The Progressive Center of Texas - Environmental Action in Dallas

Community leaders speak their minds, inspire us, share their visions, and challenge our thinking.

FEATURED WRITER:

Elizabeth Walley
She is retired and has many interests including animal welfare, wildlife protection, and preservation of a clean, healthy environment for the generations to come.

Dallas ranked as 7th worst in air quality in the USA in 2008.

What’s a planet to do?

Environmental Action in Dallas
Presentation at The Progressive Center
on April 25

Trinity Toll Road

This project won approval by the voters in 2007 but it’s not settled yet. Recently the US Army Corps of Engineers declined to approve the project because inspections suggest the project as designed may not protect downtown from flooding. What next? More study and possibly massive (and expensive) redesign if the project is to proceed. If the toll road project is to proceed, the city should look at alternative routes that are safe and leave the Trinity River green belt undisturbed. In any case, the safety of the levees should always be the top
priority.

TO DO: Monitor the news. The Dallas Morning News and Dallas Observer report regularly on the project, presenting different points of view. Express your opinions to the Dallas City Council and let them know you care about flood control and preservation of our natural assets along the Trinity River.

Coal–Fired Power Plants

Air pollution continues to be of great concern as Dallas has not yet attained EPA minimum standards for air quality. Texas coal-powered power plants are the most polluting in the county. Two years ago, grassroots protests led up to the halting of permits for several coal plants, most of which would have been in our area. Today, however, 13 new plants are in various stages of permitting. Coal is inherently “dirty” and our energy needs can be met through conservation and the addition of sustainable, clean energy supply. If a coal plant does get a permit, then push for that plant to use carbon capture and sequestration; this will reduce some of the negative impact—but not a lot of it. The plant is still taxing on the environment.

TO DO: Sign up on Sierra Club’s Lone Star Action Network (see link below). Attend public hearings on power plants when you can. Let your state and local elected officials know you care about clean air.

Cement Kilns

There are 10 cement kilns in Midlothian, of which 7 are old and very polluting. Plumes can be seen from the air as far away as Denton. Despite Dallas and Tarrant official protests, the state just renewed permits to reopen four of the old kilns which were idled last year. The permits were “fast tracked”, meaning that not enough time would be made available for environmental studies and citizen input. Several local governments have adopted policies to use only ‘green cement’ (cement made from the cleaner kilns) for city projects but those polices are being challenged in court. The permit renewals will be challenged and should be rescinded. Permits should only be granted for modern, cleaner kilns, given the poor quality of our local air.

TO DO: Join the Downwinders at Risk network (see link below). Let your state and local officials know you care about clean air and want the opportunity to provide input during permitting. When the opportunity exists, attend public hearings on the subject.

Reservoirs

Local and state governments are proposing new reservoirs to meet future water demand. However, little serious effort has been made to reduce demand through conservation. Reservoirs are destructive to habitat, displace landowners and make land forever unusable. Furthermore, unlike other metropolitan areas in the state, Dallas and Fort Worth have not seriously pursued conservation, and as a result, water use per capita is far higher than in other cities, approaching twice the usage in El Paso and San Antonio. Dallas is the only city to forecast an increase in per capita water use over the next few decades - all others forecast declines. Dallas should seriously consider pursuing water conservation which may obviate the need to construct more reservoirs. San Antonio lowered its per capita water use 30% in 13 years – why not Dallas?

TO DO: Actively pursue water conservation on a personal level. Check out the City of Dallas site and Greywater Guerrillas site on water conservation (see link below). Let your state and local elected officials know you support action to conserve water.

Useful Links

secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/SPageNavigator/CHP_LoneStar_Signup Sierra Club’s on-line activism service for contacting elected officials and others to make your opinion count.

www.legis.state.tx.us Excellent site providing up-to-date information on legislation and committees. Enables user to track specific bills of interest. Tells you who are your state elected officials.

www.downwindersatrisk.org Site dedicated to education and action to cure the pollution from the Midlothian cement plants.

lonestar.sierraclub.org Texas Sierra Club site with links to up-to-date news on legislation and issues.

dallassierraclub.org Dallas Regional Group of the Sierra Club for activities in the Dallas area.

allianceforcleantexas.org Information from environmental, public interest and interfaith groups on current Texas Legislative bills supported or opposed, with background and actions needed.

seedcoalition.org Info and links to good information on power plants and clean energy options

www.dalcoelections.org/findprecinct.asp You can look up your precinct and its location and find who your local and state elected officials are.

www.modelofreality.org/trinity/index.html Save the Trinity River, protecting taxpayer and environmental interests

savedallaswater.com/index_english.htm City of Dallas site providing guidance on water conservation.

www.texaswatermatters.org Good information and news on Texas water issues

lonestar.sierraclub.org/water.asp More good water information

www.greywaterguerrillas.com Educates people on sustainable water practices.

Sierra Club reps (“Sierrans”) Robin Sowton and Molly Rooke brought us up to date on local environmental progress and challenges. Some of the issues we’ve grappled with for years just won’t go away.

CONTACT

OTHER ARTICLES
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The Industrious Woman.
The Proverbs woman, says Anyaa, is an industrious woman who cares about the bounty of God’s earth and seeks to maintain quality and workmanship with every loop on the loom, which she uses even today.
READ MORE >

Let’s Not Forget About the Elderly.
As health care reform becomes a reality, the care of the frail and elderly must be addressed. The fastest growing segment of the population is comprised of those over the age of 85.
READ MORE >

Youth Power Event.
The Progressive Center hosted Youth Power's first event. Students were invited to ask questions and discuss what was on their minds with a couple of local community leaders.
READ MORE >

What’s a Planet to Do?
Sierra Club leaders talk about
environmental issues affecting our city and state. Elizabeth Walley’s report is full of useful links and information.
READ MORE >

ARCHIVES
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Very Few Voters in Local
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