April 4, 2010 by Citizen Carol
PUBLIC CITIZEN’s TEXAS OFFICE is a
Celebrating Earthday in April, look for this tearpad at HEBs and give to Public Citizen’s Texas office through Earthshare
Public Citizen’s Texas office is pleased to announce that H-E-B has selected EarthShare of Texas to be the beneficiary of its in-store coupon promotion for April, in recognition of Earth Day. This means that customers can tear off and add check-out coupons worth $1, $3, or $5 to their total bill.
In November, H-E-B’s San Antonio region stores will feature EarthShare of Texas — giving H-E-B’s San Antonio customers the opportunity to support environmental work in the San Antonio area.
Look for the EarthShare of Texas display and tear-off coupons at the check-out stands in your local H-E-B and Central Market stores beginning in late March through April. Help support Public Citizen, EarthShare of Texas and the Texas environment!
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged earth day, earthshare, environmental organizations, heb, public citizen texas, San Antonio, Texas |
The staff at Public Citizen Texas would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter and a pleasant weekend with family and friends.
Thanks for taking time during the holiday to read about our energy advocacy progress.
The week in review… Continue Reading »
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Activism, Andrew Sauls, carol geiger, david power, get to know an activist, health reform bill, las brisas energy center, Melissa Sanchez, mona avalos, patrick reck, Public Citizen, reengerize texas, ryan rittenhouse, sarah mcdonald, Tar Sands, Texas, trevor lovell, week in review, white stallion |
Editor’s note: Normally we don’t stray into the political implications of public policy, but after Patrick wrote this response to President Obama’s new drilling policy we felt it was too interesting to keep to ourselves. So here’s a try at something new: Commentary and Opinion from Patrick Reck.
Wednesday’s announcement by President Obama to expand offshore oil drilling and gas exploration is devastating, especially for a Yankee like myself. I grew up cherishing my yearly family vacations to Ocean City, Maryland and Virginia Beach. Pristine memories of balcony breakfasts at sunrise, pirate mini-golf, and running with kites flying so high that you wonder if the sky is as endless as the sea.
Now, I get waves of nausea thinking that in 10 or 15 years, children will walk down those same beaches and gaze out, not at the brilliance of the colors in the sky and the mystery of where the horizon meets the sun, but at a row of tiny metal cranes, stooping down low to suck black blood out of the Atlantic.
Hopefully the ocean will still evoke profound wonder in developing minds, but will it be the fascination of Copernicus or the madness of Ahab?
“The white whale tasks me; he heaps me. Yet he is but a mask. ‘Tis the thing behind the mask I chiefly hate; the malignant thing that has plagued mankind since time began; the thing that maws and mutilates our race, not killing us outright but letting us live on, with half a heart and half a lung.” Continue Reading »
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged fossil fools, fossil fuel fools, obama, obama's black whale, offshore drilling, Texas |
April 2, 2010 by Citizen Carol
A report by the National Wildlife Federation warns climate change would spur fire ant invasion as well as allow tiger mosquitoes and other harmful or invasive species to spread farther across the U.S. There is even the potential for us to see ticks that spread Lyme disease expanding their range, cheatgrass fueling more wildfires and poison ivy causing more rashes in the not too distant future.
Check out the video “They Came From Climate Change”:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odof7-s65XQ&feature=player_embedded]
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged climate change, Texas |
This month, the Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission will hear feedback on a proposed rule allowing the importation of so-called low-level radioactive waste into Texas from across the nation. Under the proposed rules Waste Control Specialists (WCS) would be allowed to import additional radioactive waste from other areas of the country and potentially the world into Andrews County, Texas.
Click here to take action! Tell the Compact Commission you do not want Texas to become the nation’s radioactive waste dumping ground!
An environmental analysis performed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) found potential problems with the site, including possible pathways to underground aquifers. Three TCEQ staff members have resigned or taken early retirement as a result of the decision to grant the license. While TCEQ did approve the license, the Sierra Club has appealed that decision to the State District Court.
