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Posts Tagged ‘Public Citizen’

Great Texas Clean-Up Festival y’all!

Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Renewables, solar, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 20, 2010 |

The Great Texas Clean-Up Festival is coming to Houston!

The Sierra Club and Texas Environmental Justice are rolling out the Great Texas Clean-Up Festival, from 4-10 at the Discovery Green in Houston, an event expected to kick off a larger campaign to clean up Texas. Public Citizen is a coalition partner and will be there! Check out our booth!

Headlining the event is Dallas native Ray Johnston with the Ray Johnston Band, a groovy, rock soul act with plenty of attitude. Rounding out the event are Los Pistoleros de Texas, bluesman Mrs. Glass, and country western singer songwriter Robert Ellis.

Expect keynote speaker State Senator Rodney Ellis of Houston to give a rip-roaring speech, flanked by the impassioned Ana Hernandez, three term representative from district 143 of Houston.

About a dozen Houston-based artists are expected to showcase, including Lizbeth Ortiz, who created this piece, “Nurturing Hands”.

There will be a Kids’ Corner [possibly spelled Kidz Korner, at presstime we weren’t sure] and plenty of political activism.

Check them out at www.cleanuptexasnow.org

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Join your friends from Public Citizen Texas at Netroots Nation July 22-25! #NN10

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on July 16, 2010 |

(L to R) - Andy, Ryan, Melissa, and "Lady Bird" Liberty telling us how money we are (and we don't even know it! Vegas, baby!)

Yes, friends, it is that time again: Netroots Nation!  Your favorite convergence of bloggers most likely to be called Lenin’s Pioneers by Fox News.  And this time it’s in lovely Las Vegas, Andy’s personal least favorite city in the US (don’t drink, don’t smoke- what do you do?).  Hey, I have an idea– let’s have a convention in the middle of the summer and put it someplace HOTTER than Texas!  Top 3 choices: 3. Phoenix,  2. Vegas, 1. Hell (I’m just a little sour grapes because, nerd that I am, I’d rather be at the other major convention happening that week just a couple hundred miles down I-15 in San Diego.)

Ah well, it will be a party for everyone else, and I’m sure I’ll have some fun– I’ll take some comic books and it’ll be exactly the same for me.  After all, I couldn’t ask for two better traveling companions: Ryan Rittenhouse, our illustrious anti-coal organizer, and Melissa Sanchez, master of… basically everything in our office.

But because we believe in breaking down the information silos, we hope you’ll join us in person if you’re there, or in spirit if you’re not.  Highlights:

Public Citizen will have a booth.  Come join us and grab some swag.

Texas Caucus and Environmental Caucus:unfortunately both are taking place at the same time, Thu at 3pm.  Andy will be at the Enviro Caucus, Ryan and Melissa will be at the Texas Caucus.

Karaoke, Trivia Quiz, and Bowling Parties- oh my! Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t love all of the activities that generally accompany it.  Watch for us to be involved in these events.  Want to join a trivia quiz or bowling team with us? Want to sing a duet with Ryan (and really, who doesn’t?)  Come find us!

Follow us online: (more…)

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Climate Activist Ted Glick Sentenced

Posted in Coal, Energy, Global Warming, green jobs, Renewables, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 6, 2010 |

Ted Glick,  policy director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network was just sentenced for his demonstration on September 8.

I am on one year’s probation, I need to pay an $1100 fine, I need to do 40 hours of community service in D.C. and if I’m arrested over the next year I automatically go to jail for 30 days on each of the two misdemeanor counts I was convicted of.

What was Ted’s heinous crime? He hung two banners saying “Green Jobs Now” and “Get to Work” in the Hart Senate Office Building. (more…)

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TCEQ Continues to Fail the People of Texas

Posted in Coal, Energy, Global Warming, TCEQ, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 30, 2010 |

The TCEQ ruled today on the air permit for the proposed Las Brisas pet-coke plant in Corpus Christi. The good news is they didn’t grant the permit (yet), instead they remanded the permit back to the State Office of Administrative Hearings on a number of issues. However, they refused to acknowledge some of the most important aspects and requirements of the process (like a case-by-case analysis of the hazardous air pollutants) and practically ignored the recommendations of the administrative law judges and even their own staff – who have all recommended that this permit be denied.

