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by Daniel Mottola
Critical Mass Upper-Decks Austin, Celebrates Bike Blog's Birthday
Wed Oct 1, 6:54pm
, 2008
The consensus among the crowds of bicyclists who've been turning out in greater numbers for the Critical Mass rides on the last Friday evening of each month – ranging from a handful of riders some nights to as many as 400 on others – is that they hit the streets for the fun of it, though many see the ride as an opportunity to make a statement about bikes' rights to the road. Debates have raged among cyclists as to whether the CM is counterproductive, and rides in Austin and bigger cities have historically met with police enforcement and seen violent confrontation with motorists.
Doggett Breaks Leg
Mon Apr 21, 4:09pm
, 2008
U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett was injured and hospitalized after crashing his bike Sunday while riding in Austin with his wife Libby. Surgery was performed to repair a broken leg the same day, according to a statement issued by his office Monday, which added that Doggett was wearing a helmet and that he commended the excellent care he received from Austin EMS and Seton Hospital.
Opportunities Approaching for Cyclists to Voice Their Opinions
Fri Mar 14, 9:54am
, 2008
Tags: Transportation
Hey pedal pushers: Have you ever found yourself saying, “This road needs a gosh-darn bike lane” or “Golly, I wish parking wasn’t allowed in this confounded bike lane!”
Well, your voice shall be heard.
The city of Austin Public Works Department’s Bike and Pedestrian division is kicking off the first major update to the city’s Bicycle Master Plan in 10 years and wants your input at one of four upcoming public meetings around town. The plan originally envisioned a world-class bicycling infrastructure and sought to lay the groundwork to make Austin a bike transportation mecca. But thanks to wavering political and financial support, not all of the bike plan’s recommended projects materialized.
Well, your voice shall be heard.
The city of Austin Public Works Department’s Bike and Pedestrian division is kicking off the first major update to the city’s Bicycle Master Plan in 10 years and wants your input at one of four upcoming public meetings around town. The plan originally envisioned a world-class bicycling infrastructure and sought to lay the groundwork to make Austin a bike transportation mecca. But thanks to wavering political and financial support, not all of the bike plan’s recommended projects materialized.
Petition Deadline for Nuke Project Permit Suspended
Fri Feb 15, 1:10pm
, 2008
The Nuclear Regulatory Committee announced on Wednesday that it has suspended its Feb. 25 deadline for public petitions and intervention in the South Texas Project permitting case.
NRC spokesman Victor Dricks said the suspension was based on a request by the applicant that the NRC postpone its review of the plant’s safety documents.
On Feb. 8, the environmental group SEED Coalition filed a motion to suspend the deadline.
“The STP application was so full of holes, the NRC said they were planning on suspending their own internal review of the application. Opponents would have been required to develop their list of contentions or problem based on an incomplete application by the 25th. That was an impossible and illogical burden,” said SEED Coalition Director Karen Hadden in a statement.
“We are delighted with this victory, but this is only a temporary pause in the battle against this unneeded, budget breaking, radioactive waste producing, water guzzling nuclear plant,” Hadden said.
NRC spokesman Victor Dricks said the suspension was based on a request by the applicant that the NRC postpone its review of the plant’s safety documents.
On Feb. 8, the environmental group SEED Coalition filed a motion to suspend the deadline.
“The STP application was so full of holes, the NRC said they were planning on suspending their own internal review of the application. Opponents would have been required to develop their list of contentions or problem based on an incomplete application by the 25th. That was an impossible and illogical burden,” said SEED Coalition Director Karen Hadden in a statement.
“We are delighted with this victory, but this is only a temporary pause in the battle against this unneeded, budget breaking, radioactive waste producing, water guzzling nuclear plant,” Hadden said.
Questionable Meat Alert
Fri Feb 8, 1:14pm
, 2008
Tags: Animal Welfare
Attention meat lovers: If you don’t know where your meat is coming from, chances are it may be the product of an operation like Chino, CA-based Hallmark Meat Packing Co., which was recently shut down by the U.S. Department of Agriculture when a long-term undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States revealed widespread mistreatment of “downed” cows, or those too sick or injured to walk. Among other things, the investigation produced video of workers kicking cows, ramming them with forklift blades, jabbing them in the eyes, applying electrical shocks, and blasting them with a hose to force them to walk to slaughter.
The USDA announced Tuesday evening that it would shut down Hallmark’s operations. USDA Undersecretary Richard Raymond cited “egregious violations of humane handling regulations.” Hallmark, which slaughtered about 500 cows a day (mostly “spent” dairy cows), supplies the Westland Meat Co., which processes the carcasses and markets the meat. Westland in turn supplied major fast food restaurants, as well as the USDA itself, for programs like the National School Lunch Program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program, according to the HSUS.
