http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/-presidential-candidates-environmental-report-card The next president will face a number of hard decisions on key http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/-presidential-candidates-environmental-report-card Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:56:57 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/administration-proposes-major-changes-in-endangered-species-act Federal agencies would be able to decide for themselves whether http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/administration-proposes-major-changes-in-endangered-species-act Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:39:23 -0500 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/the-greening-of-michael-mccaul If you had to guess which of Austin's four congressional members last year helped form something called the Green Schools Caucus http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/the-greening-of-michael-mccaul Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:47:17 -0500 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/mccauls-balancing-act-practicing-green-politics By JASON EMBRY http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/mccauls-balancing-act-practicing-green-politics Thu, 29 May 2008 10:05:31 -0500 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/with-their-spurs-dragging-texans-begin-going-green With its oil refineries, gas guzzling trucks, and sheer geographic size, everything is bigger in Texas - CO2 emissions included. http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/with-their-spurs-dragging-texans-begin-going-green Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:52:36 -0500 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/texas-can-do-better As many of us enjoy the good times, it is too easy to disregard those who do not It's http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/texas-can-do-better Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:05:03 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/critical-action-needed-to-end-overfishing AUSTIN -- As October draws to a close, we wind up another National http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/critical-action-needed-to-end-overfishing Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/democrats-get-higher-grades-on-environmental-scorecard-but-scores-fall-below-past-averages By Mike HaileyCapitol Inside Editor Texas House Democrats scored more than 40 points higher on average than their Republican colleagues on a report card that an environmental watchdog group has issued for votes cast in the regular session earlier this year. But a majority of House Democrats did not rate as high on the Environment Texas biennial scorecard for 2007 as they had in previous years while a majority of Republicans had greener voting records this time around. While nine House Democrats who've been in the lower chamber for more than one term received scores that topped their lifetime averages, 39 representatives with D's beside their names had batting averages on environmental issues below their career marks. By contrast, 43 House Republicans scored higher on votes cast on air and water quality measures this year than they had in previous sessions while 29 colleagues who represent the GOP in the lower chamber received lower scores in 2007 than their lifetime averages on environmental issues. Six House Democrats and one Republican matched the average scores they'd received in past sessions with the votes they cast this year on issues affecting the environment. Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger said that House members voted green on average 46 percent of the time while their counterparts in the state Senate sided with the environment 61 percent of the time on average based on the votes that the group examined after the session this year. The environmental advocacy organization based the scores for 2007 on votes cast on bills and amendments dealing with global warming, subsidies for nuclear and coal burning plants, clean air standards for power plants, renewable energy and water conservation. According to a review of the group's analysis, the average score for House Democrats this year was 69.5 percent while Republicans in the lower chamber averaged 26 percent on their scorecards for 2007. Senate Democrats fared best with an average rating of 83 percent while their Republican counterparts received an average score of 49 percent. Seven House Democrats - State Reps. Lon Burnam of Fort Worth, Garnet Coleman of Houston, Norma Chavez of El Paso, Abel Herrero of Corpus Christi, David Leibowitz of San Antonio, Elliott Naishtat of Austin and Dora Olivo of Rosenberg - received scores of 100 percent on the Environment Texas scorecard for 2007. Three House Republicans - Patricia Harless of Houston, Will Hartnett of Dallas and Joe Straus of San Antonio - ended up with goose eggs beside their names. Harless was the only House freshman to receive a grade of zero for votes that the group examined this year. State Senator Marios Gallegos, a Houston Democrat, was the only lawmaker in the Capitol's east wing to receive a perfect score of 100 percent on the Environment Texas report card this year. Gallegos, who had