TCEQ should have sent Las Brisas packing – they should have outright denied this joke of a permit, or at the least made them restart the permitting process from square one. Instead we have the same old story from TCEQ. They have shown once more that their primary interest is to allow industries to pollute irresponsibly and not, as it should be, to protect the people and environment of Texas from unnecessary pollution.

The video below is of the press conference held yesterday, which also talked about revisions to water quality standards – another mistake TCEQ is in the process of making. Visit Sierra Club’s website for more on that. Stay tuned to Texas Vox for more info on the Las Brisas case – the video footage of today’s proceedings will be up by tomorrow and will include responses from the protestants in the case including locals from Corpus Christi.

[vimeo 12988286]

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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

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White Stallion Town Hall Meeting

Posted in Coal, Energy, Global Warming, TCEQ, Toxics, tagged , , , , , on June 11, 2010 |

This footage is of the town hall event that was held in Bay City in April. Though invited, White Stallion representatives refused to show up to answer questions from the public. Some Bay City officials, including Mr. Owen Bludau of the Matagorda Economic Development Corporation and Judge Nate McDonald did attend to voice their positions and to answer questions that pertained to them. This footage is for public/educational use and may be duplicated and distributed freely by all.

[vimeo 11720643] (more…)

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False Claims by the TCEQ Meet Growing Support for the EPA

Posted in Sunset, TCEQ, tagged , , , , , , on June 7, 2010 |

The battle between the TCEQ and the EPA is still making headlines, and, at least according to the headlines at the Houston Chronicle, the environmentalists have gained the upper hand!

TCEQ and EPA have been battling in the headlines, as shown by this Google News search

TCEQ and EPA have been in the headlines, as shown by this Google News search

With the looming possibility that Al Armendariz, regional EPA administrator, will take over all of Texas air quality permitting, as they have already done in the case of 39 Texas polluters, the strong opposition that Bill White is presenting to Rick Perry in the race for Texas Governor, and (don’t forget!) the sunset review of the TCEQ coming up in December, the TCEQ is in trouble.

“This has been brewing for about 15 years, ” our own Tom “Smitty” Smith told the Houston Chronicle.  “But what’s happening now is you’ve finally have [sic – Houston Chronicle’s error, not Smitty’s, btw] an EPA administrator who’s got enough guts to stand up to the polluters.”

According to that same article, the fight, which started in response to the TCEQ’s issuing of flexible air quality permits in violation of the Clean Air Act, could potentially escalate from permitting to all environmental regulations.  But with growing magnitude and environmental support comes growing backlash.  Former TCEQ commissioner and now environmental advocate, Larry Soward, worries that the legislature will join forces with the governor to fight off the EPA.

Governor Perry and those siding with him are standing strong behind the argument that the EPA is wrongfully expanding federal control over an issue that they originally delegated to the state and that this action will hurt the Texas economy.  TCEQ chairman Bryan Shaw claims that the fight has already begun to affect Texas economically, and Attorney General Abbott and state agriculture commissioner Todd Staples agree.

Politifact decided to factcheck Staples, and his statement that:

“The EPA’s regulation would directly impact thousands of Texas businesses and cost real jobs. Companies that will be endangered in Texas include 575 dairy facilities, 58 swine operations, 1,300 corn farms. No industry is more threatened than the cattle industry. If this rule is implemented, an estimated 28,000 beef cattle operations in Texas will fall under EPA regulation.”

According to Politifact, this is absolutely FALSE.  The EPA ruled last week that farms will not be subject to these regulations, as (more…)

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EPA Approves Tougher Pollution Emission Limits

Posted in Global Warming, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on June 4, 2010 |

Federal environmental regulators set new limits on sulfur dioxide emissions for the first time in 40 years.  A move that could prevent thousands of asthma attacks and premature deaths while reducing health care costs..

The new rules, which take effect under court order, will prohibit short-term spikes of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is primarily emitted from coal-fired power plants and other industrial facilities.  Texas has 17 coal plants, with another dozen under construction or in the permitting phase across the state.

The EPA estimates nationally the cost of retrofitting power plants to comply with the new rules will be $1.5 billion over the next 10 years.  The savings in health benefits could be as much as $13 billion to $33 billion a year.