Take Action Now!
Even though the license granted by the TCEQ has been appealed, and the site has yet to be constructed, the eight-member Compact Commission is rushing ahead with this proposed rule at the behest of WCS and nuclear power plants, who are both desperate to find a place to send their waste. The Compact Commission does not even have a staff to review proposed importation agreements. A coalition of groups is opposing the rush to approve this rule. The groups are urging the Commission to deny the ability to import any waste other than Texas-Vermont compact waste or to put much stricter rules in place on how waste might be imported on a case-by-case basis. The present license only has enough capacity for waste from Texas and the other compact state Vermont.
Join us now to send a message to the Compact Commission!
In addition to e-mailed comments, the public may also make comments at two public hearings in Austin, TX on April 5 and Andrews, TX on April 6.
Austin Hearing – April 5, 2010, 1:00 PM at the Texas State Capitol Extension Auditorium, E1.004
Andrews Hearing – April 6, 2010, 6:00 PM at Andrews High School Little Theater, 1401 NW Avenue K.
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Nuclear | Tagged andrews county, Austin, compact commission, Nuclear, public citizen texas, state district court, TCEQ, Texas, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, texas low level radioactive waste dump, waste control specialists |
Posted in Energy | Tagged earthworks, fort worth, gasland, gwen lachelt, josh fox, lon burnam, modern art museum, movie, sundance, Texas, texas ogap, Texas Oil and Gas Accountability Project (OGAP) |
Ain’t timing a funny thing? The very morning our most excellent op-ed on the Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program gets published in the San Antonio Express-News, the Comptroller’s Office decides to change the reservation date from April 5th to the 7th. Silly stuff. Check out our amended op-ed below, and visit the Express-News to help us clarify the date change in the comments section!
Appliance rebate program good for Texans
If someone handed you a $300 check to trade in your old fridge for a new one, would you do it? Would knowing you could shave $150 a year from your electric bill sweeten the deal? By taking advantage of the Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program from April 16-25, you can do just that.
We often have critical things to say about the state government, especially when it comes to how it approaches energy and climate change issues. Consider, for instance, our ongoing campaigns to block new coal plants and stop new nuclear reactors.
But in this case, we must praise Texas, because it has come up with a way to boost energy efficiency and ease the burden on Texans’ pocketbooks.
Under the rebate program, Texans not only will save money but will continue to save on their electric and water bills throughout the life of the more efficient appliances. Rebate reservations can be made through www.TexasPowerfulSmart.org or by calling 1-877-780-3039 toll free starting April 7. However, funds are limited to only $23 million, and based on past appliance rebates, this money will go fast. Reserve your rebate early or you will miss this opportunity.
Most people think of energy conservation as having to give something up, but with highly efficient appliances you get the same product and end result — with less energy and money spent. Continue Reading »
Posted in Efficiency, Energy | Tagged appliance rebate, comptroller's office, consortium for energy efficiency (CEE), david power, Energy Efficiency, Energy Star, Public Citizen, rebate reservation, san antonio express news, seco, state energy conservation office, Texas, texas powerful smart, texas trade up appliance rebate program |
This morning the Comptroller’s office announced that they will push back the rebate reservation day for the Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program from April 5 to the 7th. The idea is to give families more time to maneuver around the holiday weekend. Check out their announcement:
Appliance Rebate Program Reservation Launch Date Changed to April 7
Because we want to ensure all Texas residents have an opportunity to participate in the Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program, the date to reserve rebates for select appliances has been changed from April 5 to Wednesday, April 7, beginning at 7 a.m. CT.
The Comptroller’s office made this move in response to inquiries from families who plan to celebrate and travel during the religious holidays.
Beginning April 7, 2010 at 7 a.m. CT, consumers can visit the online reservation system at www.TexasPowerfulSmart.org or call toll-free to 1-877-780-3039 to reserve rebates. The purchase period start date for all appliances remains April 16, 2010.