a liver transplant early this year, missed three of the seven votes on which the group's Senate ratings for 2007 are based. Republican State Senators Chris Harris of Arlington and Florence Shapiro of Plano tied for last in the upper chamber with scores of 29 percent on the group's scorecard this year. The lowest performing House Democrats on votes reviewed by the environmental group were State Reps. Robby Cook of Eagle Lake, David Farabee of Wichita Falls, Mark Homer of Paris and Aaron Peña of Edinburg with scores of 33 percent. While Cook tied for the lowest score among House Democrats, the grade he received from Metzger's group for this year's session was a two-point improvement over his lifetime average. Homer, Farabee and Cook all represent districts that are dominated by Republican voters. With a score of 67 percent, State Rep. Kirk England of Grand Prairie cast the greenest votes for a Republican in the lower chamber while three fellow GOP members - State Reps. Frank Corte of San Antonio, Dan Gattis of Georgetown and John Zerwas of Houston - were tied for second with scores of 50 percent on their side of the partisan aisle. The regular session in 2007 was the first that England and Zerwas had ever attended. England represents a district that Democrats think they have a chance to win in next year's elections. Fourteen House Democrats also sided with the environmental group on 50 percent of the votes that it reviewed for the report card this year. The most significant change between a legislator's previous grades and the score received from Environment Texas this year came when Pena graded out 34 points below his lifetime average. Democratic State Rep. Rene Oliveria of Brownsville scored 20 points higher on the group's report card for 2007 than his average score from previous years. In contrast, Republican State Rep. Todd Smith of Euless received a score this year that was 20 points below the average he'd accumulated based on votes that the environmental group had examined after past sessions he'd attended. Oliveira posted a score of 83 percent for this year's session while Smith's grade plummeted to 17 percent in 2007. With grades of 50 percent, Democratic State Rep. Richard Raymond of Laredo posted a score this year that was 18 points lower than his lifetime average while State Rep. Allan Ritter improved by that same amount over scores from years past. Ritter is a Nederland Democrat. Other significant swings were recorded for Democratic Dallas State Reps. Roberto Alonzo and Rafael Anchia, whose scores of 67 percent were 17 points below lifetime averages. State Rep. Sylvester Turner, a Houston Democrat who announced a campaign for House speaker after the regular session ended in May, scored 16 points below his lifetime average with a grade of 40 percent in 2007 while Republican State Rep. Edmund Kuempel of Seguin improved by that same amount to 33 percent this year. http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/democrats-get-higher-grades-on-environmental-scorecard-but-scores-fall-below-past-averages Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/chvez-herrero-are-among-this-sessions-top-environmentalists By Michele Angél AUSTIN, September 13 - One senator and seven representatives voted to protect the environment 100 percent of the time in the 80th Legislature, according to Environment Texas' biennial legislative scorecard. Reps Norma Chávez, D-El Paso, and Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, both received 100 percent on the scorecard that tracks votes on a range of issues affecting the state's air, water, natural areas, and quality of life. Chávez has a lifetime environmental voting record of 86 percent and Herrero has an impressive lifetime record of 100 percent. Herrero offered an amendment last session to crack down on illegal air pollution from oil refineries. "I'm thankful to be recognized as someone who protects the environment, our most valuable resource," said Herrero in response. "I realize the need to protect the most critical resources." Herrero said the need to ensure the protection of the environment for future generations also motivates him to be so environmentally conscious in his work. Next session, Herrero said he would continue to push for incentives that reward individuals and companies that make capital improvements that are good for the environment. “I believe we can have growth in the economy and protect the environment. We can continue to have win-win situations,” Herrero said. Environmental Defense said the representatives with the best environmental track record this session, voted against blocking a study of cost effective ways to reduce global warming pollution. The amendment to S.B. 12 was tabled. The group said they also voted against H.B. 1386, which shifts the cost of decommissioning nuclear power plants to taxpayers, which was signed into law. This session's environmentalists also voted against tabling an amendment to H.B. 3732, which would have required new coal burning power plants to meet tougher emissions standards in order to qualify for the subsidies provided for in the bill. It was tabled. They also voted against the bill that was signed into law, creating new subsidies for the coal burning power plants. The environmental voters supported HB 1090, which creates incentives for biomass energy and removed a barrier that threatened to derail expansion of renewable energy in Texas. They also voted yes to an amendment to SB 3 that would have required certain water managers to meet basic conservation goals before new, environmentally harmful reservoirs could be built. Amendment 27 passed, but was stripped out of the bill in committee. Luke Metzger, who represents Environment Texas, said that the legislator's environmental voting record depends on how close that member is to industry, whether they receive campaign contributions, and how closely they listen to industry. Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, scored a 67 percent and pleased environmentalists with an amendment that passed for increased state park funding. He has a lifetime score of 75 percent. Freshman Rep. Solomon Ortiz, Jr., D-Corpus Christi, scored a solid 83 percent for the environment. He carried a bill to increase solar power and was instrumental in passing the legislation which gives credit to homeowners who have solar panels. Utilities will be required to pay a fair price to those who put their solar power back into the grid. Reps. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg and Mark Homer, D-Paris, shared the lowest score of House Democrats with 33 percent. Peña did vote to support renewable energy and water conservation. His lifetime score is 67 percent. However, Peña also voted to create new subsidies for coal burning power plants, and to table tougher emissions standards for those plants. He voted to subsidies the nuclear power industry and to block a study to reduce global warming emissions, the report states. Other House representatives who voted to protect the environment 100 percent of the time were Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, David Leibowitz, D-San Antonio, Elliott Naishtat, D-Austin, and Dora Olivo, D-Rosenburg. Three Republican representatives got scores of zero percent: Joe Strauss of San Antonio, Will Hartnett of Dallas, and Patricia Harless of Spring. Strauss sat as the chair of the House Energy Efficiency Subcommittee in the Regulated Industries Committee. The average score in the House was 46 percent. “All of the legislators who scored 100 percent are Democrats and Democrats are some of the biggest champions of environmental issues, but some Republicans did do better than Democrats,” Metzger said. Republicans in urban areas tended to be more willing to reduce air pollution and Democrats in urban areas didn't typically score well on water conservation issues. Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston, was the lone state senator to receive a 100 percent score. The average score in the Senate was 61 percent. Sens. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, all Democrats, each voted for the environment 86 percent of the time, while Sens. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen and Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, voted for the environment 71 percent of the time. Hinojosa was absent for one critical vote and Lucio passed on one. The senators voted to subsidize the nuclear power plants, keeping them from a 100 percent score. Metzger said that Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, has done more to block pro-environmental legislation, as chair of House Environmental Regulation, than any other legislator, and he routinely votes against the environment. The 80th legislature environmental scorecard for border and South Texas representatives by percentage of votes to protect the environment reads; Norma Chávez, D-El Paso, 100 Juan Escobar, D-Kingsville, 83 Kino Flores, D-Palmview, 50 Pete Gallego, D-Alpine,67 Juan Garcia, D-Corpus Christi, 67 Veronica Gonzoles, D-McAllen, 83 Ryan Guillien, D-Rio Grande City, 50 Pat Haggerty, R-El Paso, 33 Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, 100 Tracy King,D-Batesville, 50 Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville, 67 Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco, 67 Paul Morenno, D-El Paso, 67 Geannie Morrison, R-Victoria, 17 Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville, 83 Solomon Ortiz, Jr., D-Corpus Christi, 83 Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, 33 Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, 40 Inocente "Chente" Quintanilla, D-Tornillo, 50 Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, 50 Yvonne Gonzolez Toureilles, D-Alice, 67 The Environment Texas' 2007 and 2005 Legislative Scorecards are available for download at: http://www.environmenttexas.org/legislature/legislative-scorecard Write Michele Angél http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/chvez-herrero-are-among-this-sessions-top-environmentalists Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/a-few-pieces-of-environmental-legislation-could-define-session With most measures defeated, environmentalists cling to a few bills. http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/a-few-pieces-of-environmental-legislation-could-define-session Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/environmentalists-push-for-anti-pollution-legislation Texas environmentalists are once again pushing the Legislature to reduce toxic pollution. A new study