The previous standard called for concentrations of no more than 140 parts per billion, averaged over 24 hours. Under the new rules, the allowable level of SO2 would drop to 75 parts per billion in one hour to guard against short-term spikes, and is seen by the EPA as the most efficient and effective way to protect against SO2 pollution in the air we breathe.

Although the final standard is a bit less strict than the American Lung Association had urged, it is well within the range recommended by EPA’s independent science advisers.

At this writing it is anticipated that Jefferson County is the only area in Texas that would fail the tougher standard, but EPA is requiring additional monitors in some areas of the state that are borderline.

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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.

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Get Involved in the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission’s Review of the TCEQ

Posted in Coal, Energy, Global Warming, Good Government, Sunset, TCEQ, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 2, 2010 |

The TCEQ granted a permit to re-open the ASARCO foundry over protests of staff, residents of El Paso, and local leaders. Luckily, the EPA intervened and stopped it.

You’ve probably heard by now.  The TCEQ has failed to adhere to the federal Clean Air Act, jeopardizing our health, our safety, and the quality of our air. This is why, on Tuesday, May 25, the EPA took over the TCEQ’s authority to grant clean air permits for 40 facilities across the state of Texas, most notably the Flint Hills Resources’ crude oil refinery near Corpus Christi.

The TCEQ has failed to fulfill its promises to the federal government and the citizens of Texas, whom it is supposed to protect.

The Sunset Advisory Commission is a 12-member body appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and the speaker of the house to identify and eliminate waste, duplication, and inefficiency in government agencies. Every 12 years, over 150 government agencies are reviewed for potential changes and improvements in their responsibilities and operations. And since the review of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the TCEQ, is quickly approaching, we’re getting organized!  Will you join us for a call next Thursday, June 10th at 6pm CT?

From the Alliance for Clean Texas:

The Alliance for a Clean Texas (ACT) will launch its 2010-2011 TCEQ sunset campaign with a conference call next Thursday, June 10th at 6:30 p.m. All Texans committed to protecting our state’s environment and health are invited to participate in the call.

ACT is a coalition of organizations and individuals around the state working together to make this a milestone year for environmental protection in Texas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is currently under review by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. Now is the time to turn our concerns about how TCEQ does and does not do its job of protecting our environment and our health into real, lasting reform.

In the last week, TCEQ has been at the center of two major stories about the Texas environment. The EPA has finally taken action to bring TCEQ air permitting back into compliance with the federal Clean Air Act–a move opposed by the TCEQ commissioners. And Fort Worth is reeling with the news that (more…)

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Week in Review

Posted in Coal, Consumers, Efficiency, Energy, Global Warming, Good Government, green jobs, Nuclear, Renewables, solar, tagged , , , , , , on May 21, 2010 |

Busy, busy, busy. Public Citizen staff have been making the rounds this week, traveling all over Texas in order to educate, empower, and organize citizens. From Beaumont to Dallas. From tar sands to the Public Utility Commission, we are working to protect the economic and environmental well-being of all Texans.

The Week in Review: (more…)

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Tar Sands May be Coming to Texas

Posted in Global Warming, tagged , , on May 17, 2010 |

The U.S. Department of State will be hosting public hearings this week, May 17-20th in Beaumont, Liberty, Livingston, and Tyler on the proposed tar sands pipeline. Canadian oil and gas giant TransCanada needs U.S. Department of State approval in order to expand the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast. The public hearings are key opportunities for local residents to make their voices heard and communicate their concerns about the project directly to State Department officials. (more…)

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Week in Review

Posted in Global Warming, tagged , , , on April 23, 2010 |

As we round out an especially celebratory Earth Day Week, work at Public Citizen Texas is as fast-paced as ever. Though, today, our staff is pausing to celebrate a huge victory for all Austinites: yesterday, city council approved the Austin Energy Generation Plan.

Our staff worked their tails off to ensure that not only is the plan green and affordable but also that the process involved the public as much as possible.

