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              COASTAL BEND GROUP

                     New!  South Texas Uranium News resurgence of uranium mining in South Texas

JANUARY NEWS 2007

Important Events

OUR NEXT COASTAL BEND GROUP SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Feb. 20,  2007
Time: 11:30AM
Place: The Central Library on Comanche

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COASTAL BEND SIERRA CLUB January 2007 Meeting Minutes

The Coastal Bend Sierra Club met at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16, at the Central Library
on Comanche Street. After welcoming members and reminding them that monthly meeting minutes
are posted on our website, Chairperson Pat Suter asked for discussion on how best to notify all
members that minutes have been posted. Naomi Linzer suggested that Pat could send a monthly
e-mail giving the web address to members as soon as minutes are available at that site. Members
concurred and Pat agreed to try that.

Hal Suter, member of the Lone Star Sierra Executive Committee, reported that he and Pat were in
Austin on January 9, where they met with Lone Star staff and attended the opening of the Texas
Legislature. Hal alerted us to look for a "battle" over attempts to pump water out of the Edwards
Aquifer, especially by the San Antonio Water System (SAWS).

He also reported that Sierra will oppose permits for coal-burning power plants in Texas, and he moved
that our Coastal Bend group join others in endorsing the "Stop the Coal Rush" rally in Austin in February.
Mina Williams seconded the motion and it passed. For more information on the rally, log on to
http://www.stopthecoalrush.com/.

Additionally, Hal informed us that broad national coalitions including unions, conservation groups,
and hunting/fishing groups are forming for the purpose of pressuring the Bush Administration to increase
funds for protecting wildlife habitats which would be accessible to the public for hunting and fishing activities.

Mina Williams reported on on-going communications with members of Uranium Information at Goliad (UIAG).
Mina, Pat Suter, and Venice Scheurich attended the meeting of Goliad County Groundwater Conservation
District (GCGCD) on December 18, and reported that the district is in the process of baseline testing of 15 water
wells in the uranium mining exploration area. This will enable Goliad County officials to know if mining operations
will affect the quality of property owners’ well water. Teresa Carrillo reported that State Representative Ryan Guillen,
whose district includes Duval, Starr, Webb, and Zapata Counties, has already been briefed on uranium mining in
South Texas and has shown an interest in the mining issue by having a public meeting with constituents. Lois Huff
stated that The Coastal Bend Bays Foundation will have uranium mining presentations at their April forum.

Teresa Carrillo, treasurer, presented a detailed 2006 treasurer’s report for our Coastal Bend group. Because of the
expense of providing a monthly newsletter for all members, Teresa suggested that members consider having a
garage sale or request donations from members to help defray this expense.

Venice Scheurich reported that the official number of Kemp’s ridley nests for the Texas Coast for 2006 is 102, and
that four sea turtles are still being tracked by transmitters which were applied during the 2006 nesting season.
Folks interested in following these turtles can log on to http://www.seaturtle.org, click on "tracking," and find the
Padre Island turtles on the list. Other news from the seashore is that Superintendent Colin Campbell is leaving in
February to accept a position as Deputy Superintendent at Yellowstone National Park. When he leaves,
Dr. Donna Shaver will serve as Acting Superintendent.

Kenn Jobe reported on a recent conversation with Paul Bass of the City of Corpus Christi, who stated that January 15
marked the start of Christmas tree recycling. Bass also told Kenn that the city no long sponsors a poster contest at the
Art Center, but is presenting school program which have recently reached about 4200 students.

Joyce Jarmon reported that air monitoring in this region continues to show that industry is making impressive progress
in cutting benzene emissions. However, there were two recent significant spikes picked up by the Oak Park School monitor.
Thus far, industry officials have not been able to explain these spikes. The only local refinery continuing to have high readings
is CITGO, but they are in the process of redoing all of their storage tanks, which is expected to result in a clean system.
Citizens wishing to tract emissions picked up by local monitors log on to http://www.tceq.state.tx.us.