The USDA announced Tuesday evening that it would shut down Hallmark’s operations. USDA Undersecretary Richard Raymond cited “egregious violations of humane handling regulations.” Hallmark, which slaughtered about 500 cows a day (mostly “spent” dairy cows), supplies the Westland Meat Co., which processes the carcasses and markets the meat. Westland in turn supplied major fast food restaurants, as well as the USDA itself, for programs like the National School Lunch Program and the Emergency Food Assistance Program, according to the HSUS.
City Vehicle Fleet Getting More Alternative
Fri Feb 8, 12:26pm
, 2008
Within the next four months, more than half of the city of Austin’s vehicle fleet will be running on alternative fuels, including biodiesel and ethanol, thanks to a six-year, six million gallon, $138 million biofuel supply contract approved Jan. 31 by city council.
The move was prompted by the Austin Climate Protection Plan’s carbon-neutral city fleet by 2020 goal. A blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% low emissions diesel (B20) will power the city’s 1,138 diesel trucks, 248 “flex-fuel” vehicles will use E85 or 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and 2,023 gas-powered nonflex-fuel rides will use gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10). The city also currently has 151 hybrids, 244 propane-powered vehicles, and six running on compressed natural gas.
“We’re taking baby steps,” said Ester Matthews, the city’s Climate Protection Plan director.
The move was prompted by the Austin Climate Protection Plan’s carbon-neutral city fleet by 2020 goal. A blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% low emissions diesel (B20) will power the city’s 1,138 diesel trucks, 248 “flex-fuel” vehicles will use E85 or 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and 2,023 gas-powered nonflex-fuel rides will use gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10). The city also currently has 151 hybrids, 244 propane-powered vehicles, and six running on compressed natural gas.
“We’re taking baby steps,” said Ester Matthews, the city’s Climate Protection Plan director.
Texas a Wind-Power Machine
Fri Jan 25, 1:47pm
, 2008
Not only does Texas produce more wind power than any other state in the U.S., but Texas increased its wind power capacity in 2007 by 59%, more than twice as much as any other state, installing nearly $3 billion worth of windmills and hardware, reports the American Wind Energy Association. Texas’ wind farms represent 26% of the nation’s overall wind power capacity, and that 4,356 Megawatts of energy is enough to power 1 million Texas homes.
AWEA says plans to add new transmission lines are set to be finalized by state regulators this year, which will help facilitate the 3,064 MW of new wind farm plans made during 2007, but that extensions of federal production tax credits, dropped out of the recent energy bill during partisan wrangling, are desperately needed to sustain growth. New and existing wind projects could reduce wholesale power costs by more than $1 billion per year while reducing statewide power plant emissions by 5%, AWEA says. (See www.awea.org for more.)
In other green power news, Austin Energy’s GreenChoice Program, which offers 100% renewable-sourced electricity, mostly from West Texas wind farms, is accepting new customer applications. About 8,700 residential customers and 450 businesses currently participate. Subscribe online at www.austinenergy.com or by calling 972-7548.
AWEA says plans to add new transmission lines are set to be finalized by state regulators this year, which will help facilitate the 3,064 MW of new wind farm plans made during 2007, but that extensions of federal production tax credits, dropped out of the recent energy bill during partisan wrangling, are desperately needed to sustain growth. New and existing wind projects could reduce wholesale power costs by more than $1 billion per year while reducing statewide power plant emissions by 5%, AWEA says. (See www.awea.org for more.)
In other green power news, Austin Energy’s GreenChoice Program, which offers 100% renewable-sourced electricity, mostly from West Texas wind farms, is accepting new customer applications. About 8,700 residential customers and 450 businesses currently participate. Subscribe online at www.austinenergy.com or by calling 972-7548.
Monitoring Green-Ad Creep
Fri Jan 25, 10:42am
, 2008
Tags: Media
It’s hard to say when green became the new black, or how extensively the eco-is-chic movement of late has permeated into mainstream culture, but one thing is certain: Advertisers are slathering green all over ads for everything from cars to coal power. Enter local marketing firm EnviroMedia, who this week launched GreenwashingIndex.com, in partnership with the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication.
It's an online forum for consumers to judge for themselves whether a company’s ad represents greenwashing – defined as spending more time and money claiming to be green through advertising and marketing than actually implementing business practices that minimize environmental impact.
