Funding Rewards Companies Improving the Environment

Also, POH plans nearly $300 million in projects. EPA’s enforcement efforts to grant funding to improve water systems, efforts to manage resources effectively being rewarded. San Benito and El Paso recognized for renewable resource use.

Port of Houston Plans $283 Million in Projects

As the Port of Houston emerges as the nation’s busiest port, the Port Commission of The Port of Houston Authority wrapped up 2008 with the approval of more than $283 in construction projects in the last two months of the year.

The Port of Houston has grown over the past few years with the expansion of the Bayport Container Terminal, which will increase capacity to 2.3 million TEUs, an increase of over 200 percent, and allow Houston to market itself as a better alternative for shipping. PHA achieved its eighth consecutive year of record-breaking revenue in 2007. Figures for 2008 were unavailable at press time.

In 2006, the port ranked first in the United States in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in the U.S. in total tonnage, and 10th in the world in total tonnage. A total of 211.7 million tons of cargo and 7,548 vessel calls were recorded in 2006. 

The Port of Houston handles 69.6 percent of the containerized cargo market in the U.S. Gulf, and 95.5 percent of the containers moving through Texas. Much of that activity takes place at Barbours Cut Container Terminal, the largest container terminal on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The Port of Houston ranks first in the U.S. in foreign tonnage; second in overall tonnage and is the 10th largest port in world. It is the second largest petrochemical complex in world.

The Bayport Container Terminal opened its first phase in February 2007 and has a 15-year build-out plan for seven container berths, a 378-acre container yard and 2.3 million TEU capacity design. The Bayport Cruise Terminal opened its first cruise berth in 2008 with three cruise berths slated at build-out.

The Houston market is well positioned to attract more traffic directed away from West Coast ports through the Panama Canal, according to a Grubb & Ellis report.

“The Port of Houston is already handling a vast amount of the East Asia - US Gulf Coast container trade and that container traffic is increasing every year,” a spokesperson for the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership said.

Among the projects approved at the last two meetings of the year were:

• $30 million for Bayport Container Terminal construction contracts including construction of a terminal administration building and a terminal maintenance and repair building
• $5 million for the Houston ship channel and beneficial use sites
• $10.6 million for Bayport Terminal administration building to Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc. of Houston for a two-story, 30,000-square-foot building for operations, customs and future tenants
• $19.3 million construction contract to Houston-based Satterfield & Pontikes for Bayport Terminal maintenance and repair building phase 1
• $2.2 million to purchase an optical character recognition, or OCR, system for use at Bayport and Barbours Cut container terminals
• $40 million to $60 million for Bayport Terminal complex phase 1 stage 2 container yard for 48 acres of reinforced or roller compacted concrete pavement with a 30-year service life in a configuration that will enable flexible container operations during successive development phases of the Bayport project.
• $55 million to $66 million for the design of the phase two container yard at Bayport Terminal for an additional 55 acres of container yard storage to meet growing demands
• $10 million to construct a terminal administration building at Bayport Container Terminal and seek certification for it as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design structure
• $19 million to construct a maintenance and repair building at Bayport
• $60 million in proposals for its container yard

            A PHA spokeswoman declined to comment.

EPA Awards $12 Billion in Environmental Improves Grants

More than $11.8 billion in environmental improvements were secured and an estimated four billion pounds of pollution will be prevented as a result of enforcement actions by the Environmental Protection Agency this year. Both figures represent record highs for the agency.

Results for cases with facilities in Texas brought more than 223 million pounds of pollution reductions, more than $528 million in penalties and environmental improvements, and 206 concluded enforcement actions.

EPA’s enforcement numbers were released by its Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance as part of its fiscal year 2008 accomplishments report. A total of $565 million in environmental improvements, 437 million pounds in pollution reductions and two billion pounds of treated or disposed hazardous waste were realized across the region comprising Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Among the agency’s enforcement achievements involving facilities in Texas is the treatment and disposal of 1.7 billion pounds of hazardous waste from Agrifos Fertilizer Inc. in Pasadena. EPA issued an Imminent and Substantial Endangerment Order to Agrifos and ExxonMobil to address long-term wastewater management and prevent future endangerment to human health and the environment.

