General Conservation
State Park System Funding - Your Comments Needed
As an advocate for assuring the state park system a secure and dedicated source of
funding, one of the most important actions you can take is contacting your Texas state
senator and state representative to tell them that the parks are important to you and that
you want him/her to work to fund the state park system. (Apr 06)
Update on Texas State Park Funding
Announced January 24, 2006: State Comptroller Strayhorn certified $4.88 million in
funds that will be available to state parks. The source of the funds is through
Rider 27 in Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s Appropriations bill. Rider 27
says that if TPWD generates revenue above the Comptroller’s Biennial Revenue Estimate
-- which is a forecast made at the start of each legislative session -- that TPWD may be
authorized to use that additional revenue in operation and management of state parks. (Mar
06)
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Forestry
Sierra Club Appeals Two Forest Service Timber Sale
Proposals
The Houston Sierra Club (HSC) appealed two U.S. Forest Service (FS) proposed timber
sales in October 2006. On October 6th and October 18th the HSC appealed the Caney Creek
Project and the Compartment 25 Project that would log huge quantities of pine trees in Sam
Houston National Forest. (Dec 06)
Sierra Club Meets About Protecting Lone Star Hiking
Trail
On September 9th the Houston Sierra Club (Sierra Club) met with members of
the Greater Houston Off Road Biking Association (GHORBA), Lone Star Hiking Trail Club
(LSHTC), REI, U.S. Forest Service, and others regarding a proposal by GHORBA to change the
Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT) in Sam Houston National Forest from a long distance,
primitive, dedicated, hiking trail to a multi-use trail that mountains bikes and horses
can use. (Nov 06)
Court Rules Sierra Club Lawsuit About Wildlife and
Logging Can Continue
The Sierra Club and ten other environmental groups won a significant victory in
September when the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia restored a lawsuit
filed against the U.S. Forest Service (FS) over the lack of inventorying and monitoring
for sensitive species of wildlife when logging projects are implemented in national
forests. (Nov 06)
Bush Public Land Sell-off Fails - For Now
Let's celebrate now! The proposed Bush Administration sell-off of over 300,000 acres
of national forest and hundreds of thousands of acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
lands has failed, for now, in the U.S. Congress. (Oct 06)
Forestry Notes, September 2006
1) The Houston Sierra Club (HSC) visited several blackland prairies this year.
Some of these prairies are in good condition and some are in poor condition. The biggest
problem these prairies have is that they are overgrown by woody vegetation, mostly small
seedling and sapling trees like gum bumelia, littlehip hawthorn, and cockspur hawthorn.
(Sep 06)
U.S. Forest Service Asked to Allow Mountain Bikes on
Lone Star Hiking Trail
The U.S. Forest Service (FS) has been asked to allow mountain bikes on the Lone Star
Hiking Trail (LSHT) in Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF), from Double Lake Recreation
Area to Huntsville State Park. The 128 mile LSHT is the longest continuous hiking trail in
the State of Texas. (Sep 06)
Spaceport Threatens Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
– Letters Needed Now
The Gulf Coast Spaceport Development Corporation (GCSDC) has chosen a site on Dow
Chemical property, about 0.7 miles from Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge (BNWR), for a
commercial spaceport that includes a consolidated administration engineering and flight
operations facility, upper stage manufacturing and maintenance facility, aero-spacecraft
assembly and payload integration facility, runway, propellant loading area, tank farm,
cryogenic propellant supply line, aero-spacecraft run-up area, and ejector ramjet run-up
area. (Jul 06)
Transportation Agency Pushes Road Through Big Thicket
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) continues to push expansion of U.S. 69,
from Lumberton 54 miles to Colmesneil, through the heart of the Big Thicket area and
adjacent to Big Thicket National Preserve (BTNP). TxDOT held public scoping meetings in
May. The Sierra Club and the Big Thicket Association attended those meetings. (Jul 06)
Sierra Club and TCONR Appeal Change to Woodpecker Plan
The Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club and the Texas Committee on
Natural Resources appealed a U.S. Forest Service (FS) environmental assessment (EA) which
changes the forest plan for the management of the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker
(RCW). (Jul 06)
Oil/Gas Drilling Under Big Thicket National Preserve
Continues at Speed
The National Park Service (NPS) continues to process/approve oil/gas drilling
approvals at record speed for drilling either underneath or inside Big Thicket National
Preserve (BTNP). The approval request recently sought by Penwell Energy for the Pine
Island Bayou – Little Pine Island Bayou Corridor Unit (PIBLPIBCU) is about the 40th
request either submitted or granted to or by NPS since 2002. Most of these requests have
been for slant drilling under BTNP within a few 100 feet of the boundaries. (Jun 06)
Big Thicket Land Acquisition Needs Your Support!!!
Brandt Mannchen Protection of Big Thicket National Preserve (BTNP) has
entered a crucial land acquisition phase which will determine if this National Park System
Unit survives the 21st Century. With your show of support to key public officials a unique
opportunity to add protective buffers and corridors to BTNP will not disappear forever!
(Apr 06)
Bush Proposes Selling Off Texas and 300,000 Acres of
National Forests and Grasslands
The Bush Administration (U.S. Forest Service – FS) proposes the sell-off
of 300,000 acres of national forests/grasslands across the country, including 4,812.78
acres in Texas. Letters are needed from you now to oppose this give away of your public
lands! (Apr 06)
Big Thicket Oil/Gas Lawsuit Continues
The Sierra Club/Texas Committee on Natural Resources (SC/TCONR) filed a brief and
two declarations in support of their motion for summary judgment against the National Park
Service (NPS) and Department of the Interior (DOI) regarding three specific oil/gas
projects that were approved for slant drilling under Big Thicket National Preserve (BTNP).