As of Tuesday, 8,700 people had visited the site, where users are invited to post questionably green ads or view and rate previously posted ads. Toping the worst greenwashing ads was a Chevrolet billboard describing the company as “Gas-friendly to gas-free,” even though Chevy hasn’t sold a gas-free vehicle since the infamous EV1. Among best rated ads is one for EarthFriendlyMoving.com, a Southern California-based startup that employs loads of green tactics, including renting plastic boxes made from recycled content (aka The RecoPack), to eliminate cardboard box paper use and waste.
It's an online forum for consumers to judge for themselves whether a company’s ad represents greenwashing – defined as spending more time and money claiming to be green through advertising and marketing than actually implementing business practices that minimize environmental impact.
As of Tuesday, 8,700 people had visited the site, where users are invited to post questionably green ads or view and rate previously posted ads. Toping the worst greenwashing ads was a Chevrolet billboard describing the company as “Gas-friendly to gas-free,” even though Chevy hasn’t sold a gas-free vehicle since the infamous EV1. Among best rated ads is one for EarthFriendlyMoving.com, a Southern California-based startup that employs loads of green tactics, including renting plastic boxes made from recycled content (aka The RecoPack), to eliminate cardboard box paper use and waste.
Environmental Groups Sue Shell Oil Company
Thu Jan 10, 3:38pm
, 2008
Shell Oil Company’s Houston-area plant has been illegally spewing a wide range of harmful emissions into the air in violation of its permitted limits and the Clean Air Act on the average of more than once a week for the last five years, resulting in the release of millions of pounds of excess air pollutants, according to a lawsuit filed this week by Environment Texas and the Sierra Club.
“Because the state of Texas and the U.S. EPA have both failed to put a stop to these blatant violations, ordinary citizens are stepping up to enforce the law themselves,” said ET Executive Director Luke Metzger in a statement.
“Because the state of Texas and the U.S. EPA have both failed to put a stop to these blatant violations, ordinary citizens are stepping up to enforce the law themselves,” said ET Executive Director Luke Metzger in a statement.
Assessing Texas’ True Energy Needs
Thu Jan 10, 2:10pm
, 2008
In the ongoing, albeit slightly scaled-back rush to build new coal-fired power plants in Texas, the state’s historically industry-chummy environmental commission has been roundly criticized for failing to assess Texas’ true energy needs, as well as the cumulative air quality impact of proposed coal plants, prior to handing out new permits.
But thanks to language written into the 2008 federal Appropriations Bill by Waco-area Democratic Congressman Chet Edwards, the federal Government Accountability Office will be called in to conduct such a study. The GAO is Congress’ nonpartisan investigative arm. Among Edwards’ concerns, considering the Environmental Protection Agency is about to tighten ozone pollution standards, is that Waco and several other cities statewide (including Austin) will become federal violators following the change, forcing local governments to take costly countermeasures. Edwards says the study should analyze cumulative emissions in Central Texas from existing and planned coal burners for an entire ozone season.
Currently, permitting procedures only address cumulative impacts within 37 miles of a plant. Governor Rick Perry reportedly called for GOP attacks on an earlier version of the bill, due partially to its focus on not-yet-regulated carbon dioxide emissions, apparently fearing the results could somehow make Texas look worse than its present status as the nation’s #1 emitter of Co2.
But thanks to language written into the 2008 federal Appropriations Bill by Waco-area Democratic Congressman Chet Edwards, the federal Government Accountability Office will be called in to conduct such a study. The GAO is Congress’ nonpartisan investigative arm. Among Edwards’ concerns, considering the Environmental Protection Agency is about to tighten ozone pollution standards, is that Waco and several other cities statewide (including Austin) will become federal violators following the change, forcing local governments to take costly countermeasures. Edwards says the study should analyze cumulative emissions in Central Texas from existing and planned coal burners for an entire ozone season.
Currently, permitting procedures only address cumulative impacts within 37 miles of a plant. Governor Rick Perry reportedly called for GOP attacks on an earlier version of the bill, due partially to its focus on not-yet-regulated carbon dioxide emissions, apparently fearing the results could somehow make Texas look worse than its present status as the nation’s #1 emitter of Co2.
Note to Motorists: Stay out of Bike Lanes
Thu Jan 10, 11:36am
, 2008
Tags: Transportation
Attention bicyclists! Next time you notice some ass hat has decided to park their car in a marked bike lane, you can call 311 and have the vehicle ticketed by one of three city of Austin Public Works Department Bicycle and Pedestrian Program staffers, who’ve recently been deputized as badge-toting parking enforcement officers. Bike program project coordinator Nadia Barrera says she and two others can now ticket cars illegally parked within painted full-time bike lanes, as well as bike lanes where parking is prohibited during certain times as designated on signs. The move is partially meant to ease the burden on the Austin Police Department, which previously received such parking violation calls. She said a first offense parking ticket will cost drivers $40.