We’re excited about the plan for its overarching goals:

1) Increase energy efficiency to 800 megawatts across the decade

2) Increase AE supply of renewable energy to 35% by 2020

3) Increase our solar production to 200 megawatts by 2020

4) Decrease our carbon emissions to 20% below 2005 levels by 2020

We’d particularly like to thank Matt Johnson and the Clean Energy for Austin coalition for all their hard work.

Now, the week in review… (more…)

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Celebrating Earth Day: City Council passes AE Generation Plan

Posted in Global Warming, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 22, 2010 |

YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Today is a great day. Not only is this the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, but Austin City Council just gave every Texan  a reason to celebrate: Mayor Lee Leffingwell and City Council passed the Austin Energy Generation Plan!

After two years of hard work, enormous inclusive cooperation and citizen participation, the council unanimously approved the proposed Austin Energy Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan.

City hall attendants saw rigorous public approval–and some misguided contention–of the plan’s affordability and the process’ public participation during the public discussion. Council broke for citizen communications and an executive session before returning to approve the proposal.

Mayor Leffingwell spoke strongly in favor of the bill for both its environmental and economic responsibility, saying that global climate change will be the defining challenge of our era. Although it is a global problem, he said, Austin has a responsibility to do its part because “the sum of local policy is global policy.”

I caught up with Public Citizen’s David Power, Ryan Rittenhouse and Matt Johnson outside along with Sierra Club’s Cyrus Reed celebrating the fruition of their tireless efforts.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7kd71dD1pw]

Matt would like to thank all the members and supporters of the Clean Energy for Austin coalition for their hard work and dedication.

Congratulations! Go and celebrate Earth Day with jubilation!

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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.

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Comments to EPA on New Ozone Attainment Standard – Dallas, March 16, 2010

Posted in Global Warming, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 19, 2010 |

[vimeo 10526826]

On March 16, 2010 Sierra Club, Public Citizen, Downwinders At Risk, Texas Campaign for the Environment and other concerned environmental organizations and individuals held a public meeting to submit comments to the EPA regarding their newly proposed ozone standard. State representatives and staff from Region 6 of the EPA were there to hear comments. These are the video comments that were recorded by those who did not get an opportunity to speak in front of the panel. These video comments were submitted to the EPA.

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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.

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Week in Review

Posted in Global Warming, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 9, 2010 |

This week’s string of fossil fuel disasters–a Chinese coal carrier striking the Great Barrier Reef and dumping tons of oil into the Pacific Ocean, an oil pipeline spilling into the Louisiana Delta National Wildlife Refuge at the same time an Exxon Mobil barge was dredging off coast for oil exploration, and the tragic coal mine explosion in Montcoal, West Virginia–has left all of us saddened and wondering if the finger-wagging backlash will help spur the changes we work towards every day.

These events affirm the facts that environmental and human destruction are part of the costs of fossil fuel energy. If you cannot accept the resulting ecosystem destruction and loss of life, then you cannot accept fossil fuels as the dominant source of your energy.

I know: its frustrating, and changing our energy portfolio feels like its beyond our control. But, we can all make little changes in our own lives. And we won’t realize until years down the road how much those little energy conservation choices matter.

So, channel that sadness into resolve. Be the change you want to see.

At Public Citizen Texas, we hope that this little blog is a light. A light that shows you the good of the people of Texas. The strength of people working together to change energy policy and consumption habits.

We want to lead by example and empower you to do the same.

The week in review… (more…)

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High Demand for Appliance Rebates Show That More Programs Are Needed

Posted in Efficiency, Energy, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2010 |

Statement of Tom “Smitty” Smith, Director, Public Citizen’s Texas Office

Today Texans proved that there is a very high demand for energy-efficient products and services when they made reservations for $23 million worth of appliance rebates in just eight hours, using up rebates in the first day they became available. This goes to show how eager Texans are to trade in their tired, energy-sucking clunkers for newer, more efficient models. Not only will this trade-in program reduce consumers’ energy bills, it also will reduce smog and global warming pollution.

Given this incredible demand, we urge the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to establish another appliance rebate program like this as part of the expanded energy efficiency program the agency is currently considering. We’re sure that the numerous Texans who were unable to make a reservation are disappointed and would jump at a second chance at additional funds. In order to make the money go further, the size of the rebates probably should be reduced to assure that more people can participate.

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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.

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