(Feb 06)
National Forest Logging Continues to Lose Money
According to a study by the John Muir Project of the Earth Island Institute,
since 1997, the U.S. Forest Service (FS) lost 6.6 billion taxpayer dollars on its logging
program from the public’s national forests. This is an annual average loss per year,
over seven years, of $835 million. (Feb 06)
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Transportation
Grand Parkway Threatens Lake Houston State Park and San
Jacinto River – Your Comments Are Needed
Grand Parkway Threatens Lake Houston State Park and San Jacinto River – Your
Attendance and or Comments Are Needed - The loop to nowhere, the Grand Parkway (GP), is
rearing its ugly head to the northeast and east in Harris, Montgomery, Liberty, and
Chambers Counties. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT), and the Grand Parkway Association (GPA) are holding two public
scoping meetings for Segments H and I-1. (Apr 06)
Watershed Management
Clean Water & Air
State Admits New Ozone Control Plan Cannot Meet
Standard
On October 5, 2006 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) held an
informational meeting about the new proposed Houston- Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) Eight Hour
Ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP) that it is working on. The TCEQ must submit the SIP
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by June 15, 2007. (Dec
06)
City Air Agency Remains Weakened
During the spring and early summer of 2006 the Houston Sierra Club (HSC) unsuccessfully
lobbied Mayor White and Houston City Council to add five air quality investigator
positions to the City of Houston's (COH) budget. The funding and creation of these air
quality investigator positions would begin rebuilding the City's Bureau of Air Quality
Control (BAQC). (Sep 06)
City of Houston Takes Step Forward Toward Reducing
Climate Change
On June 30, 2006, the City of Houston (COH) announced that it will join The International
Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and develop and implement a greenhouse
gas emissions reduction plan (GGERP). The COH will conduct an emissions inventory of
greenhouse gases, adopt emissions reduction targets, develop and implement a GGERP, and
monitor progress toward the emissions reduction targets. (Sep 06)
Calls/Comments Needed for Restoration of City Air
Bureau for 2007 Budget
In fiscal year (FY) 2006 the Bureau of Air Quality Control (BAQC) was
down-sized by the City of Houston (COH) when it failed to reach agreement with the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on a new air quality contract ($1.5
million). The disagreement centered on how enforcement cases would be handled and
how much enforcement authority the COH had. (Mar 06)
Sierra Club Begins Monitoring State & City Air
Pollution Agreements With Chemical Plant
The Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club (HSC) has begun a multi-year
citizen oversight effort to ensure that separate Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
(TCEQ) and City of Houston (COH) agreements with Texas Petrochemicals (TP) are
implemented. (Mar 06)
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Habitat Preservation
Named One of America’s Most Endangered Rivers
American Rivers has named the San Jacinto River as one of "America's Most
Endangered Rivers" in its yearly report. The report focuses on some of the worst or
most polluted rivers in our Nation due to sewage, over development, and energy impacts.
(Jun 06)
A River Under Assault: The Plight of the San Jacinto
River
When they think of the San Jacinto River, many people focus on its location near
Galveston Bay. This part of the river is has been overshadowed by the Houston Ship
Channel. While important for commerce and economic development, cleaner than it once was,
and home to salt and brackish water ecosystems, other parts of the San Jacinto River that
lie upstream also contain important ecological features and are threatened with
degradation and loss. (Feb 06)
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December 2006/January 2007 -
(0.8mb) 
ExCom Election
State Admits New Ozone Control Plan Cannot Meet Standard
Sierra Club Appeals Two Forest Service Timber Sale Proposals
November 2006 -
(0.8mb)
Texas State Parks in the Marketplace of Ideas
Court Rule Sierra Club Lawsuit About Wildlife and Logging Can Continue
October 2006 -
(0.6mb)
Bush Public Land Sell-off Fails - for Now
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Management Plan Review
September 2006 (0.6mb)
Lone Star Chapter Legislative Priorities
The Human Environment - An Editorial
City Air Agency Remains Weakend
July/August 2006 (0.7mb)
The San Jacinto River is in Trouble
Spaceport Threatens Brazoria NWR
More Privitization - CEQ Chairman proposes dumping of private lands at ARC meeting
June 2006 (0.6mb)
$100.5 Million NPS Budget Cut Proposed
Key Environmental Issues for 2006
Houston ICO Trip - Lone Star Trail with Kipp High School
May 2006 (0.6mb)
Bolivar Bridge Looming
A River Under Assault: The Plight of the San Jacinto River
Resolution on Texas State Parks
Update on Metro Transit Plans
April 2006 (0.7mb)
State Parks Conference
Say "No" to Privatization
ICO: My Weekend at Bastrop State Park
March 2006 (0.7mb)
Maintaining Ecosystems
Stop the Noise! (at Memorial Park)
Bill Increases Clear-Cutting
Building Environemental Communities in Houston - 2006
February 2006 (0.9mb)
Down-Sizing of City of Houston's Bureau of Air Quality Control Continues
Status of Texas State Parks Funding Crisis
Sierra Club Superfund Report