Coal News: Sierra Club Still Watching TXU, Ranks of Greenhouse-Gas Reduction Accord Grow, and Coal-Fired Power Plant Investments Protested
Wed Nov 21, 11:50am
, 2007
That's a mouthful.
The Lone Star Sierra Club is prodding Dallas utility TXU, now doing business as Luminant, to solidify its commitment to cancel applications to build eight new coal-fired power plants – made as part of its private-equity buyout deal earlier this year – by changing the permits’ dismissal status at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to dismissed “with prejudice” as opposed to “without prejudice,” as is stands now, which makes it easier to refile them, the Sierra Club says. TXU also recently applied to become part of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a group of corporations calling for mandatory greenhouse-gas regulations. If accepted, it would join fellow megautility NRG Energy Inc. NRG and TXU operate the two worst greenhouse-gas polluting power plants in the state, dually ranked numbers 45 and 50 globally for CO2 pollution.
In other climate change news, six Midwestern states and one Canadian providence just signed the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, a regional multisector cap-and-trade program. And finally, Rainforest Action Network reports thousands turned out in more than 50 cities nationwide last Friday to protest Citi and Bank of America’s investments in new coal-fired power plants and dirty coal extraction methods such as mountaintop-removal coal mining.
The Lone Star Sierra Club is prodding Dallas utility TXU, now doing business as Luminant, to solidify its commitment to cancel applications to build eight new coal-fired power plants – made as part of its private-equity buyout deal earlier this year – by changing the permits’ dismissal status at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to dismissed “with prejudice” as opposed to “without prejudice,” as is stands now, which makes it easier to refile them, the Sierra Club says. TXU also recently applied to become part of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a group of corporations calling for mandatory greenhouse-gas regulations. If accepted, it would join fellow megautility NRG Energy Inc. NRG and TXU operate the two worst greenhouse-gas polluting power plants in the state, dually ranked numbers 45 and 50 globally for CO2 pollution.
In other climate change news, six Midwestern states and one Canadian providence just signed the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, a regional multisector cap-and-trade program. And finally, Rainforest Action Network reports thousands turned out in more than 50 cities nationwide last Friday to protest Citi and Bank of America’s investments in new coal-fired power plants and dirty coal extraction methods such as mountaintop-removal coal mining.
Arrest in Cycling-Fatality Case
Thu Nov 8, 2:27pm
, 2007
Tags: Transportation
Richard Allan Lee, charged with second-degree felony intoxication manslaughter in the July death of Austin cyclist Vilhelm Hesness, was arrested after several unsuccessful attempts outside his Austin home Tuesday by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Lee hit Hesness from behind as he was riding lawfully along Manchaca Road in far South Austin. Lee was later found to be under the influence of four potent and incompatible prescription drugs, including sedatives Xanax and Soma, as well as Zoloft, an anti-depressant, and meprobamate, a tranquilizer.
The case has renewed calls from the cycling community for stronger enforcement against motorists who endanger, injure, or kill bicyclists as more and more Austinites transport themselves by bike. Fred Meredith, a riding partner of Hesness, editor of Southwest Cycling News, and a longtime member of the Austin Cycling Association, said he had no criticisms of authorities’ pursuit of the case, though others faulted DPS delays in processing Lee’s blood test. "We accept a certain amount of mayhem out there and we realize that cyclists are more vulnerable than other vehicle drivers, but if somebody makes a mistake in their driving behavior that violates the law, they should be prosecuted," Meredith said. "We expect the same level of prosecution given to a motor vehicle or pedestrian case." Lee’s bond was set at $10,000.
The case has renewed calls from the cycling community for stronger enforcement against motorists who endanger, injure, or kill bicyclists as more and more Austinites transport themselves by bike. Fred Meredith, a riding partner of Hesness, editor of Southwest Cycling News, and a longtime member of the Austin Cycling Association, said he had no criticisms of authorities’ pursuit of the case, though others faulted DPS delays in processing Lee’s blood test. "We accept a certain amount of mayhem out there and we realize that cyclists are more vulnerable than other vehicle drivers, but if somebody makes a mistake in their driving behavior that violates the law, they should be prosecuted," Meredith said. "We expect the same level of prosecution given to a motor vehicle or pedestrian case." Lee’s bond was set at $10,000.
