AUSTIN, TX (Dec. 13, 2011)—The following statement on the Texas Railroad Commission’s adoption of the rule requiring disclosure of fluids used in hydraulic fracturing may be attributed to David Weinberg, Executive Director of the Texas League of Conservation Voters:

“The Texas League of Conservation Voters appreciates the Railroad Commission’s leadership and swift action in adopting a public disclosure rule on hydraulic fracturing fluids that embodies elements of greater transparency and accountability.

“It’s in every Texan’s best interest for our state to move closer to a more complete understanding of the impact and public health implications of hydraulic fracturing fluids used in natural gas production.   We’re especially pleased to see the inclusion of non-MSDS chemicals on Frac Focus.

“In a state where oil and gas are king and the energy industry is quite powerful, it might come as a surprise that hydraulic fracturing disclosure would garner the sort of broad-based, bipartisan support it has amassed and to see the swift action by our state’s oil and gas regulators today; instead, I think it is a testament to the far-reaching implications of this rule and the general public’s heightened concerns over safer drilling practices.”

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Media contact: David Weinberg, (512) 477-4424

The Texas League of Conservation Voters is proud to join Air Alliance Houston on Nov. 16 as we honor one of Houston’s stalwart conservation and environmental leaders in the Texas Legislature.  Get your ticket today!

TLCV & Air Alliance Houston Honor Rep. Jessica Farrar + Houston, Texas + Nov. 16

Houston and surrounding areas are a key battleground in the fight for clean air in our state. TLCV and Air Alliance Houston (AAH) are committed to advancing that fight for improved air quality. Our allies at Air Alliance Houston are working to protect public health and environmental integrity through research, education and advocacy.

We invite you to help both organizations advocate for Texas’ environment and pay tribute to a true conservation leader by joining us in for an upcoming joint fundraising reception from 5:30 – 7:30 PM, Wednesday, November 16 at the home of Elena and Kenneth Marks (6510 Auden St., Houston, 77005).

We’re honoring Rep. Jessica Farrar, who has served Houston’s District 148 for nine terms and is the longest serving Hispanic member from Harris County in the Texas House of Representatives. Her leadership roles include the Vice-Chairmanship of the House Committee on Environmental Regulation in 2011, and, as her outstanding voting record reflects, she has demonstrated a true commitment to sound environmental policy throughout her legislative career.

Click here to purchase tickets or join the list of sponsors for our reception with AAH, honoring Rep. Farrar.

TLCV & Air Alliance Houston Wish To Thank Our Sponsors:

Greg Broyles  ♦ Peter H. Brown ♦ Grayson Cecil ♦ Patsy Cravens ♦Mike Garver

Leonard Golub ♦ Tom Kelly ♦ Wendy Kelsey ♦ Seth Kretzer

Bob Levy, PhD ♦ Elizabeth and Jason Love ♦ Elena and Kenneth Marks

 Evelyn Merz and John Berlinghoff ♦ The Hon. Richard Morrison

Ronald Parry ♦ Lucy Randel ♦ Sally and Bill Russ

Frances and Pete Schenkkan ♦ Cynthia Scott and Robert Thalmann

Michael Smith ♦Terri and Ray Thomas ♦ Mary Van Kerrebrook

Andrea White ♦ Mary and Tom Whitworth

The Texas League of Conservation Voters works to support conservation and the green jobs industry through our lobbying, advocacy, common agenda, and electoral work.  We rely on the generous support of Texans like you who share our commitment to clean air, clean water, parks and the conservation of our land and natural resources.  And, we hope you’ll join us and support our event on Nov. 16 in Houston so that we can make our green vision a reality in the Lone Star State.

If you live in Travis County, do the Texas Two Stepand boot scoot on over to vote early and in support of two key county conservation propositions.  Then, take the time to cast a yes vote on Proposition 8 on the Texas Constitutional Amendment ballot.

Early voting starts Monday, Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 4, 2011.  Election Day is Nov. 8, 2011.

Texas Two Step – Travis County Propositions 1 and 2 (TLCV recommends yes votes on both propositions.)

Travis County bond propositions 1 and 2 offer environmental and transportation benefits for Travis County residents. A vote yes on these two propositions would reduce traffic, improve mobility and safety while protecting our drinking water, preserving water quality and protecting working farms, ranches and locally grown food sources.

