GreenEnvironmentNews.com | Texas Environment News

Chairman Hastings Visits Texas for HEAT's American Energy Tour

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, D.C. , May 24, 2012 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) today joined Congressman Francisco "Quico" Canseco (TX-23) and Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11) in Midland, Texas for the "2012 American Energy and Jobs Tour: Promoting the Economy Through American Energy" led by the House Energy Action Team (HEAT). The Members toured a drilling rig and hydraulic fracturing location and then held an energy roundtable to discuss job and economic impacts of high...

E.P.A. Awards $900,000 Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant to Texarkana, Texas, to Enhance ...

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

(DALLAS - May 24, 2012) The city of Texarkana, Texas, will gain a $900,000 brownfields revolving loan fund grant from the E.P.A. (EPA). The grant will be used to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the city of Texarkana will provide loans and subgrants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with hazardous substances and petroleum. The revolving fund plan will establish a sustainable source of cleanup funds focused on Texarkana's Targeted Brownfields Area, cons...

E.P.A. Awards $400,000 in Brownfields Assessments Grants to the City of Irving, Texas, to ...

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

(DALLAS - May 24, 2012) The city of Irving, Texas, will gain 2 $200,000 grants from the E.P.A. (EPA). The community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to inventory sites contaminated or potentially contaminated with hazardous substances and conduct 5 Phase I and 2 Phase II environmental location assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to perform the same environmental location assessments at sites with potential petroleum contamination. The city has focused ...

BP Agrees to Add In excess of $400 Million in Pollution Controls at Indiana Refinery and Pay $8 ...

Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - The E.P.A. (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that BP North America Incorporated has agreed to pay an $8 million penalty and invest in excess of $400 million to install state-of-the-art pollution controls and cut emissions from BP's petroleum refinery in Whiting, Ind. When fully implemented, the arrangement is expected to reduce harmful air pollution that can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and are significant contributors to acid rain, smog and...

E.P.A. Recognizes Top Energy-Efficient Building Designs/'Designed to Earn the Energy Star' ...

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - Today, at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Convention in Washington, DC, the E.P.A. (EPA) acknowledged nearly 100 commercial building design plans submitted by 43 architecture firms that achieved Designed to Earn the Energy Star certification in the past year. Plans that gain Designed to Earn the Energy Star certification are estimated to be nearly 40 percent more energy efficient than typical buildings. In total, the Plans acknowledged at the...

Rick Knabb, Ph.D., selected to lead NOAA's National Hurricane Center

Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Rick Knabb, Ph.D., the new director of NOAA's National Hurricane Center. Download here. (Credit: Weather Channel.) N.O.A.A. Administrator Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., today announced Rick Knabb, Ph.D., as the...

NOAA, BOEM: Historic, 19th century shipwreck discovered in northern Gulf of Mexico

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

While most of the ship's wood has long since disintegrated, copper that sheathed the hull beneath the waterline as a protection against marine-boring organisms remains, leaving a copper shell retaining the form of the ship. The coppe...

NOAA, partners kick off multi-state study of how thunderstorms affect upper atmosphere

Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Over the next 45 days, researchers will use radars, balloons, aircraft and ground vehicles for the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry (DC3) study.

Inhofe Highlights Increasing Concern with E.P.A. Water Overreach

Thu, 10 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Contact: Matt Dempsey (202) 224-9797 Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov Katie Brown (202) 224-2160 Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov Inhofe Highlights Increasing Concern with E.P.A. Water Overreach

Inhofe E.P.A. Crucify Oversight Efforts Continue, Introduces E.P.A. Regional Oversight Act of 2012

Wed, 09 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Contact: Matt Dempsey (202) 224-9797 Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov Katie Brown (202) 224-2160 Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov Inhofe E.P.A. "Crucify" Oversight Efforts Continue Introduces "EPA ...

E.P.A. Awards Over $40,000 to Help Students Understand Marine Mammal Rehabilitation

Wed, 09 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

(DALLAS - May 9, 2012) Promoting environmental education through interactive marine mammal experiences is the goal of the "Dolphin Exploration and Vessel Adventure Program" by the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network. This initiative will gain $43,407 to enhance the educational experience for 1,000 students and science teachers in the Greater Houston area. The goals of this plan are to increase awareness of marine mammals and issues with the local marine environment. This will inc...

New Tool for Tracking a Voracious Pest

Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Since it 1st appeared in Texas in 1986, the Russian wheat aphid has cost U.S. wheat growers an estimated $200 million each year. But U.S.D.A. (USDA) scientists have developed a new tool to keep track of this nasty worldwide threat to wheat and barley and to provide guidance to researchers and plant breeders on control strategies. Gary Puterka, ...

What They're Saying About Federal Regulations on Hydraulic Fracturing

Fri, 04 May 2012 07:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON, D.C. , May 4, 2012 - The Obama Administration today announced new regulations on hydraulic fracturing on federal and Indian lands. Tribal leaders, State officials and energy job creators have already testified at numerous Natural Resources Committee hearings explaining how new federal regulations will cost jobs, slow energy production and cause economic harm. Tribal Leaders "BLM's suggested rule on Hydraulic Fracturing, if adopted, will create ...

N.O.A.A. delivers final management project for Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0100

A scuba diver swims amid a school of fish at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Hi...

Rise in Asian Tiger Shrimp sightings prompts scientific look at invasion concerns

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Asian tiger shrimp. (Credit / with permission from: Ryan Werner.) The recent rise in sightings of non-native Asian tiger shrimp off the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts has gove...

Inhofe: E.P.A. Apologized for Crucify Words Not Actions

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Contact: Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-9797 Katie Brown Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-2160 Inhofe: E.P.A. Apologized for "Crucify" Words Not Actions Link to Video: Inhofe ...

Inhofe Declares Investigation into EPA's Crucify Them Strategy on American Energy Producers in ...

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Contact: Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-9797 Katie Brown Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-2160 Inhofe Declares Investigation into EPA's "Crucify Them" Strategy on American Energy Producers in Senate Floor Speech

E.P.A. Awards In excess of $1 Million to College Teams for Innovative Environmental Solutions

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON - The E.P.A. (EPA) awarded in excess of $1 million in grants to 15 university and college teams from across the country who participated in the Eighth Yearly National Sustainable Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for their innovative environmental solutions. EPA's People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) award competition was held at the expo, and featured in excess of 300 college innovators showcasing their sustainable plans designed to protect the enviro...

U.S. Wind Industry Grew 31% in 2011 over Previous Year: Report

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0100

The U.S. wind industry installed 6,816 megawatts (MW) of energy in 2011, a 31% gain over 2010, according to a report released April twelve by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The U.S. wind industry's trade association reported a total of 46,916 MW installed in the U.S. last year. The report noted that in excess of 8,300 MW are under construction. 5 states received in excess of 10% of their electricity from wind in 2011, with South Dakota leading the way with 22.3%. I...

Statements on EPA's Updated, Achievable Air Pollution Requirements for Oil and Natural Gas

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0100

In response to a court deadline, the E.P.A. (EPA) has finalized requirements to reduce harmful air pollution associated with oil and natural gas production. The updated standards, required by the Clean Air Act, were informed by the important feedback from a range of stakeholders including the public, public health groups, states and industry. As a result, the final requirements reduce implementation costs while also ensuring they are achievable and can be met by relying on proven, cost-effe...