Peak Oil in the Energy State
Thu Nov 1, 4:23pm
, 2007
Houston’s morning rush-hour traffic isn’t for the faint of heart. I recently zoomed past seemingly limitless suburbs headed for downtown on the Sam Houston Tollway en route to the largest ever conference to address peak oil: the point at which world oil production taps out and is outpaced by rapidly increasing global demand.
In attendance at the 2007 Houston World Oil Conference were some 525 people from 18 countries and 36 states. Some say peak oil has already occurred; others predict it some time before the decade’s end. Outcomes range from minimal lifestyle disruptions as we transition to new technologies to a rapidly worsening second Great Depression, amid fierce if not violent global competition for available oil supplies. Many predictions by industry experts in attendance leaned toward the latter if preparations aren’t made soon. What is clear is that cities like Houston and Austin are now beholden to oil, and as prices reach historic, unprecedented highs, as many expect them to continue to do, the cost of commuting by car, as well as chicken and cabbage at the store, will rise uncomfortably.
In attendance at the 2007 Houston World Oil Conference were some 525 people from 18 countries and 36 states. Some say peak oil has already occurred; others predict it some time before the decade’s end. Outcomes range from minimal lifestyle disruptions as we transition to new technologies to a rapidly worsening second Great Depression, amid fierce if not violent global competition for available oil supplies. Many predictions by industry experts in attendance leaned toward the latter if preparations aren’t made soon. What is clear is that cities like Houston and Austin are now beholden to oil, and as prices reach historic, unprecedented highs, as many expect them to continue to do, the cost of commuting by car, as well as chicken and cabbage at the store, will rise uncomfortably.
Pelosi Plugs Local Energy Plan
Tue Oct 30, 1:07pm
, 2007
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, made an impromptu appearance at city hall yesterday - complete with stoic Secret Service agents who mumbled into their jacket sleeves - declaring an otherwise mundane Monday "Energy Independence Day!"
She stood alongside local U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, to talk up energy independence and global warming mitigation, what she called the "flagship issues" of the the Democratic leadership's New Direction Forward initiative. "It's been a long time since we've had a House Speaker at city hall and it's been a long time since we've had a Speaker committed to energy independence," Doggett said. Calling Austin the nation's leader in clean energy, Pelosi lauded the work of city council, Austin Energy, and the Clean Energy Incubator in advancing use of technologies like solar photovoltics and biodiesel, also giving props to Austin's Climate Protection Plan and Mayor's Will Wynn's role as Energy Committee Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors for its focus on climate change - an issue "as local as a neighborhood and as global as the planet," she said. "So too must be our proposals in our leadership for change to make the difference, said Pelosi, "and I see that here."
She stood alongside local U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, to talk up energy independence and global warming mitigation, what she called the "flagship issues" of the the Democratic leadership's New Direction Forward initiative. "It's been a long time since we've had a House Speaker at city hall and it's been a long time since we've had a Speaker committed to energy independence," Doggett said. Calling Austin the nation's leader in clean energy, Pelosi lauded the work of city council, Austin Energy, and the Clean Energy Incubator in advancing use of technologies like solar photovoltics and biodiesel, also giving props to Austin's Climate Protection Plan and Mayor's Will Wynn's role as Energy Committee Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors for its focus on climate change - an issue "as local as a neighborhood and as global as the planet," she said. "So too must be our proposals in our leadership for change to make the difference, said Pelosi, "and I see that here."
Border Wall Opposition Mounts
Fri Oct 26, 2:33pm
, 2007
Tags: Immigration
Joining the popular opposition to impending Department of Homeland Security plans to construct a 70-mile Texas-Mexico border wall, The Lone Star Sierra Club last week joined Defenders of Wildlife, a number of nearby community groups, U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, and the mayors of Eagle Pass, Laredo, Brownsville, Rio Grande City, and El Paso in decrying the wall. Sierra Club state director Ken Kramer said, “A wall along the Texas-Mexico border would undermine decades of work to establish a vibrant wildlife corridor on the Rio Grande,” and “devastate” local eco-tourism business. The Sierra Club is calling on the DHS to complete a comprehensive environmental impact statement, and fully assess negative impacts on wildlife habitat, migratory birds and other species, river flows, livestock management, and local economies. The group also wants a better public process, improved coordination between federal and state agencies, and consideration of border protection alternatives. The Sierra Club and Defenders of Wildlife successfully sought a temporary restraining order to halt wall construction in an eco-sensitive portion of Arizona, only to have it overturned by the DHS, which invoked the 2005 Real ID Act, which grants the authority to waive all U.S. laws in constructing border barriers.
