CEC Notes Grand Opening of the Environmental Center I want to tell what the forests were like I will have to speak in a forgotten language --W.S. Merwin The Grand Opening for the Houston Environmental Center at 3015 Richmond will be on Friday, October 2. Festivities will include presentations by the Orion Society’s Forgotten Language Tour, a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, and Open House. Celebrations will begin at 4 pm with The Forgotten Language Tour. This national tour of writers and poets will offer readings and discussions that promote a deeper, more dynamic and creative understanding of our relationship with the natural world, and offer new ways of envisioning community. The tour attempts to bring citizens together in the recognition that the health of the human community is inextricably bound with that of the natural world. A roundtable discussion will be held from 4 to 5:30 pm. From 6 to 8 will be the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the Houston Environmental Center. Drinks and refreshments will be provided. After the ceremony, The Forgotten Language Tour will resume with writers reading from their works in the Conference Center room until 9:30pm. All events are free and the public is invited to attend. For more information call 713-524-4232. Summit Set for October 3 An Environmental Summit will be held from 10-5 on Saturday, October 3, 1998, in the Houston Environmental Conference Center at 3015 Richmond. The purpose of the Summit is to help bring understanding to the totality of the region’s environmental condition and to provide benchmarks for future progress. Each CEC member group has been asked to produce a one-page paper summarizing the state of the subject that is their primary focus. These papers will be read at the summit. Papers will be printed beforehand and will be available to observers and participants. All papers will be published as a State of the Region report from the environmental community. CEC Round Table: TNRCC Proposes New Inspection Protocol About 25 people gathered at the new Houston Environmental Center Tuesday evening, August 26, for presentation of results of a pilot study conducted by the TNRCC and a proposed program. The study, reported by Buddy Stanley, Karen Atkinson, and Susan Close of the TNRCC, involved three large chemical companies in the Houston area that have voluntarily begun using Environmental Compliance Management Systems. These complex, expensive hardware and software programs help a company keep track of the myriad compliance regulations, mandatory reports, and the management plans for expansion and improvement in compliance. TNRCC members explained that if a company had such a system and no pending enforcement action, a current compliance record, and no pending criminal investigation with the EPA or other environmental agency, it could qualify for a program of alternate year audits. Also, the audits would take about one fifth the time they do now. Under the proposed rules, the companies still must maintain compliance, file reports, and report upsets regardless of audits. The TNRCC representatives said the advantage of this is that it would allow more time for currently unaudited companies to be investigated, and time for more agency attention on companies that need improvement with their environmental programs. Carol Alvarado of CEC Board of Directors, Dr. Stephanie Hrabar of the Geophysical Society of Houston, and Rick Abraham of Texans United Education Fund made up the responding panel, with Justus Baird, CEC Vice President, acting as moderator. Responses from the audience and panel were highly critical and mistrustful of industry and the TNRCC. The Texas Chemical Council (with whom the TNRCC designed the pilot study), was accused of being in collusion with the TNRCC. The TNRCC in its relation ship with industry was described as “the fox guarding the hen house”, and the fear was voiced that qualifying companies would take advantage in their unaudited years. A few members of the audience agreed with members of the TNRCC that the study was valuable and the proposed program should be promoted. A representative from DuPont in the audience was able to answer questions about industry practices and the compliance systems. The roundtable provided the TNRCC staff with feedback on their proposal, for which they expressed their appreciation. CEC Delegate Luncheon The October 14 CEC Delegate Luncheon at the Houston Environmental Center, 3015 Richmond, will feature Mary Ellen Whitworth, Executive Director of Bayou Preservation, Inc. She will present a 35-minute slide show focusing on the history of Buffalo Bayou and will include information about all of the local bayous. Please call the CEC(713-524-4232) if you plan to attend so plans can be made for your lunch. Gary Woods Receives Award CEC Board Member Gary Woods has received the 1998 Texas Community Forestry Individual Achievement Award. The award acknowledges Woods’ longtime commitment to protecting Houston’s urban forest. He has helped raise more than $1.5 million and has participated in the Houston 2X2 Program, whose goal was to plant two million trees by the year 2000. Through the efforts of Woods and many others, that goal was achieved in March, 1996. Woods says, “I was honored to receive the award, but actually I received tremendous support from many organizations, corporations, and