by Environment Texas claims exposure to toxic pollution from industrial companies affects the health of people living in nearby communities. The report claims health problems such as cancer, birth defects or neurological damage are linked to toxic pollution. http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/environmentalists-push-for-anti-pollution-legislation Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/texas-number-1-in-cancer-causing-toxic-water-and-air-pollution AUSTIN  --  A report by Environment Texas found that Texas is number one in the nation for air and water releases of toxic pollution known to cause cancer. The report found that the largest source of pollution is the BP refinery in Texas City. http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/texas-number-1-in-cancer-causing-toxic-water-and-air-pollution Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/state-of-nature-interview-with-luke-metzger-environment-texas-director Texas Legislature Faces Environmental ChallengesBY NATHAN DIEBENOW ASSOCIATE EDITOR AUSTIN — Luke Metzger has lived in Texas almost as long as George W. Bush has been President of the United States. During that time, the president has undone almost 30 years of federal law that have sought to protect the nation’s natural environment. The last time the environment took this kind of pounding was back when President Ronald Reagan and his Secretary of the Interior, James Watt, were in power. It’s been well documented that Reagan thought that plants caused air pollution and Watt believed that destroying the environment was cool since Jesus would be back to terminate it all eventually. The Bush administration has since taken Reagan’s torch and lit legislative fires such as the Orwellian-titled Clean Air and Clear Water Acts, gutted the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement division and its Superfund clean-up program, and sparked big business’ interests in logging, mining, and drilling millions of acres of wilderness — not to mention inflaming the international community by ignoring the Kyoto Treaty to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Metzger, on the other hand, has been fighting for the health of not only the environment but also the people effected by those changes statewide as director of Environment Texas. Before Texas, Metzger lived in California where he worked with Environment Texas’ sister organization — an environmental consumer group called the California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG). According to Environment Texas’ mission statement: “We all want clean air, clean water and open spaces. But it takes independent research and tough-minded advocacy to win concrete results for our environment, especially when powerful interests stand in the way of environmental progress. That’s the idea behind Environment Texas. We focus exclusively on protecting Texas’ air, water and open spaces. We speak out and take action at the local, state and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives. THE LONE STAR ICONOCLAST’s Nathan Diebenow recently spoke with Metzger about the environmental issues coming up in the next session of the Texas Legislature and the role of Congressional Democrats in framing green issues nationally,. Here is that interview: ......... ICONOCLAST: Why are you an advocate for the environment in Texas? LUKE METZGER: I’ve been in Texas for about six years. I was an Army brat so I grew up in Oklahoma, Germany, Alabama, California, and growing up, I was a Boy Scout and had a particular interest in nature and camping. Since coming to Texas, I also have had the opportunity to explore a lot of the beautiful, natural areas of the state, everything from Padre Island and sea turtles down there to canoeing on the Pedernales River. I’ve been able to have great experiences with that, but like with many other people, I’ve noticed the increased environmental problems in the state, everything from air pollution to global warming. I just had a baby boy four-months-ago and now more than ever, I’m really concerned about what are the things that he’s breathing, what am I exposing him to. The science is just overwhelming and you see almost every day there’s a new study coming out showing that we’re already facing huge problems and that things are only going to get worse, so I really worry about what the planet is going to be like both here in Texas and globally if all those things happen. Then also, I’ve just been attracted by the rich history in Texas of populism and activism, everything from 19th century folks fighting the railroads serving as the birthplace of the populist movement to the more recent agitators like Jim Hightower and others that have been really impressed by that rich history and tradition of activism and organizing. I hope to try and step into those huge shoes, and be able to whip up a political firestorm on some of these issues. ICONOCLAST: Well, why Environment Texas? Can you tell me how you got to work with them? METZGER: Yeah, after graduating college, I worked with the California Public Interest Research Group or CalPIRG, which is an environmental consumer group. I worked as a campus organizer at UC-Santa Cruz for two years organizing students and getting involved in different