Agrifos operates a mineral processing facility that extracts phosphorus from mineral ores for use in commercial fertilizer. The facility accumulated excessive amounts of acidic wastewater that threatened catastrophic failure of the impoundments. An abnormal amount of rainfall caused an excess of wastewater resulting in the failure of a portion of the retaining wall, which released wastewater into a county drainage ditch, Cotton Patch Bayou, and then into the Houston Ship Channel. The overflow released approximately 54 million gallons of wastewater.

EPA also secured an agreement with ConocoPhillips to pay a $1.2 million civil penalty for Clean Water Act violations related to more than 2,000 effluent discharges from a petroleum refinery it operates in Borger. As a result of this case, the company will monitor surrounding waters, including Dixon Creek and the Canadian River, for selenium levels and accumulation of selenium in fish tissue. ConocoPhillips is also required to maintain controls put in place to minimize its selenium discharges and to correct whole effluent toxicity violations. Lastly, the company will perform a supplemental environmental project estimated to cost approximately $600,000, which will reduce the amount of solids discharged into local waterways during storm events.

In addition to enforcement actions, EPA provided help to more than 12,421 regional businesses and individuals in understanding and complying with environmental responsibilities during the past year.

Texas Water Development Board Awards $432 Million in Funding

The Texas Water Development Board approved financial assistance totaling $432 million for a variety of governmental entities. The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning, and preparing the State Water Plan for the development of the state’s water resources, and administering cost-effective financial programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control and agricultural water conservation projects.

Among the financial assistance include loans from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program to finance wastewater system improvements for $58.2 million for the city of Houston; $72.4 for the San Antonio Water System on behalf of the city of San Antonio; $27 million for the Trinity River Authority - Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System; $4.9 million for the Trinity River Authority - Mountain Creek Regional Wastewater System; $1.5 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Disadvantaged Communities Program to finance wastewater system improvements for the city of Jarrell; $30.3 million loan for the city of Sugar Land; and $11.4 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund-Disadvantaged Communities Program to finance wastewater system improvements for the city of Burnet.

The Economically Distressed Areas Program provided an $845,000 grant for planning, acquisition and design to provide first time wastewater service for the city of Bedias; and a $1.8 million grant for acquisition and design for first time wastewater service for the city of La Grulla.

The Economically Distressed Areas Program Research and Planning Fund provided a $178,500 grant from for the preparation of a facility plan to provide first time wastewater service for Kerr County; and a $51,750 grant for the preparation of a facility plan for water system improvements for the Upper Guadalupe River Authority.

The Water Infrastructure Fund provided a $94.7 million loan from to finance construction of a water supply project for the city of Dallas. A grant not to exceed $2 million from the Water Loan Assistance Fund to finance costs associated with the design, construction, and re-location of the Boeye Reservoir was awarded to the city of McAllen.

A $5.3 million loan from the Texas Water Development Fund to finance construction of a water supply project was awarded to the Greater Texoma Utility Authority.

The Water Infrastructure Fund approved loans for $22 million to finance construction of a water supply project for the Brazos River Authority; $1.9 million to finance development costs for a water supply project for the city of Corsicana; $21.5 million to finance development costs for a water supply project for the San Jacinto River Authority; $44 million to finance water system improvements for the North Texas Municipal Water District; and $31 million loan from the Water Infrastructure Fund and Water Infrastructure Fund-Rural Program to finance construction of a water supply project for the Somervell County Water District.

City of San Benito Wins Texas Renewable Energy Project of the Year

The city of San Benito received the Texas renewable energy project of the year award from the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association during its annual meeting in Austin. The city won for its solar array that will help power its new water treatment plant. Funding for the $325,000 photovoltaic system came from the Environmental Protection Agency through a grant to the Texas General Land Office and its Renewable Energy Program.

The San Benito plant will be able to filter up to six million gallons of water a day, with the photovoltaic system providing about 10% of the power used to filter water at the plant. The 45- kilowatt project is the largest of its kind on the Texas-Mexico border, and officials hope it will inspire more solar-powered projects throughout the border region. EPA works with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank to fund sustainable infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Officials hope to use the San Benito facility to showcase the potential of solar power as a viable energy source. Interest in renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal power, continues to grow as more communities attempt to balance the need to cut pollution and greenhouse gases with increased demands and costs for energy. Both the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy make it attractive and practical for areas with sunny climates.