For more information, including a complete set of rules and qualifying appliances, or to sign up for Texas Appliance Rebate e-mails and mobile alerts, visit www.texaspowerfulsmart.org/rebate/. You can also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/powerfulsmart.
As always, subscribers to our Appliance Rebate e-mail list will receive updated information as it becomes available.
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Efficiency, Energy | Tagged comptroller's office, Energy Efficiency, Texas, texas powerful smart, texas trade up appliance rebate |
Another beautiful spring day and another bright and blooming Public Citizen Texas staffer to fill your screen. Melissa Sanchez is our administrative assistant and the first face you’ll see when you walk into our Austin office. Melissa is a self-proclaimed woman of many hats. She must wear these hats at home because I’ve never seen her wear one while in the office. Although, when she’s trying to beat the masses, she’s got a pair of cheap sunglasses.
Off Broadway and live in Austin, here is her small screen debut:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKtidHmSZkU]
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged Activism, energy advocacy, Melissa Sanchez, Public Citizen, Texas |
The first British investigation into the supposed “climategate” emails has largely vindicated the scientists involved, including Phil Jones – head scientist of the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. This further proves, as I’ve said all along, that this “Climategate” is just more inane propaganda being forced down the throats of a bewildered and misinformed public. I don’t as much blame the individuals who go on these denier rants as I do the supposed “news” outlets and politicians that encourage and foster such behavior, reaction and mentality.
Anthropogenic Global Warming is real and happening right now. It is likely the largest crisis and challenge our civilization has ever faced. We need to get serious about solving this problem and we need to have started thirty years ago. But I’m sure all this will accomplish is a flurry of propaganda from Fox News, etc. about how the House of Commons is really the mastermind behind some great globe-wide conspiracy to dupe everyone into believing global warming… yadda, yadda, yadda.
Check out the AP article on CBS for more information. Here are some of the the “conclusions and recommendations” from the House of Commons report:
We therefore conclude that there is independent verification, through the use of other methodologies and other sources of data, of the results and conclusions of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia.
Even if the data that CRU used were not publicly available—which they mostly are—or the methods not published—which they have been—its published results would still be credible: the results from CRU agree with those drawn from other international data sets; in other words, the analyses have been repeated and the conclusions have been verified.
Critics of CRU have suggested that Professor Jones’s use of the word “trick” is evidence that he was part of a conspiracy to hide evidence that did not fit his view that recent global warming is predominately caused by human activity. The balance of evidence patently fails to support this view. It appears to be a colloquialism for a “neat” method of handling data.
Critics of CRU have suggested that Professor Jones’s use of the words “hide the decline” is evidence that he was part of a conspiracy to hide evidence that did not fit his view that recent global warming is predominantly caused by human activity. That he has published papers—including a paper in Nature—dealing with this aspect of the science clearly refutes this allegation. In our view, it was shorthand for the practice of discarding data known to be erroneous. We expect that this is a matter the Scientific Appraisal Panel will address.
The evidence that we have seen does not suggest that Professor Jones was trying to subvert the peer review process. Academics should not be criticised for making informal comments on academic papers. The Independent Climate Change Email Review should look in detail at all of these claims.
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged Global Warming, house of commons, phil jones, Texas |
March 31, 2010 by Citizen Carol
April 7th-9a.m
Licensing Board to Hear Oral Arguments on STP Application
Room 100 of the Main Hall in the Bay City Civic Center, 201 7th St., Bay City, TX.
April 15th– 9a.m.
Licensing Board to Hear Oral Arguments on Comanche Peak Application
Jury Selection Room of the Hood County Justice Center, 1200 W Pearl St., Granbury, TX.
April 15th -7 to 9:30 p.m
NRC Public Meeting regarding Exelon’s Early Site Permit Application.
