, and that the bays remain in their natural state, without any additional dams or pipelines, then during dry weather Sabine Lake, Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, and San Antonio Bay would face serious problems, according to the report. Were such a scenario to occur in the future, many species might not survive.

"We found very troubling results in our analysis," said Johns. "This paints a terrible picture for our coast and the future of our estuaries."

However, Myron Hess, manager of Texas water programs for the National Wildlife Federation, said that there are strategies the public and the government can adopt to maintain healthy bays.

"The bad news it that we've authorized so much water to be diverted out of rivers, that we could do serious harm to our coastal bays," Hess said. "The good news though, is that even though we have authorized this amount of water use, we still have time to avoid a lot of these impacts because many of the permits are not being fully used."

Hess said that the most important course of action is to pursue serious water conservation. Also, we need to set aside and reserve water that hasn't already been permitted, and convert some of the existing permits that aren't being used into actual inflow purposes, he said.

"We think these sobering results are a wake-up call that we need to take action to prevent some serious harm to our bays," Hess said. "How we respond to this problem of ensuring freshwater inflows will go a long way in determining what kind of natural heritage we are going to pass on to future generations of Texans."

REPORT SHOWS HOW CLEAN ENERGY CREATES NEW JOBS
by Sarah Morgan

Not only will new clean energy policies clean our air, slow down global warming, and lower our electric bills, but they will also help create thousands of jobs in Texas and nationwide, as illustrated in a new report.

The report, released last week by the Sierra Club and Austin Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO, shows that new energy policies could create 5,782 new jobs in Texas over the next twenty years while saving consumers over $774 per household each year on their energy bills. Further, a clean energy policy would generate 1.4 million jobs nationwide by 2025. The report, "Smarter, Cleaner, Stronger: Secure Jobs, A Clean Environment, and Less Foreign Oil" examines clean energy policies that will increase energy efficiency, support renewable energy, and improve fuel economy by accelerating the implementation of existing technology, stimulating the development of renewable, domestic energy sources, and promoting research and development of new technologies.

A copy of the national report and state profiles are available at
http://redefiningprogress.org/bluegreen/.

SMART GROWTH MEETING: THE VALUE OF PARKS

Bring your lunch. John Crompton, PhD, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, will discuss the value of parks at the next Smart Growth Initiative meeting Wednesday, Oct 27, noon to 1:30 pm, at the Houston-Galveston Area Council, 3555 Timmons, second floor. Crompton will illustrate how parks can have a catalytic effect on property values in surrounding areas, and how this increase can be used to finance the park.

On the fourth Wednesday of every month, The Gulf Coast Institute and the Houston-Galveston Area Council host Livable Houston/Smart Growth bring-your-own-lunch meetings that are open to the public. For more information call (713)523-5755 or visit
http://www.gulfcoastinstitute.org

HOUSTON RENEWABLE ENERGY TOUR

Houstonians will have a first-hand chance to see the beginning of a transformation to a sustainable energy future. The Houston Renewable Energy Tour will feature real solar homes and buildings in the Houston area, providing an opportunity to learn more about all forms of renewable energy. Tour organizers want to show how Houston can remain an energy leader in the 21st century by showcasing pioneering efforts to incorporate solar and other forms of renewable energy into our homes, commercial buildings and everyday lives.

The tour is part of the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour, presented locally by the Houston Renewable Energy Group (HREG), US Green Building Council, Texas Southern University's School of Technology, and the Houston Advanced Research Center. For more information, visit
.http://www.txses.org/hreg, or e-mail hreg04@txses.org.

MfCA BOAT TOUR OF THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL

Mothers for Clean Air will host its seventh annual tour of the Houston Ship Channel on the M.V. Sam Houston, Sunday, Nov 7. Come at 1:30 pm for an overview of industrial air pollution by Lisa Gossett, professor of environmental management at the Environmental Institute of Houston. Board the boat at 2:15 pm for the tour at 2:30 and return by 3:30 pm. Complimentary drinks will be served on board. The tour is free and families are invited, but spaces are going fast. Reservations are required by Nov 4. Please call (713) 526-0110 or e-mail mfca@mothersforcleanair.org.

CLEAN AIR AND MOBILITY: UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS

A free workshop, "Clean Air and Mobility: Understanding the Process," will teach the essentials for understanding how regulations allow continued road building in a non-attainment area. The workshop is scheduled Saturday, Oct 23, from 8:45 am to noon at the Houston-Galveston Area Council, 3555 Timmons Lane, second floor, conference room A. It will provide an opportunity for community stakeholders and interested citizens to discover how H-GAC works to protect public health by uniting air quality and transportation planning. Attendees will learn about our region's air quality conformity requirements and process, the current state of emissions, and what is being done to meet the region's air quality goals. Representatives from the H-GAC, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Texas Department of Transportation will be presenting, and available to answer questions.

For more information, contact Karl Pepple at (713) 993-4583 or karl.pepple@h-gac.com.

BUFFALO BAYOU PARTNERSHIP SEEKS HORTICULTURIST / URBAN FORESTER

The Buffalo Bayou Partnership is seeking to fill a full-time professional position funded through the Texas Forest Service Urban Forestry Partnership Grant Program. Responsibilities include advancing the BBP’s vegetation management plan, which involves specific restoration objectives in the Buffalo Bayou Park. The person hired for the position will work with volunteers and contractors to accomplish many of these goals and will also be responsible for monitoring tree health by performing Forest Health assessments. Other responsibilities include reporting to the Texas Forest Service’s urban forestry representative, seeking funding for a stream-bank protection demonstration project, and working closely with the BBP’s director of public relations to involve the media in newsworthy projects. Some Saturdays will be necessary, to lead volunteer groups. Requirements include a bachelor’s degree in a related field, good computer skills, local flora knowledge, and leadership and presentation skills. To apply for this position please send your resume to Scott Barnes at sbarnes@buffalobayou.org or fax your resume to (713) 223-3500.

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