Schools, Educational Leaders Honored for Healthy School Programs

A San Antonio school district and a Katy Independent School District employee were both presented awards during the Ninth Annual Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Symposium in Washington, D.C., for their efforts in their commitment to creating a healthy school environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency presented the San Antonio North East Independent School District with its National Excellence Award for its exemplary indoor air quality program and exceptional commitment to good indoor air quality management within the district.
  
Peggy Caruso, assistant director of maintenance and operations for the Katy Independent School District, and Diane Rhodes, asthma educator for the department of Safe and Healthy Schools within San Antonio’s Northeast Independent School District  were each presented with the EPA’s National Special Achievement Award.

The Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Special Achievement Award recognizes individuals and organizations from across the country whose commitment to improved school indoor environments has led to tangible, sustainable indoor air quality management programs. These individuals and organizations demonstrate a significant dedication to student and staff health and wellness and have taken steps to leave a positive, lasting impact on their school system, the staff and students, and the entire community.

NEISD Superintendent Richard Middleton recognized the link between the health of the students and academic performance and set a goal to increase average daily attendance by 1 percent for the 2008-2009 school year. To achieve this goal the district hired an asthma educator and created the Department of Safe and Healthy Schools, and through the execution of sound indoor air quality management practices, experienced measurable health outcomes including a .3 percent increase in attendance from June 2007 to July 2008, and a 50 percent decrease in inhaler usage due to asthma.

State Approves $8.4 Million in Funding for Mid-Way Regional Airport

The Texas Transportation Commission approved approximately $8.4 million for Mid-Way Regional Airport for planned airport improvements including pavement improvements.

A contract for the project is expected to be awarded this winter. Project costs will be funded through TxDOT’s Aviation Facilities Grant Program, which preserves and improves the state’s general aviation system, and the Mid-Way Regional Airport Board.

El Paso Water Utilities Joins EPA’s WaterSense Program

El Paso Water Utilities joined the Environmental Protection Agency as its newest partner in the WaterSense program. El Paso Water Utilities has been at the forefront of water conservation initiatives with its comprehensive conservation program, which includes education, rebates and incentives and rate structures that promote conservation.

WaterSense, a partnership program launched in 2006 by the Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water.

Student Research at Texas A&M, Lone Star College-Kingwood Earn Grants

Protecting the planet through innovative designs earned grants from the Environmental Protection Agency for two Texas student research teams. The two teams from Texas A&M University and Lone Star College-Kingwood were awarded grants from EPA’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet, or P3, program.

 The Lone Star College-Kingwood team’s grant will support a water management project for a rural Philippine housing development. Kingwood is working with the Houston-Galveston Area Council-Natural Resources Advisory Committee and the University of the Philippines to bring sustainable water and wastewater management to a new community built to house poor residents of the Philippines, and to increase environmental awareness among all the country’s citizens.

Texas A&M University is looking closer to home for water sustainability solutions. Grant recipients there are developing more accurate measurements of storm-water flow on university grounds and the effects of this runoff on downstream waters. Researchers hope to better capture and understand the impacts of urbanization on water quality.

Also included in the list of teams working on P3 projects is the University of Texas at El Paso. The El Paso team is a supporting partner in a Columbia University project to help a Ugandan community develop a sustainable energy supply using oil from the seeds of the hardy and abundant jatropha shrubs.

Warm-Mix Asphalt Conference Smashes Attendance Records

The International Conference on Warm-Mix Asphalt, which was held recently in Nashville, attracted nearly 700 people, including 70 international attendees making it the largest single-subject conference ever for the asphalt pavement industry. Because so many people expressed an interest in the meeting, a live Internet feed extended the reach of the conference to hundreds more around the globe.

The National Asphalt Pavement Association  was recognized for its leadership in bringing these technologies to the U.S. At the start of the program, participants heard from the leadership of Federal Highway Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the labor unions, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the importance of this technology.