Mini Dome of the Victoria Community Center, 2905 E North St., Victoria, TX. There will be an open house an hour prior to the meeting so members of the public have the opportunity to talk informally with agency staff. Continue Reading »
Posted in Nuclear | Tagged Nuclear, public citizen texas, Texas |
March 31, 2010 by Citizen Carol
An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) panel will hear oral arguments on Comanche Peak Combined License (COL) proceedings beginning at 9 a.m. CDT on Thursday, April 15, in the Jury Selection Room of the Hood County Justice Center, 1200 W Pearl St. in Granbury. The session may extend into the evening if necessary. The ASLB is the independent body within the NRC that presides over hearings where the public can challenge proposed licensing and enforcement actions. Continue Reading »
Posted in Nuclear | Tagged Nuclear, public citizen texas, Texas |
This week the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality received a recommendation from two administrative judges denying the air permit for the proposed Las Brisas Energy Center in Corpus Christi. The decision is a ray of hope in the battle to prevent the petcoke plant from showering the citizens of Corpus Christi with harmful pollutants including nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, mercury, and lead.
Set to be built in the Inner Harbor of Corpus Christi, the petroleum coke-fired power plant would cost nearly $3 billion.
Petcoke piles along the ship channel in Corpus Christi
The recommendation was issued following two weeks of testimony and nearly two months of private deliberation between the judges. Reasons for their decision against the permit were that the company:
- failed to perform analysis on maximum achievable control technology to be used for its boilers
- failed to properly account for second emissions
- failed to properly account for emissions from material handling
- improperly adjusted the moisture content of the petroleum coke handled at the Port of Corpus Christi in violation of state and federal guidance, resulting in unreliable emissions modeling Continue Reading »
Posted in Coal, Global Warming | Tagged CEC, clean economy coalition, Coal, corpus christi, decision, edf, energy center, james marston, judge, las brisas, Petcoke, plant, Public Citizen, ryan rittenhouse, soah, state office of administrative hearings, TCEQ, Texas |
By taking advantage of the Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program from April 16-25, Texas residents can receive rebates for replacing old appliances with new, more efficient models.
Rebates range from $45 up to $1,000 and may be even more if you qualify for additional rebates through your electric utility.
Visit www.TexasPowerfulSmart.org to learn more about the program and start planning what appliances you would like to replace.
Based on past experience, the money available for this program will go fast. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance to get your rebate, be ready to make a reservation on April 5.
You may receive up to two rebates per household for a wide variety of qualified appliances including air conditioners, clothes washers, dishwashers, hot water heaters, and more.
By replacing major appliances with more efficient models, you can save money, conserve water and energy, and help defray the need for polluting power plants.
Learn how to participate in the Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program today!
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Efficiency, Energy | Tagged Efficiency, Energy Star, rebates, seco, state energy conservation office, stimulus, Texas, texas powerful smart, texas trade up appliance rebate program |
March 30, 2010 by Citizen Carol
In Michael Webber’s Op Ed in the Sunday, March 21st Austin-American Statesman, he beautifully explained why solar is now ready to become the next big energy source, but was shy on steps that the Texas legislature or our local public utilities could take to reduce energy costs while creating a local solar manufacturing boom.
We can do the same thing for solar that we did for wind. Set a modest statewide goal, say – 5,000 MW by 2025, and require every utility to buy some solar so they can get used to it.
When the sun is the hottest is when solar makes the most energy, during the summer in Texas that is also when our peak demand for electricity occurs. Meeting peak demand is often 3-4 times more expensive than the average cost of power. If small solar energy owners were paid market price for the energy they produce on peak you’d see solar everywhere.
Solar incentive programs work. Austin and TXU have had programs like this that pay about 30% of the cost and have been sold out. This program has kick started local industries and attracts installers and manufacturers.
Solar can cut costs and pollution (the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere per unit of energy produced is 500 times less than coal), but the industry needs a little push. If the state of Texas and local utilities adopt all three of these goals, we’ll be on the way to a solar boom.
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in solar | Tagged Austin, Austin American-Statesman, greenhouse gasses, incentives, michael webber, peak demand, renewable energy, solar, Texas, TXU, wind |
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