Proposition 1 is for safety improvements on roadways and bridges, flood prevention, safer routes to schools, and sidewalks. ($132,840,000)

Proposition 2 is for land conservation efforts, improved and increased parklands, and protection of our water quality and water supply. ($82,105,000)

These two bond projects are located throughout unincorporated areas of Travis County, and they support existing long-term plans for sustainable growth in the region.  Both Propositions 1 and 2 are endorsed by the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce as well as a diverse and broad based collection of political, conservation and community groups and leaders.

Visit the Travis County Clerk’s website for a full list of early voting locations, mobile voting units and election day precinct polling locations.

Texas’ constitutional amendment elections don’t always grab the headlines, but this year’s election is one that includes “a must vote yes” proposition. 

Proposition 8 – Water Stewardship Amendment (TLCV recommends a YES vote.)

Access to a clean, reliable water supply is critical to every Texas family, business and community. How we ensure Texans are prepared to meet future water needs is a critical public policy concern. The Water Stewardship Amendment (Proposition 8 on the Nov. 8 ballot) will help Texas:

• Secure a reliable supply of water for our children and grandchildren
• Protect water quality in our streams, rivers and aquifers
• Increase our water supply, which will help keep water rates affordable
• Enhance water conservation by encouraging more efficient water usage

Proposition 8 was passed unanimously by the Texas Legislature and had the support of both Republicans and Democrats.  It’s bipartisan and enjoys broad based support from Texans statewide, including farmers, ranchers, landowners, taxpayers’ organizations and conservation groups like TLCV.

Learn more about Proposition 8 and read endorsements from the state’s major daily newspapers online here and watch “Kink in the Hose” by clicking on the video screenshot above.

Vote Early, Vote Yes

Early voting begins today, Monday, Oct. 24 and runs through Friday, Nov. 4, 2011.  Visit the Texas Secretary of State’s Office Votexas website for more details and links to early voting locations across the state, ballot by mail deadlines and a complete look at what’s on the ballot for the Nov. 8, 2011 Constitutional Amendment election.

David Weinberg

Executive Director, Texas League of Conservation Voters

EPA Hearing + Arlington, Texas + Sept. 29, 2011

The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposals to address air pollution standards should do much to provide clarity to industry and stakeholders and reduce air pollution from oil and natural gas operations.

It’s a worthy effort, and one that despite some state leaders’ long-running feud with EPA is welcomed here by many in the public, community leaders, conservationists and environmental organizations like mine.  Balancing market needs and demands with public health and safety concerns is an essential role of government.

The National Petroleum Council’s (NPC) recently released report, Prudent Development (Sept. 2011, www.npc.org), suggests that if natural gas development is done right, our state and our nation’s vast natural gas reserves could be – in the words of the NPC itself – “transformative for the American economy, energy sector and environment.”

The pivotal point in this is that we do it right.  Doing it right means leveraging reasonable regulations and effective available technologies to reduce emissions.  Doing so means a truly win-win-win situation for the environment, consumers and industry.

Texas has  been a leader in improving drilling practices from hydraulically fractured wells, passing the nation’s first mandatory disclosure law for hydraulic fracking fluids this year. Improving air quality controls for gas and oil drilling is a necessary next step in advancing drilling practices.

Compared to coal, natural gas, delivers significant benefits for air quality, emitting far less nitrogen oxides, little sulfur dioxide and no mercury per unit of electricity produced.  The cleaner-burning benefits of natural gas in particular also improve as we cut down on fugitive emissions from natural gas production, namely methane emissions.  For these reasons, TLCV strongly supports proposed EPA regulations on improvements for natural gas compressors, pneumatic devices, and storage tanks.

TLCV feels strongly that the EPA’s proposal significantly improves the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) under the Clean Air Act.  By requiring the use of reduced emission completions, for example, we would be working to reduce the emissions of volatile organic compounds, though further clarity of the specific terminology and applicability of the rule to “workover” wells and liquid unloading would do much to help address the environmental community’s concerns and, no doubt, provide a level of clarity to benefit both public and industry alike.

Regardless of the EPA regulations ultimately adopted, TLCV strongly believes that Texas on the whole must do a better job of policing drilling – which means better funding of the Texas Railroad Commission – and establishing clarity between the Railroad Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.  Improved stakeholder and constituent input and response are also needed.

And, it’s a resource with such an abundant supply here in Texas that if it is safely produced and properly regulated, that it’s production could stand to generate significant severance tax revenue—supplying much needed general revenue during very difficult economic times and providing potentially more revenue for the critical state regulatory needs.

