CEC ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS UPDATE 09/30/05 - HOUSTON
NEWS
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NEW ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER BREWING IN WASHINGTON
By Ella Tyler
A new environmental disaster spawned by Hurricanes Katria and Rita is gathering steam in Washington as Congress and federal agencies roll back environmental protections that took many years to develop. The damage may be as extensive, and longer lasting, than the direct effects of the storm.
While Katrina's winds were still blowing, in response
to a shortage of gasoline and spiking prices, the EPA
relaxed its fuel standards. Soon thereafter, the Davis-
Bacon Act, which requires payment of the prevailing local
wage for federally funded construction projects, was
suspended for storm repair projects.
Next, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced
that fishermen can temporarily stop using devices designed
to let endangered turtles slip out of shrimpers' nets in
certain waters off the coasts of Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana. The regulators said debris is clogging the
devices, shrimpers are losing catches, and turtles are not
being saved. Fishermen will instead be asked to limit
their net-towing time to 55 minutes so that trapped
turtles can be discovered and released before they drown.
The rules will be relaxed until at least Oct. 22.
In Texas, Governor Perry's disaster declaration
proclamation acted to suspend state regulations that may
inhibit or prevent a prompt response to any threat posed
by the hurricane. The results of suspension of these
regulations include: allowing temporary shutdown of
pollution abatement equipment to prevent storm damage;
waiving pre-construction approval of temporary facilities
or facility repairs necessitated by hurricane damage,
relaxed spill reporting, and fewer restrictions on waste
disposal arising from hurricane damage.
Still pending in Congress are amendments to the two-
month-old energy policy act that will ease environmental rules to allow faster expansion of existing refineries and
allow existing plants to expand without adding new
pollution control devices. The House Resources Committee
has approved a bill to allow offshore natural gas
drilling, open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and
sell 15 national parks for energy development.
Senate Bill 1711 by Senators Inhofe (R-OK) and Vitter
(R-LA) allows the EPA to waive any environmental
protection law under its jurisdiction or any state or
federal law or regulation that applies to an EPA project
or activity related to Hurricane Katrina for 1 1/2 years.
Under the bill, the EPA may waive a regulation if the
waiver is "necessary to respond, in a timely and effective
manner, to a situation or damage relating to Hurricane
Katrina," and is "in the public interest." Critics charge
that the bill is written so broadly and Katrina's effects
are so far-reaching that EPA could waive application of
environmental laws nationwide if the administrator said
doing so is related to Hurricane Katrina.
In addition, aid bills for Hurricane Katrina recovery
contain language allowing federal environmental laws to be
overridden or waived.
Finally, the EPA is getting ready for next year's
hurricane season by drafting legislation that would give
it broad powers to suspend the Clean Air Act to respond to
hurricanes or other unforeseen events. |
CEC NOTES
SPOTLIGHT ON SYNERGY AWARDS
The Citizens' Environmental Coalition's Synergy Awards
will be presented at a reception on Tues, Oct 11, at the
Crowne Plaza, 1700 Smith Street, Houston. The awards honor
outstanding achievement and resourceful stewardship in a
broad spectrum of environmental endeavors. The world
grooves of Moodafaruka will entertain guests as they eat,
drink, and peruse unique, environmentally themed items
offered in the silent auction.
Mary Anne Piacentini of the Katy Prairie Conservancy,
John Jacob of the Texas Coastal Watershed Program, Jane
Laping of Mothers for Clean Air, Dina Cappiello of the
Houston Chronicle, Chevron, Mary Anne Weber of the Houston
Audubon Society, Rice Design Alliance, Geraldine Watson,
Brian Yeoman, Rives Taylor, Joy Hester, Harris County
Commissioner Jerry Eversole, and Mickey Merritt of the
Texas Forest Service will receive awards.
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served from 6:30
to 8:30 pm. The awards ceremony will be from 8:30 to 9:30.
If you have a product, work of art, excursion, or service
you would like to contribute to the silent auction, please
contact Alesha at (713) 269-4881.
Tickets to the event are $75.00 and may be obtained by
calling (713) 524-4232 or contacting
david@cechouston.org for ticket information.
COALITION NOTES
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THE CRAFT AND ART OF BAMBOO WORKSHOP AT MERCER
Mercer Arboretum will host a five-day, hands-on
introduction to working with bamboo beginning Oct 14.
Carol Stangler will teach the class, which will examine
bamboo's versatile technical and artistic possibilities
using demonstrations, slides and studio work. The basics
of bamboo will be covered, beginning with harvesting
bamboo from a nearby grove. Students may pursue individual
projects, making sculptural and functional objects such as
containers, a bamboo trellis or fence panel. The group
will construct a bamboo screen for Mercer. Single day
registration is also available. For more information, call
281-443-8731.
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DISCOUNTED RICE FOOTBALL GAME TICKETS BENEFIT
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The Education Foundation of Harris County and Rice
University have teamed up to provide an afternoon of
football viewing fun at a discounted price and raise funds
for the agency at the same time. The Education Foundation
sponsors Natural Legacy, an organization that provides
nature education and builds awareness of land stewardship
for Harris county youth. Tickets to the Rice vs. Tulsa
game on Sat, Oct 15 that are regularly $14 can be obtained
for $10 by going to Rice's web site,
http://www.riceowls.com. Once there, click the "Buy
Tickets/Give to Athletics" box on the right, then "Buy
Tickets", then "2005 Football" and then enter promotion
code: education. The Department of Education receives a
share of the proceeds. For more information, contact Mary
Elizabeth Evans at (713) 696-0708 or mevans@hcde-texas.org
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GREEN GRANTS & JOBS
REPORTS/GUIDES
EDUCATION
THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
HEADLINES
LOCAL NEWS
NO ONE CAN SAY IF WARMING CAUSED KATRINA, RITA
Reuters 9/27/05
WASHINGTON - Scientists say it's not easy to tell if global warming caused Hurricanes Katrina and Rita but on Monday they forecast more unpredictable weather as Earth gets hotter.