campaigns from protecting forests to clean water. After that I moved to Texas to work for the Texas Public Interest Research Group. Just this past February we started new home for TexPIRG’s environmental work. So we basically decided to separate the two organizations to have a better focus on the specific mission. Environment Texas focuses in on things like environment, wilderness, clean air issues, and TexPIRG is focusing on our consumer, democracy agenda. ICONOCLAST: Where does Environment Texas get its funding? METZGER: Most of our funding comes from going door-todoor, talking to people about the issues, and raising money at $15 - $25 chunks at a time. We also get some funding from private foundations in the state. ICONOCLAST: A lot of people have said that the 2006 midterm elections were a referendum on the president’s foreign policy with regard to Iraq. But how well will the environment in Texas fare now that there are more Democrats in state and national legislatures? METZGER: Well, the climate has certainly improved at the national level, and we’re very excited about the possibilities in Congress. In Texas, we’ve got a huge delegation that’s going to play a key role on some of the issues coming up. For example, Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi has included in her first “100 hours” agenda policies to repeal some of the tax breaks for oil companies, which have been egregious over the last few years, and the Texas delegation is going to play a key role in that, so we’re going to work to make sure our members veer the right way for clean energy, and really, energy has risen to the top environmental concerns in the state. In a lot of the key races around the country, energy was certainly talked about, from gas prices to dependence on foreign oil, also concerns about global warming. It’s definitely become a hotter issue, and legislators are starting to pay attention. In Texas, the Democrats picked up a few seats, so what folks say is that might moderate how Speaker (Tom) Craddick operates the House of Representatives, which could potentially open some doors to pro-environment legislation. ICONOCLAST: What will be the priorities Environmental Texas will lobby for in the Texas Legislature next session? METZGER: The big ones are definitely power plants, state parks, and energy policy. These From Previous Page are going to be the ones we’re concerned with. To start with, the state parks during the elections was a hot issue. All the gubernatorial candidates took stances on it including Gov. (Rick) Perry who called for full funding of the state parks. Speaker Craddick also did so, and so in that place, we’re in a pretty good position. This summer there was a blue-ribbon panel that recommended an increase of $85 million a year for the state park system to catch up on some of the huge backlog of maintenance issues, re-hire a lot of the park rangers that were laid off last Christmas, and also to invest in new parkland acquisition to help protect the threat of natural areas and improve access to Texans particularly living in urban areas where they are pretty under- served for parks. I’m pretty optimistic on that. We’ve got a lot of support. I think the time has come. The issue has been burning so much that the crisis has finally gotten to the point where the legislators can’t ignore it anymore. The other big issue, of course, is going to be power plants. Last year, of course, Gov. Perry issued an executive order fasttracking the permitting of new power plants in Texas, specifically new coal facilities proposed by TXU and other utilities, so with that move, it has basically created a short timeline in order for the public to weigh in and have an input. For example, they’re having hearings on the same day at exactly the same time effecting power plants next door to each other, so people living close to both of them weren’t able to weigh in and actually have comments at the hearing because Gov. Perry enforced this ridiculous speed that is shutting out the public. If all these plants are built, that’s a serious problem. You know, we’re locked into 50 more years of pollution that would really wipe out some of the advances that we made in air quality in the state as well as dramatically increase our carbon dioxide emissions which of course will hurt global warming. The good news is that there are legislators that don’t agree with Gov. Perry. There are about 40 legislators, including four Republicans, that signed on to a letter to TCEQ (Texas Commission On Environmental Quality) asking them to slow down the process, so the proper air quality studies can be completed before these plants are built. I think there’s legislation to issue a moratorium on the construction of these plants until that’s done. So I think that’s going to be a really tough fight. TXU has spent tons of money in campaign contributions not only to the governor but to members of the Legislature, and they’re going to have a pretty high-powered lobby team in there spreading their lies. It’s going to be an uphill fight for us. ICONOCLAST: So basically we can attend state parks, but we just can’t breath the air. (laughs) METZGER: Right. Unfortunately. Hopefully, the parks are far enough away from the power plants that you can do both. ICONOCLAST: In your