Rock the Bike Tonight
Mon Oct 1, 1:50pm
, 2007
Like riding bikes? Like feelin' the beats? Then tonight's the night to hit the road. This evening, Rock the Bike, a Berkeley, Ca-based group innovating the "Sex Appeal School of Bike Advocacy" (which they say focuses on biking's fun, independent, beautiful, romantic, quirky, and magical appeal) will unveil to Austin the Urban Mobile DJ, a bike-based sound system piloted by the reportedly-fly DJ Fossil Fool.
Riders are asked to meet up at Pure Austin Fitness Parking Lot (907 W. 5th St.), across the street from Whole Foods, at 8pm. The ride will cruise about Town Lake and make stops at Zen on South Congress and at Red Fez downtown. Rock the Bike also sells boss cycle accessories like more bike sound systems, bike-powered blenders, and neon lights. For more info go to: www.rockthebike.com or www.iscratchvinyl.com/umdj.htm.
Riders are asked to meet up at Pure Austin Fitness Parking Lot (907 W. 5th St.), across the street from Whole Foods, at 8pm. The ride will cruise about Town Lake and make stops at Zen on South Congress and at Red Fez downtown. Rock the Bike also sells boss cycle accessories like more bike sound systems, bike-powered blenders, and neon lights. For more info go to: www.rockthebike.com or www.iscratchvinyl.com/umdj.htm.
Bike Mobility Task Force Wheels Out Initial Recommendations
Fri Sep 28, 11:41am
, 2007
Tags: Transportation
Each time the question “Why don’t more Austinites bicycle for transportation?” is asked, the resounding response from people is “because I don’t feel safe.”
The Street Smarts Task Force was devised precisely to address this concern, by creating and promoting “the best environment for the friendly coexistence of bicycle riders and other transportation users.” The broad-based, 21-member volunteer task force – broken down into Infrastructure, Education and Promotion, and Law Enforcement and Safe Behavior subcommittees – has been meeting monthly since Mar. 29. Reps from Infrastructure and Law Enforcement made presentations at a recent city hall meeting. The subcommittees are to finalize a set of recommendations by the end of November, which will be presented to council in December, and likely be included in the city’s bike plan, currently undergoing its first big revision since 1998.
Lane Wimberley, a longtime bike commuter and transportation cycling advocate, presented the recommendations of his Infrastructure Subcommittee. Dissecting the task force’s goal of making bicycling a viable form of transportation, Wimberley said part of that viability means biking should be “practicable and effective,” and have a “reasonable expectation of safety,” compared to other forms of transit. He said the real goal should be to encourage more average folks to bicycle. In addition to feeling unsafe, the city has additional barriers to regular cycling: a lack of safe route infrastructure amid Austin’s “islands of connectivity,” a lack of clear way-finding signs for existing bike routes, and concerns about one’s appearance (especially in sweaty summer months) upon arrival at a destination. Listed below are some of the subcommittee’s preliminary recommendations:
The Street Smarts Task Force was devised precisely to address this concern, by creating and promoting “the best environment for the friendly coexistence of bicycle riders and other transportation users.” The broad-based, 21-member volunteer task force – broken down into Infrastructure, Education and Promotion, and Law Enforcement and Safe Behavior subcommittees – has been meeting monthly since Mar. 29. Reps from Infrastructure and Law Enforcement made presentations at a recent city hall meeting. The subcommittees are to finalize a set of recommendations by the end of November, which will be presented to council in December, and likely be included in the city’s bike plan, currently undergoing its first big revision since 1998.
Lane Wimberley, a longtime bike commuter and transportation cycling advocate, presented the recommendations of his Infrastructure Subcommittee. Dissecting the task force’s goal of making bicycling a viable form of transportation, Wimberley said part of that viability means biking should be “practicable and effective,” and have a “reasonable expectation of safety,” compared to other forms of transit. He said the real goal should be to encourage more average folks to bicycle. In addition to feeling unsafe, the city has additional barriers to regular cycling: a lack of safe route infrastructure amid Austin’s “islands of connectivity,” a lack of clear way-finding signs for existing bike routes, and concerns about one’s appearance (especially in sweaty summer months) upon arrival at a destination. Listed below are some of the subcommittee’s preliminary recommendations:
A Rare Power Plan Occurrence
Fri Aug 24, 1:26pm
, 2007
The announcement that construction will commence on a new coal power plant is rarely accompanied by words of praise from environmental groups, but that’s just the case with the NuCoastal Power Corporation plant located in Point Comfort, Southeast Texas. Operators of the plant, which will utilize petroleum coke, a refining byproduct that burns similarly to coal, have agreed to drastically cut and offset all of its emissions of toxic mercury and climate-changing CO2.
Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of Public Citizen’s Texas Office, and Karen Hadden, head of the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition, brokered the deal with NuCoastal, essentially agreeing, in return for the reductions, not to oppose the plant’s air permit as it undergoes state approval. The coalition contends this is the first time any power plant in the nation has agreed to offset all of its mercury emissions (initially cutting output by 80% and buying credits for the remainder), and the first time a plant in Texas has agreed to offset its carbon dioxide emissions. Smith said NuCoastal will achieve its carbon reductions by supporting energy efficiency upgrades and weatherization of homes in Texas, investing in renewable energy, and shutting down an existing electric plant or separating carbon dioxide and sequestering it.
Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of Public Citizen’s Texas Office, and Karen Hadden, head of the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition, brokered the deal with NuCoastal, essentially agreeing, in return for the reductions, not to oppose the plant’s air permit as it undergoes state approval. The coalition contends this is the first time any power plant in the nation has agreed to offset all of its mercury emissions (initially cutting output by 80% and buying credits for the remainder), and the first time a plant in Texas has agreed to offset its carbon dioxide emissions. Smith said NuCoastal will achieve its carbon reductions by supporting energy efficiency upgrades and weatherization of homes in Texas, investing in renewable energy, and shutting down an existing electric plant or separating carbon dioxide and sequestering it.
Car Collision Kills Bicyclist in Northeast Austin
Tue Jul 3, 4:05pm
, 2007
Tags: Transportation
Bicyclist Mandi Terese Boswell, 28, was hit by a car Monday and killed in Northeast Austin. According to the Austin Police Department, the vehicle was traveling westbound on Highway 290 East and collided with Boswell, who was wearing a helmet, at the Springdale Road intersection. The driver remained at the scene. Boswell was transported to Brackenridge Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The case is still under investigation, and the exact circumstances of the accident still aren’t clear. Detectives are asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision to call 974-4724. This is the 34th traffic fatality of 2007.
Texas–Louisiana Border Town Gets Clean Water
Thu Jun 21, 4:32pm
, 2007
The Lone Star Sierra Club is reporting a victory from the small Texas-Louisiana border town of DeBerry, in a longstanding dispute over groundwater contamination caused by improper disposal of oil and gas waste. For four years, the Rev. David Hudson of Panola County has been crusading for the right to clean drinking water for his relatives and neighbors. According to Hudson, an oil and gas company operating in his area collects waste from loading and unloading using pits, which have overflowed into the surface water during heavy rain, while overpressure from pumping waste into old injection wells has cracked pipe casings and leaked toxic lead, radionuclides, and other chemicals into the aquifer, he said. After reportedly appealing unsuccessfully to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Railroad Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency has recently decided to allocate funds to hook residents of DeBerry up to a nearby main water line, giving them access to clean drinking water. The Sierra Club’s Donna Hoffman said, “There are many cases all over Texas where oil and gas companies are causing environmental ruin through irresponsible waste disposal. Reverend Hudson has led the defense and wins the prize for never being silent.”
Cap Met Gets a Little Cleaner
Thu Jun 21, 3:29pm
, 2007
Tags: Transportation
This month, Capital Metro will begin using the fuel additive ORYXE in its diesel city buses and support vehicles to reduce emissions of smog-forming nitrogen oxides. ORYXE is the first nitrogen-oxide-reduction additive to be approved by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality, whose testing with the additive demonstrated a 5.7% reduction in nitrogen oxide. The move was applauded by air quality group Clean Air Force of Central Texas, as the Austin area sits on the brink of federal violation for smog-related pollution. ORYXE is also being used by the city of Dallas’ fleet in conjunction with B20, a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petrol diesel, something greens have long pressed the city of Austin to try. Biodiesel, typically made from domestic or regional crops (soy or cottonseed, for example) and chemically processed to run in unmodified diesel engines, displaces oil and reduces all other typical diesel pollutants except nitrogen oxide. Biodiesel/ORYXE blends tested by the TCEQ resulted in reductions in particulate matter by 28.8%, total hydrocarbons by 17.5%, and carbon monoxide by 19%. B20 biodiesel is widely available in Austin and typically costs the same as or less than regular diesel, thanks to federal tax credits. For local biodiesel info and availability, see www.austinbiofuels.com.