agencies including the Texas Forestry Services.” Woods stresses that “tree planting must go on all the time to replace dead trees. The drought this summer had a catastrophic effect. I have seen trees up to 50 years old which perished.” Woods’ enthusiasm and devotion was cited in letters of support from The Park People, Houston Arboretum, the Houston Parks Board and others. Member Notes Proposed Megaport Site Challenged by GBCPA The Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation Association (GBCPA) is leading a fight against development of the proposed new megaport at Bayport. The Port of Houston Authority wants to build the new $1.2 billion container-cargo and cruise-ship port at Bayport north of Clear Lake. Residents of Shore Acres, Seabrook and El Jardin community, a bird sanctuary, would be subjected to noise, lights, heavy traffic, and dredging. More than 1000 acres of wetlands would be paved. Texas City wants built at Shoal Point, a site with good rail and highway access and ample room for expansion, where commercial traffic wouldn’t disturb residents or environmentally sensitive areas. The Bay Runner Extra reports that the Port Authority opposes the Texas City site because it is reluctant to invest heavily outside of Harris County. For more information contact Galveston Bay Conservation Preservation Association, Jim Blackburn at 713-524-1012 or the Sierra Club’s Page Williams at 713-622-8533. Sierra Club Releases Legislative Report The Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club in Austin has issued a report titled “Legislative Interim Report 1998: A Preview of Environmental Issues in the 1999 Texas Legislature.” The report cites industry’s grandfathered sources of air pollution as its “major focus issue.” These grandfathered plants emit more than one third of all industrial emissions in Texas or almost one million tons of criteria pollutants. The report tracks actions on this issue, explains the TNRCC Voluntary Plan, and makes recommendations. The report, written mostly by Sierra Club’s Ken Kramer, says its other focus issues are: citizen rights and the “Right to Know/Right to Act” package, environmental education, land use determinations in siting landfills, and water resources management. Each of these issues as well as ten others are discussed and its status or progress in the Texas Legislature evaluated. To obtain a copy of the report contact the Sierra Club office in Austin 512-477-1729 (fax 512-477-8526) or send e-mail to scls@igc.org. Mothers for Clean Air Publishes First Newsletter Mothers for Clean Air (MCA) has published its first newsletter. It includes articles on Earth Day, ozone and particulates facts, meetings, web sites, and the effects of ozone on children. Mothers for Clean Air is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation. Meetings are held quarterly. To join Mothers for Clean Air or to obtain more information, call 713-526-0110. Southwestern Canoe Rendezvous Set From Oct. 9-11, the Houston Canoe Club will present a four-day extravaganza in Huntsville State Park, in Huntsville, Texas. The event will include paddling instruction, media shows, exhibits, races, and workshops. New this year is a Canoe Adventure Day for Seniors. Call 713-467-8857 or visit http://ruf.rice.edu/~pmontgom/canoe/. Urban Harvest Announces Fall Classes Urban Harvest has announced its fall schedule of classes–everything from canning and preserving, pasta secrets, and planting a fall garden, to gardening for wildlife. Call (713)880-5540 for details. Eco Notes California to Ship More Toxics Here EPA has announced plans to excavate DDT from the 204th Street Superfund Site near Torrance, California, and ship it to Port Arthur, Texas, for incineration. This is the second shipment of Superfund Site waste headed to Texas from California. Napalm from the Fallbrook Superfund Site is already being shipped to the GNI Inc. facility in Deer Park, near Houston. Community groups in California oppose these shipments and are advocating the use of non-incineration treatments. They say six such treatments now exist which can destroy organic chemicals on site in the nation's chemical weapons program. Texas communities object to hazardous waste incinerators because communities suffer adverse health effects from incineration, such as cancer, birth defects, miscarriage, lung disease, endometriosis and others. “Burning DDT is just plain nuts near poor minority neighborhoods...when we know that safer, cleaner technologies are available,” said Dr. Neil Carman, Clean Air director for the Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club. He added that usually these newer technologies perform much better than an incinerator. For more information contact Luverda Batiste, MODEL, Inc. 409-736-3511 or Dr. Neil Carman, Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, 512-472-1767 Drugs in Water Pharmaceutical drugs such as antibiotics, hormones, painkillers, tranquilizers, and chemotherapy chemicals given to people and animals are being measured in surface water, groundwater, and drinking water. These drugs are excreted by humans and domestic animals, and are distributed into the environment by sewage systems and by using manure and sewage sludge in soil. The new findings were reported by Rachael’s Environment & Health Weekly. Anywhere from 30 to 60 drugs can be measured in a typical water