estimation, how green-minded are the average Texans? METZGER: They are very green. If you look at polls that have been done, just for example if you look at renewable energy. The oil and gas industry did a poll about a year or two ago and asked people, “How much do you support renewables?” And something like 80 percent of Texans supported increased renewables. Other polls show that when they asked, “What should be the main way that we produce our power in the future? Should it be renewables? Should it be coal? Liquified natural gas?” And again, renewables stomped the other ones which were in single digits. Renewables gets 70 percent. There’s strong support in that, and these are just common sense issues. Everybody wants clean air. They want clean water. Unfortunately, because there are these powerful interests that are standing in the way of progress, we don’t get those kinds of environmental protections, but even legislators who routinely vote against the environment at least claim that they care about the environment and recognize that broad public support for it. ICONOCLAST: What about industries that are in Texas that support clean energy? How do we compare with other states? METZGER: We’re number one in the nation for wind energy, and so we’ve got a lot of businesses here in the state that have been very actively developing new wind farms, everything from Florida Power and Light to General Electric. Renewables is a big business for the state. Then if you look at parks for example, parks is a billion dollar industry. They are providing lots of the tourism dollars, sporting goods sales, and other things, so there are a lot of businesses that rely on our parks as a funder. And if you look at the issues of quality of life, a lot of major corporations when deciding where to set up their headquarters are looking at issues like, “Am I able to attract employees to a city that ranks number one for smog and has no parks?” Regulators will choose other cities that have those kinds of quality of life measures that will attract high-talented employees which they need in order to compete. Boeing, I believe, was looking at Dallas versus Chicago for a new headquarters, and they went with Chicago because of those kinds of considerations. ICONOCLAST: What’s been your experience with religious conservatives and their pro-environment activities? METZGER: Actually, they are pretty active in Texas. For example, the Texas Baptists put out a great position paper on the environment, showing that it’s a moral imperative to protect God’s creation. Groups like the Texas Baptists, Texas Impact, and others — the Houston Dominican Sisters — lots of religious folks around the state have really helped raise the profile of this issue and show that it’s not some lefty, treehugger issue, but a matter of basic moral fairness and concern. That’s been a huge help. A lot of churches are doing things like purchasing renewable energy credits, making their places of worship more energy efficient and other things, so they can do their part to help. Increasingly they are also organizing the congregations to contact legislators in support of different measures. ICONOCLAST: I also want to ask you about Gaia theorist James Lovelock. He said recently that the earth is going through a natural shed of the human population through climate change. He predicts that a hot earth will sustain 500 million people as opposed to the six billion now currently living here. What are your thoughts on Lovelock’s analysis? METZGER: Yeah, the predictions are pretty dire. We know that if we don’t take action within the next decade to dramatically reduce emissions, we’re going to, in the words of James Hampton (sic) from NASA, have a “vastly different planet,” in that we’re going to see more extreme weather. We’re going to see more drought. We’re going to have more smog and heat, more infectious diseases. So, yeah, that’s definitely going to have a toll on the human population. I think the World Health Organization already estimates that something like 100,000 deaths a year are linked to climate change. That’s a huge number, and they’re only going to get worse if we don’t do something about it. ICONOCLAST: Any functions that Environment Texas will be holding in the near future? METZGER: We’re part of a coalition of groups called the Alliance for a Clean Texas, and we’re having a lobby day on Feb. 26. It’ll be at the capitol. We haven’t determined a time or place, but people can find out details on our website where they can also join our email list. INFO www.EnvironmentTexas.org http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/state-of-nature-interview-with-luke-metzger-environment-texas-director Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/electric-discount-fund-gets-attention Electric discount fund gets attention http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/electric-discount-fund-gets-attention Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600 http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/chemical-plants-back-in-spotlight Security bill aims to involve federal oversight http://www.environmenttexas.org/in-the-news/other-issues/other-issues/chemical-plants-back-in-spotlight Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:58:12 -0600