Lance Armstrong Bikeway Finally Under Way
Fri Jun 15, 1:19pm
, 2007
Tags: Transportation
The Lance Armstrong Bikeway, proposed in 1999 by local bike crusader Eric Anderson to create a dedicated east-to-west bicycle route across Downtown, is finally under way. After years of delays, even after the project was fully funded, many people were beginning to believe it may have to be dedicated to Armstrong posthumously by the time it was completed. The 6-mile bikeway extends from Veterans Drive at Lake Austin Boulevard on the west side of town to the Montopolis Bridge at Highway 183 on the Eastside. The path consists of a combination of off-street concrete trails, on-street striped bike lanes, and on-street signed bike routes. It will intersect with the planned extension of the Pfluger bike/pedestrian bridge just north of Cesar Chavez, providing a safe passage over Town Lake to the south, as well as hook up with the Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Park near 183 at its eastern terminus. The bikeway is also expected to cruise through the planned Seaholm redevelopment Downtown. “Studies show that areas with new bicycle facilities experience an increase in bicycle commuting,” said Annick Beaudet, the city’s bicycle and pedestrian project manager in a statement. “The bikeway will likely increase bicycle use to, from, and within the downtown area, helping to achieve City-wide goals such as sustainability, congestion management, and downtown vitality.”
Dirty Days Ahead?
Thu Jun 14, 2:08pm
, 2007
Tags: Energy
On the heels of the last TXU post, more details on their latest plant:
The mammoth Oak Grove plant – really two plants in one – would on its first day of operations be among the highest-emitting power plants in the country. Opponents fear it will push Austin into federal violation for smog and ozone pollution, keep other metropolitan cities from lifting themselves out of violation, and dramatically exacerbate the state’s already worst-in-the-nation mercury and globe-warming CO2 pollution. The commissioners (all Perry appointees) voted two to one to approve the permit, overturning a decision by two state administrative law judges recommending that Oak Grove’s permit be denied based on TXU’s failure to demonstrate its pollution controls could function properly with low-grade lignite coal.
Mayor Will Wynn urged commissioners to deny the permit Wednesday. He had plenty of company, including representatives of Dallas and Houston, counties, school districts, and conservation groups, in addition to all of the state’s environmental groups. Representatives of several nearby rural towns spoke in favor of the permit, including Fairfield Mayor Roy Hill, who revealed last year during testimony that the pro-coal group he headed up, Texans for Affordable and Reliable Power, was partially funded by TXU.
The mammoth Oak Grove plant – really two plants in one – would on its first day of operations be among the highest-emitting power plants in the country. Opponents fear it will push Austin into federal violation for smog and ozone pollution, keep other metropolitan cities from lifting themselves out of violation, and dramatically exacerbate the state’s already worst-in-the-nation mercury and globe-warming CO2 pollution. The commissioners (all Perry appointees) voted two to one to approve the permit, overturning a decision by two state administrative law judges recommending that Oak Grove’s permit be denied based on TXU’s failure to demonstrate its pollution controls could function properly with low-grade lignite coal.
Mayor Will Wynn urged commissioners to deny the permit Wednesday. He had plenty of company, including representatives of Dallas and Houston, counties, school districts, and conservation groups, in addition to all of the state’s environmental groups. Representatives of several nearby rural towns spoke in favor of the permit, including Fairfield Mayor Roy Hill, who revealed last year during testimony that the pro-coal group he headed up, Texans for Affordable and Reliable Power, was partially funded by TXU.
City Outlaws Dog-Chaining
Fri Jun 8, 10:09am
, 2007
Tags: Animal Welfare
Dog-chaining – or tying up a pooch with a rope, cord, or similar type of tether while unattended – will be illegal in Austin as of Oct. 1, thanks to a new ordinance enacted Thursday by City Council. The group Chain Free Austin has been campaigning for the measure since last September, citing a slew of studies that say chaining is unhealthy for dogs both physically and psychologically, as well as dangerous to people, especially children, as dogs are twice as likely to attack while chained. Exceptions include lawful animal events, grooming, training, and chaining when the owner is present and outside. If dogs can’t be brought inside to live, an outdoor living area that’s a minimum of 150 square feet is permissible – 10 feet by 15 feet would work, for example. Though a relatively cheap and simple do-it-yourself job, depending on your handiness, financial assistance for constructing dog enclosures is available to low-income residents by way of the Austin Community Foundation and Town Lake Animal Shelter. Chain Free Austin will have an online grant application available on its website by June 14, and assistance is available now from the Town Lake Shelter. For more information, including the full ordinance, go to Chain Free Austin's website.
