Texas

April 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON—Texas Oil and Gathering Inc., its owner John Kessel and its operations manager Edgar Pettijohn pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Houston to criminal violations related to the disposal of refinery wastes at an underground injection well in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Justice Department announced.    » read more »

Authorizes State Resources to Respond to Wildfires

April 10, 2009 -- AUSTIN – Following severe wildfires that swept across North Texas this week, Texas Governor Rick Perry today reiterated his request to FEMA to issue an emergency declaration for 199 Texas counties based on the threat of wildfires. Perry also authorized additional state resources today to combat the ongoing wildfires across the state.

“The rapidly spreading wildfire threat across North Texas demonstrates how quickly conditions can change and the importance of heeding warnings from local officials,” Gov. Perry said. “I urge Texans, particularly in the northern part of our state, to exercise extreme caution and monitor the situation closely.”    » read more »

WASHINGTON, DC, Wednesday, April 8, 2009 -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced that airports around the country will receive $258 million under the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

“Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act we are creating jobs across the country while investing in the long-term safety and economic vitality of our airports,” said Secretary LaHood.    » read more »

24 March 2009 -- Leading members of the Texas scientific community, in collaboration with AAAS, have urged the Texas State Board of Education to reject amendments to the state's draft science standards that would undermine sound science teaching. And in a commentary published in the San Antonio Express-News online edition, AAAS officials warned that approval of the anti-science amendments could undermine Texas's reputation as a world engine of scientific discovery and innovation.

Read the full text of the letter to the Texas State Board of Education from AAAS and two dozen leaders of the Texas science community.

The board is to take a final vote on the standards on Friday 27 March.    » read more »

State Sen. Rodney Ellis and Rep. Allen Vaught File Bill to Stop New Coal-Fired Power Plants

March 24, 2009 -- AUSTIN – State legislators, environmental activists and local community members who would be affected by proposed coal-fired power plants met at the capitol this morning to call for a temporary moratorium on proposed coal plants. Halting the construction of proposed coal plants would help curb climate change, protect local communities from dangerous health impacts, and improve local air quality.    » read more »

Center to be first of its kind in the United States

March 23, 2009 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry has announced the state will invest $50 million through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) in the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) to create the National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing (NCTM). The center will be an international destination for research and development of medications to combat diseases such as cancer, diabetes and influenza, and will serve as a model for future national facilities that will protect the nation from bio-terror threats and attacks.    » read more »

New Analysis Ranks "Filthy 15" States by Coal Ash Produced by Proposed Plants

Washington, D.C. (March 12, 2009) -- Proposed coal plants across the United States would produce nearly 18 million tons of dangerous waste, including toxic metals, each year. Nearly 130 million tons of coal waste from existing plants is being produced annually, most of which is disposed of in largely unregulated landfills, ponds and other locations, posing serious public health and environmental risks.

According to a new analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the 15 states that would be the biggest polluters -- the “Filthy 15” -- have proposals for 54 coal plants and would create nearly 14 million tons of dangerous waste.    » read more »

Texas Rep. Eddie Rodriguez Files Bill That Will Improve Regulation, Protect Health and Environment

March 12, 2009 -- AUSTIN – Texas is the worst state in the nation in terms of toxic coal-ash waste that would result from both proposed and existing dirty coal-fired power plants, according to a new Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) report that will be released with the participation of Public Citizen’s Texas office. Despite the fact that coal combustion waste contains toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, chromium, lead and mercury, it is not regulated as a hazardous waste by either the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).    » read more »

March 11, 2009 -- AUSTIN, Texas -- Thursday and Friday are big days for many Galvestonians displaced from their homes as a result of Hurricane Ike. On Thursday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the state of Texas will open a temporary community site for mobile homes in the city of Galveston. Another community site will open Friday in Galveston County on the Bolivar Peninsula.

The new 9-acre community site opening Thursday at Schreiber Field in the city of Galveston holds 54 mobile homes for Texas individuals and families, and one administration building that will be used by on-site management and security. The second park, in High Island on the Bolivar Peninsula, is 9 ½ acres and designed for 50 Texas households.    » read more »

Public Citizen Argues That Delays and Denials Violate Freedom of Information Act

March 11, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Federal officials are illegally withholding documents that would allow the public to determine the full impact of the 700 miles of fence being built along the Texas-Mexico border, Public Citizen argued in a suit filed in U.S. district court today on behalf of a member of the University of Texas (UT) Working Group on Human Rights and the Border Wall.    » read more »

March 6, 2009 -- DENTON, TEXAS -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help fight the Tuscola Fire following a request for a fire management assistance declaration from the State of Texas on Thursday.

At the time of the request, the fire was threatening approximately 350 homes in and around the communities of Tuscola and Potosi, in Taylor County. The fire threatened buildings, infrastructure, and utilities in the area. Voluntary evacuations were issued for twenty people, two homes burned, and US highways 83 and 84 were closed due to the fire. The fire started on Thursday and had burned in excess of 150 acres of private land.    » read more »

March 01, 2009 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry has activated state resources to combat wildfires in Central Texas. These resources include four Texas Military Forces Blackhawk helicopters equipped to drop water and fire retardant, Texas Forest Service fire fighters and contract aircraft and heavy equipment. A cold front sweeping through the state late Friday and Saturday increased the wildfire threat with high winds and low humidity.    » read more »

February 25, 2009 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry today emphasized the need to fund the State Water Plan, which would ensure a cost-effective and reliable supply of water for Texas’ growing population well into the future. Speaking at the Texas Water Conservation Association (TWCA) Conference, the governor proposed that funding be provided to a new infrastructure account to speed the construction of water reservoir sites.

“The issues that surround our need for water demand frank conversations, visionary planning and tough choices,” Gov. Perry said. “I am convinced that the time to adequately preserve and allocate our water supply is now, so that our children and grandchildren will have access to this life-giving resource for the next 50 years.”    » read more »

9/1/2008 - BATON ROUGE, La. (AFPN) -- As Hurricane Gustav made landfall on the Gulf Coast, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security praised the men and women of the Air Force and the National Guard for their efforts during preparations for the storm.

Secretary Michael Chertoff said the services were especially useful to help evacuate people with medical needs, such as critical care patients, who would be unable to otherwise leave the area.

"It was really the Air National Guard and the Air Force who came to the rescue setting up an air bridge so we could fly people out on C-130s and C-17s," he said. "It was a real positive addition to the capabilities we have on the ground."    » read more »

9/1/2008 -- JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Following Hurricane Gustav, all evacuated Navy personnel within the affected area, uniformed and Department of the Navy civilians, are urged to muster with their commands or within the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) support site at https://www.navyfamily.navy.mil.

Displaced personnel who have been ordered to evacuate by military authority can call the Navy Pay and Personnel Support Center at Norfolk, Va., at 1-866-239-0303 for evacuation travel related questions.

Individuals affected by the hurricane with specific needs request support through NFAAS. All commands are directed to muster and account for all personnel, including applicable family members.    » read more »