sample, the concentrations of some reaching the low parts-per-billion . To some this is reassuring, but others are asking, “What is the long-term effect of drinking, day after day, a dilute cocktail of pesticides, antibiotics, pain killers, tranquilizers and chemotherapy agents?” The Food and Drug Administration has been concerned about this problem for a decade, but the official position is that excreted drugs are not a problem because concentrations found in the environment are usually below one part per billion (ppb). However, many drugs can be measured at concentrations that exceed one ppb. Also, bacteria are developing resistance to antibiotics in the environment. Clean Cities To Bring First Electric Buses The region will soon be home to three electric bus projects, the first of their kind in Texas. Six electric buses will soon be in use. The projects are part of cooperative projects managed by Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Houston Clean Cities program. Rice University and Galveston will each receive two zero emission electric buses and Humble ISD will convert two school buses from gasoline power to electric. Texas Recycles Day Fair As a part of Texas Recycles Day, the City of Houston has announced that it will host its fourth annual Texas Recycles Day Fair around the reflection pool at City Hall at 900 Bagby. This Fair, the biggest of its kind in the nation, will be a two-day event held November 13 and 14. The aim is to raise awareness of the many recycling opportunities available to the citizens while familiarizing them with area environmental organizations. On Friday, from 10-2 pm, the reflection pool and nearby streets will be filled with information booths staffed by various recycling, waste management, and environmental organizations. A band, food vendors, and celebrity speakers will add to the festivities. Saturday’s Fair from 10-4 pm includes the information booths, food vendors and band, but the message and activities will be aimed more at families. Saturday’s events include a recycled materials fashion show hosted by Houston Community College Fashion Merchandising Department, a Kid’s Art Museum hosted by the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, a moon walk, a rock wall climb, a karaoke machine, a pitch speed measuring machine, a collection of art cars, and the Envirolympics. The Envirolympics will be a series of booths where kids will complete several physical activities while learning about the environment. Entrance to the Fair is free, but some activities may cost fifty cents or a dollar. This year’s Fair will also feature a Recycle Your Office Supplies Drive and a Recycle Your Shoes Drive. Local buildings are invited to collect shoes and/or office supplies for pickup the morning of Friday, November 13. Solvay Chemicals will collect the shoes while The Greensheet will collect office supplies. The office supplies and shoes will be displayed at the Fair site on both Friday and Saturday. Afterwards, the shoes will be donated to the Star of Hope Mission and office supplies will be donated to local schools. For further information, or to sign up as a host of a Recycle Your Office Supplies Drive or a Recycle Your Shoes Drive at your building, contact Gary Norman of the City of Houston, Department of Solid Waste Management at 713-865-4254. Press Clips “WORST CONGRESS EVER”: A full-page ad in the western edition of the New York Times sponsored by a number of national and regional conservation groups states the “current 105th Congress is on the brink of enacting more anti-environmental legislation than any Congress in American History.” The ad compares 30 anti-environmental “riders” to appropriations bills enacted by the 104th Congress to the nearly 70 pending riders in the 105th. “Using a stealth tactic opposed by 75 percent of Americans, this Congress is hiding anti-environmental provisions by burying them in larger appropriations and other legislation,” the ad states. GRIM VIEW: Business Wire reported a recent World Wildlife Fund poll shows that while an over-whelming majority of Americans ­ 89 percent ­ are concerned that environmental damage will have a significant impact on human well-being, fewer than one in four believes effective action will be taken to ensure a healthy environment for future generations. FALCON DE-LISTED: AP reported the federal government would announce the peregrine falcon would be taken off the endangered species list. Widespread use of DDT and other pesticides nearly wiped out the falcon 30 years ago “WORST NIGHTMARE”: Reuters reported that the World Wide Fund for Nature says ten percent of the world's tree species face extinction. The “World List of Threatened Trees” describes more than 8,753 of the world's 80,000 to 100,000 tree species as endangered. Conservationists said most living species are dependent for their survival on trees, particularly in tropical forests which are home to 90 percent of the world's species. SMOKERS & ACCIDENTS: Chemical and Engineering News reports that since 1984 the second Wednesday in March has been No Smoking Day in the United Kingdom. Investigators have found that regular smokers have more accidents on No Smoking Day than on the Wednesday two weeks prior. Laboratory studies have backed up the study, showing that when regular smokers quit, their mood and thinking ability tend to go kaput within a few hours.