On the matter of beach access/dune protection, Hal Suter reported that some members of the Beach Access Coalition
were in Austin on January 9 to brief some of our legislators on Coastal issues. Pat Suter reminded the group that the
Nueces County Dune Protection Committee would meet on January 17, and that Dr. Richard Watson would speak at
the Harte Institute Auditorium at 3:30 p.m. on January 19 on "Severe Erosion of Texas Beaches Caused by
Engineering Modifications to the Texas Coast and Rivers." She also stated that the matter of using the Oso Golf Course
for expansion of the TAMUCC campus will be an issue generating much interest.

The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

Submitted by Venice Scheurich

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STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES – 2007 SESSION – TENTATIVE (Adopted 7/2006)

Clean Air

Reduction of toxic and other harmful emissions from industrial plants and electric power
generating plants and prevention of air quality teterioration by a proliferation of new
coal-fired power plants.

* through enactment of legislation to tighten the review and regulation of the health impacts
   of air pollution sources and to respond more effectively to the continuing problem of
   "upset" air emissions; and
* through a moratorium on permitting of new coal-fired power plants in Texas to allow
   a thorough review of the proposed plant technologies and the cumulative air quality
   impacts of those plants

Environmental Flow Protection

Preservation and provision of instream flows and freshwater inflows to bays and
estuaries necessary to maintain healthy fish and wildlife populations.

* through enactment of legislation establishing a process to determine and to meet
  environmental flow needs necessary to maintain a sound ecological environment
   in Texas coastal bays & associated river basins


Smart Energy Solutions

More efficient use of energy and increased reliance on renewable energy sources

* through standards for greater energy efficiency for appliances sold in Texas and new buildings
   and homes built in Texas; and
* an increase in the renewable standard portfolio of electric power utility providers

State & Local Parks Funding

A dependable source of funding for acquisition, maintenance, and management of
Texas state & local parks to meet growing habitat preservation and outdoor recreation needs

* through raising or eliminating the cap on the revenue from the sporting goods tax that is
   allocated to state & local parks, supplementing sporting goods tax revenue with other
   fee revenue, and/or pursuing voter approval of bonds adequate to meet park repair and
   acquisition needs over the next decade

Water Conservation

More efficient use of water by Texas consumers, agricultural producers, businesses,
and institutions through conservation

* through enactment of the legislative recommendations of the Texas Water Conservation
   Implementation Task Force, including expansion of existing conservation planning
   requirements to a larger number or retail water suppliers

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                          COASTAL BEND GROUP

                       EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Pat Suter	852-7938	Chairman
phsuter@stx.rr.com
Mina Williams	882-1179	V.Chairman
Teresa Carrillo	361-672-4703	Treasurer
Venice Scheurich	241-4289	Secretary
Hal Suter	852-7938	State Delegate
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Venice Scheurich	241-4289	Conservation
Bill Alling		Air Quality
Kathy Griffith	578-5291	Membership/Publicity
Hal Suter and Mina Williams	852-7938	Political
Hal Suter	852-7938	Walks
Hal Suter	852-7938	Rep. to Lone Star Ch.
Kathy Griffith	578-5291	Field Trips
Teresa Carillo	882-3439	Field Trips
Cheryl McGrath		Webmaster

  Cheryl McGrath      Webmaster
  csmcgrath@earthlink.net             

..........................................................................................................................  

        Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa    Commissioner Jerry Patterson
        P.O. Box 12068                            GLO 1700 Congress Ave.
        Austin, TX 78711                         Austin, Texas 78701

         Commissioner (Chairman)       President George Bush
          TCEQ                                        The White House
          P.O. Box 13087                       Washington, DC
          Austin, TX 78711                     president@white-house.gov
                                             
                             

Coastal Bend Sierra Club E-Mail

This page was last updated on 02/22/07.

 Protect America's Environment.
For our families, for our future.
       
A Philosophy of Stewardship               
The Sierra Club's statement of Purpose is:  To explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth; to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.

As a grassroots-based organization, we rely on individuals for our resources, talent, and energy.  Our members are our most important assets.   


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