We Must Not Get This Wrong
Newsday 9/26/05
Decades from now, when the toddlers who were corralled into the putrefying Superdome have children of their own, we will know whether the decisions made in the first months after Hurricane Katrina helped to rejuvenate New Orleans or ruin it all over again.
EPA PROPOSES EASING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON TOXIC POLLUTION
Environmental News Network 9/27/05
WASHINGTON - The government wants to quit forcing companies to report small releases of toxic pollutants and allow them to submit reports on their pollution less frequently.
TO CONSERVE GAS, PRESIDENT CALLS FOR LESS DRIVING
New York Times 9/27/05
With fears mounting that high energy costs will crimp economic growth, President Bush called on Americans yesterday to conserve gasoline by driving less. He also issued a directive for all federal agencies to cut their own energy use and to encourage employees to use public transportation.
PRESIDENT URGES ENERGY CONSERVATION
BUSINESS WARMING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
USA Today 9/22/05
The Business Roundtable, a trade group of chief executives of leading U.S. companies, yesterday announced a new effort to improve the environment and society in general through a series of voluntary programs.
BUSH URGES SHIFT IN RELIEF RESPONSIBILITIES
Washington Post 9/26/05
The President calls on Congress to consider a larger role for U.S. armed forces in responding to natural disasters, as he completes a weekend "fact-finding" mission to determine whether the Pentagon needs more control.
STORM LEFT BIG PLATFORM UPSIDE DOWN
Houston Chronicle 9/29/05
Chevron's Typhoon platform was no match for Hurricane Rita. The oil and natural gas platform capsized in the storm, drifting 70 miles.
DESIGNS OF OFFSHORE PLATFORMS AT ISSUE
PORT ARTHUR OIL REFINERY MAY EXPAND
Houston Chronicle 9/22/05
Oil refiner Motiva is moving forward with a $3.8 billion plan to double the capacity of its Port Arthur refinery, city officials say.
OSHA FINES BP $21 MILLION IN FATAL BLAST
Houston Chronicle 9/22/05
DALLAS - BP Products North America, the owner of a Texas refinery where an explosion killed 15 people in March, was fined $21 million today, a record for the government agency that oversees workplace safety.
LESSONS COME AT HIGH COST: 109 LIVES
Houston Chronicle 9/29/05
A 2-year-old Houston girl crushed beneath the wheels of a pickup; a Sugar Land man and his two young children fatally pitched from their overturning car near Madisonville; a 92-year-old La Marque woman dead after losing consciousness while stuck in highway gridlock - Hurricane Rita's tales of sorrow rolled in as the death toll climbed.
WATER RECEDES FROM US GULF COAST, REVEALING RUIN
Reuters 9/27/05
NEW ORLEANS - Hurricane Rita's floodwaters receded on Monday from the US Gulf Coast to reveal devastation in Louisiana's Cajun swamplands, while other parts lurched back to life after the second major storm in less than a month.
PENINSULA COULD BE WITHOUT POWER FOR A MONTH
Galveston Daily News 9/27/05
BOLIVAR - It was clear Monday that Bolivar Peninsula, which has about 5,000 residents, was the hardest hit area in Galveston County by Hurricane Rita.
COOPERATIVE EFFORTS HELP KEEP RESERVOIR FROM RUNNING DRY
Houston Chronicle 9/28/05
Water service to more than half a million Houston-area residents and several key industrial facilities was in jeopardy during the weekend when Hurricane Rita knocked out power to a crucial pumping station, officials said today.
REPAYMENT SOUGHT FOR WAIVED TOLLS
Houston Chronicle, 9/27/05
Harris County plans to seek federal reimbursement for up to $7 million in tolls it waived during the departure and return of Hurricane Rita evacuees.
COUNTY WILL STUDY LEASING TOLL ROADS
Houston Chronicle 9/28/05
An investment bank concluded that a private firm might pay up to $7 billion for the right to operate Harris County toll roads, prompting Commissioners Court Tuesday to authorize a study of the pluses and minuses of such a deal.
DEADLY DOG FLU IS FOUND IN TEXAS
Houston Chronicle 9/27/05
A strain of flu virus that jumped from horses to dogs has caused sometimes deadly respiratory infections at dog tracks and kennels in Texas and at least 10 other states, health officials reported Monday. Deaths also have been caused among household pets, officials said.
LAST FOUR DOLPHINS RESCUED
Houston Chronicle 9/22/05
Federal scientists have successfully rescued the last four of eight dolphins scooped out of a Gulfport, Miss., aquarium tank and into the waters of the Gulf by Hurricane Katrina's surge.
ARMED AND DANGEROUS - FLIPPER THE FIRING DOLPHIN LET LOOSE BY KATRINA
STATE OF COFFEE MARKET STILL MURKY
Houston Chronicle 9/28/05
The coffee market in New Orleans is grinding its way back to life, but it could take weeks before inspectors and insurers determine the extent of the damage to beans stored in this hurricane-ravaged city, market sources said.
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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