TLCV is confident this can be accomplished in a way that benefits and addresses the environmental and public health concerns, while providing reasonable regulatory measures and considerable savings to the industry.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.

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By David Weinberg, Executive Director, Texas League of Conservation Voters

In the debate over the proposed Keystone Pipeline XL project, there are significant reasons to oppose its approval based solely on significant safety concerns associated with a 1,700-mile heavy-oil pipeline.  The proposed pipeline would traverse sensitive lands, waterways and public spaces across Canada and the U.S, including the Ogallala Aquifer here in Texas all the way up to the Dakotas.

Let’s be clear, opposition and concern over the Keystone Pipeline XL Project is not limited to the environmental and conservation communities I represent, nor should it be viewed in strictly partisan terms.

U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns, a Republican, faults the environmental review and has asked the U.S. government to explore other options.  “We have only one Ogallala Aquifer,” Sen. Johanns said, “and we must take seriously our obligation to protect it.”

The Senator from Nebraska echoes feelings I think you would find from communities and residents all across the plains, those that value and depend on the Ogallala for water.

But, I would also suggest the reason to oppose this $7 billion environmental, public safety, health and energy debacle is even more basic.  Consider the energy source itself.

Tar sand is an absolutely terrible way to generate energy.

Squeezing oil out of tar sand is a wasteful and dirty process.  To get a single barrel of oil from tar sand, you must process between 2 tons to 4 tons of tar sand with 2 to four barrels of water.

The massive pits required to develop tar sand destroys forests and wildlife and leaves a massive blight on the landscape, especially in the boreal forest of Alberta where the tar sands associated with the Keystone XL project originate.   Already, the Alberta Water Research Institute spends $15 million to prevent toxins from running off tar sands’ tailing pools into the nearby public water supplies.

Mining tar sands – and the necessary processing it must undergo to convert to gasoline – releases three time more carbon dioxide than traditional oil production.

Let’s be clear, alongside coal, there are few energy sources that are so dirty, so destructive to our natural environment and pose significant health risks quite like tar sands.

Doesn’t the tar sands price tag with respect to its far-reaching environmental, public safety and public health impacts make it a horrible return on investment for our country? Are there not better options?

Yes, we can meet our domestic energy needs through a cleaner combination of fuel sources.  Abundant and cleaner natural gas is one worthy option, and the long-term viability of solar, wind and geothermal energy make them an important part of our energy mix.

As we look to meet our country’s energy needs, tar sands and the Keystone XL pipeline is simply not the answer.

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The Texas wildfire season is taking on historic proportions, and the recent fires in Central Texas have been particularly devastating.

The Texas League of Conservation Voters recognizes that there are many ways to give to support recovery and relief efforts in the impacted communities, but we feel this one hits especially close to home.  Please consider joining us in support of the Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Employee Relief Fund.  Below is a letter from Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission member Ralph Duggins highlighting the devastating impact the fires have had on Bastrop State Park and our friends at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department:

Or, please consider making a secure online donation at this link.

Thank you,

David Weinberg

Executive Director, Texas League of Conservation Voters

Click here for tickets

The people of Asia face an uncertain future.  Climate change is melting the Himalayan Mountains‘ great glaciers.  40% of the world’s fresh water supply is disappearing.  Catastrophic flooding and unpredictable weather patterns downstream threaten entire villages.  But from Nepal to the Tibetan Plateau…from Bhutan to India and the Bay of Bengal, the Asian people are answering the call, harnessing determination, spirituality, and science to adapt and survive in the face of a Himalayan meltdown…

Tickets begin at $12;  all proceeds will go to TLCVEF.  Make an additional contribution along with your ticket purchase to be entered in a post-film drawing for an REI daypack, courtesy of  Austin-based retailer Whole Earth Provision Company.

Just across South Lamar, the Gibson Bar is offering all night drink specials for our attendees after the screening, and you’ll take home a give away bag that includes a Whole Earth gift certificate and more.

Special thanks to Arrowhead Films,  Patagonia, Whole Earth Provision Company, Capitol Area Asian American Democrats, Environmental Defense Fund, Rockin’ Green LLC, and The Gibson for their help in making this event possible.

