Ten Texas Efforts to Receive State's Highest Environmental Honor from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.News Editors/Business Editors/Environment Writers AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2004 The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality The Texas Commission for Environmental Quality is the environmental agency for the U.S. state of Texas. External links
"These awards go to individuals who recognize the importance of caring for and conserving our natural resources and to outstanding programs that serve as models for others to follow," said Gov. Rick Perry James Richard Perry (b. March 4, 1950) is a Republican politician and the Governor of Texas. He assumed office in December 2000 when then-Governor George W. Bush resigned to prepare for his inauguration as President of the United States. Gov. . "It is our responsibility to be good stewards of Texas' abundant and diverse natural resources so that future generations will also share in the beauty of our state." At the TEEA TEEA Technologically and Environmentally Equipped Areas (Europe) banquet, videos of each winner will demonstrate how each project addresses such environmental issues as resource conservation, watershed protection The term watershed refers to an area of land that drains precipitation that falls on it to a common point. These points could be streams, lakes, etc. Precipitatoin falling on any part of a watershed can travel quickly on the surface of the land, known as surface runoff, or travel through , air quality, clean energy, recycling, solid waste management, pollution prevention, and even environmental crime-fighting. The award winners are summarized by category below: CIVIC/NONPROFIT: River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash, Houston The Houston-area River, Lakes, Bays 'N Bayous Trash Bash is receiving its award for an ongoing clean-up effort that's working to address the effects of nonpoint source pollution Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) does not come from a single source like point source pollution. It comes from many different sources with no specific solution to rectify the problem, making it difficult to regulate. in the Gulf of Mexico Noun 1. Gulf of Mexico - an arm of the Atlantic to the south of the United States and to the east of Mexico Golfo de Mexico Atlantic, Atlantic Ocean - the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east and San Jacinto River
Based in Houston, the Houston-Galveston Area Council is a member of the Texas Association of Regional Councils. and a diverse volunteer steering committee steer·ing committee n. A committee that sets agendas and schedules of business, as for a legislative body or other assemblage. steering committee Noun . EDUCATION: City of Austin, Watershed Protection The City of Austin's Grow Green program is being honored for its innovative approach to landscape education. A partnership between the City of Austin's Watershed Protection Department and the Texas Cooperative Extension Texas Cooperative Extension was established in 1915 as part of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 and in conjunction with Texas A&M University, the state's 1876 land grant university. , Grow Green was created in response to scientific findings that improper use of landscaping chemicals is a major source of water quality degradation in and around Austin. Through homeowner seminars, informational brochures and staff training at more than 40 area nurseries, the Grow Green program is spreading the message that choosing less-toxic landscaping products protects the area's watershed. GOVERNMENT: City of Crockett The City of Crockett is being recognized for a progressive curbside recycling program that cuts solid waste by 52 percent -- more than any other city in Texas. Initially designed to reduce costs of solid waste disposal, the program takes a hard but effective line by mandating recycling citywide. Using recycling trucks and clear bags, the Crockett system enables easier sorting of recycled goods, which are then remarketed to generate revenues for city operations. Cited by the Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and as one of 18 highly successful recycling programs nationally, Crockett's recycling rates surpass the state of Texas' 40 percent goal, and far exceed many other major metropolitan areas across the country. INDIVIDUAL: Mayor James Matz, Palm Valley James Matz is being recognized for his ongoing efforts in reforestation Reforestation The reestablishment of forest cover either naturally or artificially. Given enough time, natural regeneration will usually occur in areas where temperatures and rainfall are adequate and when grazing and wildfires are not too frequent. and environmental conservation in the Rio Grande Rio Grande, city, Brazil Rio Grande (rē`  grän`dĭ), city (1991 pop. Valley. In an area that has seen tremendous growth and development over the past 15 years, Matz has fostered a bicultural bi·cul·tur·al adj. Of or relating to two distinct cultures in one nation or geographic region: bicultural education. bi·cul spirit of cooperation. As founder and chairman of the Valley Proud Environmental Council, Matz has galvanized gal·va·nize tr.v. gal·va·nized, gal·va·niz·ing, gal·va·niz·es 1. To stimulate or shock with an electric current. 2. thousands of volunteers through tree-planting events, reforestation projects and clean-up efforts in communities on the United States and Mexican sides of the Rio Grande. Matz and Valley Proud promote the planting of native trees through All-Valley Arbor Month/Arboles de Amistad and Project Rio Reforestation. In addition, as creator and project manager of the Ramsey Nature Park project, Matz helped transform a former landfill into an outdoor classroom and a site along the Great Texas Birding Trail. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY: American National Power, Midlothian and Hays To address issues of air quality and water conservation, American National Power designed and constructed the Midlothian and Hays Energy Projects, voluntarily setting a new standard for cleaner power in Texas. Both projects combine the use of clean-burning natural gas with an innovative sequential firing technique in the combustion turbines to significantly reduce nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide carbon monoxide, chemical compound, CO, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, extremely poisonous gas that is less dense than air under ordinary conditions. It is very slightly soluble in water and burns in air with a characteristic blue flame, producing carbon dioxide; emissions. In addition to being the first plants in Texas to use this technology, the Midlothian and Hays facilities have also greatly reduced water use by replacing water-cooled condensers with air-cooled condensers in most of the turbines. The two units at Hays that rely on water-cooled condensers use reclaimed water from the City of San Marcos wastewater plant, saving a projected 100 million gallons annually from the San Marcos River The San Marcos River rises from the San Marcos Springs, the location of Aquarena Springs, in San Marcos, Texas. The springs are home to several threatened or endangered species, including the Texas Blind Salamander, Fountain Darter, and Texas Wild Rice. . LARGE BUSINESS-TECHNICAL: Freescale Semiconductor, Austin Freescale Semiconductor is being recognized for its efforts in resource conservation at its Austin semiconductor manufacturing facility and office complex. The company's efforts to streamline plant and office operations save 265 million gallons of water yearly. In addition, energy consumption has been reduced by 64 million kilowatt hours every year. Freescale Semiconductor is the only three-time winner in the history of the awards program. LARGE BUSINESS-NONTECHNICAL: Horizon Milling, Saginaw Horizon Milling, a subsidiary of Cargill Industries, is being recognized for its work in environmental education. Horizon initiated the innovative Water Matters program, a multifaceted approach to educating children about the importance of water conservation and protection. For eight years, Horizon employees have been teaching second through fifth graders about nonpoint source pollution and the effects of human behaviors on the environment through interdisciplinary classroom and outdoor learning. Funded by Horizon's plant recycling campaigns, Water Matters has touched the lives of more than 6,000 children in the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw School District. SMALL BUSINESS: J-V Dirt & Loam loam, soil composed of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter in evenly mixed particles of various sizes. More fertile than sandy soils, loam is not stiff and tenacious like clay soils. Its porosity allows high moisture retention and air circulation. , Austin J-V Dirt and Loam has been working for almost 10 years to develop a better way to control erosion on Texas roads. Partnering with the Texas Department of Transportation and TCEQ TCEQ Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (formerly TNRCC) , J-V Dirt helped implement the idea to remove organic materials from Texas landfills and endangered watersheds, compost it and apply it to eroding soils to create rich topsoil seeded with native plants. The company has installed 200 soil revegetation Revegetation is the process of replanting and rebuilding the soil of disturbed land. This may be a natural process produced by plant colonization and succession, or an artificial (manmade), accelerated process designed to repair damage to a landscape due to wildfire, mining, flood, projects across the state of Texas that address issues of watershed improvement, water conservation as well as erosion control. YOUTH: Carver Center, Midland The Carver Center, Midland Independent School District's gifted and talented elementary program, is being honored in the Youth category for its nationally recognized biodiverse garden. When a baseline biodiversity survey conducted by fourth-grade students revealed the need for a more natural habitat to enable native plant and animal species to flourish, the class went to work to develop a landscape plan. Plants were donated by the Permian Basin Master Gardeners and two Junior Master Gardener chapters were formed. Local Boy Scout troops were called in to help, and Texas Cooperative extension agents got into the act by helping to educate the students on native plants and organisms. Over the past five years, hundreds of individuals from across the community have given more than 2,500 volunteer hours to turn a weedy school lot into an area alive with color and movement. SPECIAL AWARD: Carl Redford and the Ellis County Citizens for a Clean Environment Inc. Environmental Crimes Investigator Carl Redford and the Ellis County Citizens for a Clean Environment (ECCCE ECCCE Episcopal Commission on Catechesis and Catholic Education ECCCE European Consortium for Cervical Cancer Education ) will receive a Special Award recognizing their humanitarian efforts on behalf of citizens of Ellis County. When Redford discovered a septic leak near the home of an elderly couple, he could have simply turned the case over for enforcement. Instead, Redford sought the help of the newly created ECCCE, a community-based organization formed to help clean up illegal dump sites in Ellis County and increase environmental awareness through education and assistance to disadvantaged citizens. Through community donations, the ECCCE built the Inmans a new septic system and got the couple a mobile home complete with a new front porch. The couple now has a safe, clean place to live, and the ECCCE is helping clean up the property of other Ellis County citizens, establishing itself as an environmental organization with a humanitarian charter. For more information on this year's award winners, or to learn how to apply for next year's awards, visit www.teea.org. |
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