news & announcements
Environmentalists protest EPA Chief Scott Pruitt’s planned speech in The Woodlands
Houston Chronicle: About a dozen advocates called on U.S. EPA chief Scott Pruitt to take a “Toxic Tour” of contaminated areas in Houston during his visit Thursday for a planned speech at an oil and gas meeting in The Woodlands.
EPA Orders Cleanup at Texas Toxic Site Flooded by Harvey
Chicago Tribune: Trump administration orders two big corporations to pay for a $115 million cleanup at a Texas toxic waste site that may have spread dangerous levels of pollution during the flooding from Hurricane Harvey.
Austin’s recycling ordinance enters next phase; city works toward zero waste goal
Community Impact News: When the last phase of the recycling ordinance rolls out Oct. 1, all multi-family and non-residential commercial properties will be required to provide tenants and employees with convenient access to recycling services.
Houston Superfund site leaked toxic chemicals after Harvey: EPA
ABC News Houston: New test results found very high levels of chemicals called dioxins around the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund site in Channelview. Thursday’s testing results released by EPA found levels at 70,000 nanograms per kilogram, more than 2,000 times the recommended level of 30 ng/kg.
Fort Worth Recycling Plan Passes with Key Upgrades
From our blog: Fort Worth City Council voted to approve their 20-year “Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan.” As a result of widespread citizen participation and advocacy, the final document included many more program and policy goals to reduce waste and increase recycling than originally planned.
130+ Organizations Demand a Just Harvey Relief Effort Without Subsidies for Fossil Fuel and Petrochemical Companies
WASHINGTON – Organizations in the Gulf and across the country released a joint statement today expressing solidarity with the thousands of Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey and demanding that recovery funds flow to frontline communities, not to the oil, gas, and petrochemical companies that compounded Harvey’s impacts. This statement comes as former Shell CEO Marvin Odum was recently tapped […]
We won’t let Harvey stop our fight against pollution!
From our blog: I watched the rising water from my window all week during Harvey. I felt anxious to help my city during an environmental disaster, and helpless while trapped inside a moat of floodwaters. Harvey tore through multiple Superfund sites, potentially sending toxic waste throughout the area.
An Enormous, Urgent Task: Hauling Away Harvey’s Debris
New York Times: Of all the challenges that southeast Texas faces after Hurricane Harvey, few will linger longer or more visibly than the millions of pounds of debris already crowding curbs and edging onto streets.
A victory for Texas trees — and for local control
Texas Tribune: Local tree conservation non-profits, arborists, landscape architects, local government officials, environmentalists and citizen groups all came together to press our legislators to stand against the unwise legislation.
Council to consider changes for waste disposal contracts
Austin Monitor: A series of recommendations made by a City Council working group seeks to address concerns from environmentalists and private waste haulers about how the city chooses the companies it pays to pick up and dispose of waste generated by its own employees and departments.