February 15, 2011

The Honorable Drew Darby                                                   

Chairman House Appropriations Subcommittee

P.O. Box 2910

Austin, Texas 78768

Dear Chairman Darby:

Texas Teaming With Wildlife is a growing coalition of non-profit organizations working together in support of keeping Texas’ common wildlife common.  Together, these groups are committed to insuring that Texas’ diverse wildlife population continues to thrive and survive. The Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) is a key player in this mission, and many of the proposed cuts in their budget would have a direct, negative effect on their commitment to the wildlife and natural resources of Texas. The current budget proposals would nearly eradicate Texas’ nongame programs, which are some of the fastest growing programs and most used by the public, including hikers, climbers, bird watchers, and boaters.

Teaming With Wildlife understands that the budget deficit requires cuts to be made in every department and believe that TPWD will be well prepared to handle the challenge, if the agency is given the flexibility to make cuts where they see appropriate.  To that end, we respectfully request that the House Appropriations Committee take the following points into consideration as it relates to the Texas Parks and Wildlife budget:

• Allow the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department flexibility in making budget cuts. The experienced directors and staff of TPWD are in the best position to make the necessary budgets in a way that minimizes impact to the citizens of Texas.  They are currently working diligently to assess where the most efficient cuts are.

• Level the proposed funding and FTE reductions across FY 2012 and 2013 in order to help make the recommended reductions more manageable from an operation, business, and budgeting standpoint. Several of the recommendations call for a deferral of programs for 6 months in FY 2012, with FTE and funding cuts front-loaded for that year.  The reinstatement of these programs after 6 months poses significant operational impacts and budgeting challenges to Texas Parks and Wildlife in carrying out the affected services.

• Protect funding for Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Diversity Programs. Multiple endangered species in Texas are being considered for federal listing. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department needs the diversity budget to help the state deal with these listings and keep more species from being added.  Without TPWD, the state will suffer from federal control over land use in areas of the state where these endangered species occur.

• Allow all revenues from the Horn Lizard License Plate to continue to be appropriated 100 percent by TPWD. Citizens buy these license plates in the expectation that they are making a contribution to Parks and Wildlife, and they should not be misled.  Current budget proposals cut this appropriation in half. This revenue, while small, is crucial to the survival of the diversity programs, as well as for the reputation of the State of Texas.

• Allow all revenues from the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Fund to be appropriated 100 percent by TPWD. Since 1983, citizens have contributed to this fund specifically for the conservation of nongame and endangered species.

As mentioned above, Teaming With Wildlife understands the difficult budgeting decisions faced by the Texas Legislature in light of the deficit.  We only ask that you consider what we ask and help save our natural resources and wildlife for future generations to enjoy.  The health of our clean water and natural resources depends on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Sincerely,

David Braun

Chairman, Texas Teaming With Widlife
cc: The Honorable Jim Pitts, Chairman House Appropriations

The Honorable Lance Gooden, Member House Appropriations Subcommittee

The Honorable Eric Johnson,  Member House Appropriations Subcommittee

The Honorable Doug Miller, Member House Appropriations Subcommittee

The Honorable Dabie Riddle, Member House Appropriations Subcommittee

The Honorable Raul Torres, Member House Appropriations Subcommittee

Ten years ago, the agency then-known as the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, survived a significant overhaul and review as part of the Legislature’s renewal of the agency back in 1999.

Many of the same criticisms of the predecessor to today’s Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) resurfaced in the much-anticipated initial report released yesterday by the Texas Sunset Commission. You can read the full report online here.

Sunset Commission staff found that the TCEQ performed “reasonably well,” but it did make a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening the state’s environmental agency, including increasing the caps on penalties for some polluters.

Perhaps the area of TCEQ that needs the most substantial reform is a topic that the Sunset Commission outright refused to address: Texas’ air permitting program. Citing pending lawsuits and looming implementation of Environmental Protection Agency rules, Sunset staff concluded, the controversy surrounding Texas air permitting program were “high-level political and policy issues that do not easily lend themselves to objective staff-level analysis or solution.” In other words, Sunset punted on an issue that has profound impact on our state’s air quality and public health.

On the whole, however, Texas League of Conservation Voters is pleased that the Sunset Commission staff recommends improvements in the agency’s enforcement, transparency, compliance history and public participation. We’ll watch how these recommendations play out in the weeks and months ahead as the agency’s sunset review progresses.

Up next, be sure to mark your calendar for the public hearing Dec. 15-16 where TLCV, other conservation advocates and the general public can make their voices heard.

Details regarding the December public hearing on TCEQ will be posted online soon, and if you follow TLCV and the TLCV Education Fund on Twitter and Facebook, we’ll keep you updated throughout the process.