Conservation
Archived Issues
- TRINITY PARK THOROUGHFARE
The City of Fort Worth is considering using a portion of Trinity Park as public right-of-way for construction of a thoroughfare from University Drive to 7th Street. Neighboring residents and others who have long enjoyed this park are organizing to oppose the plan, arguing that destruction of one of Fort Worth's oldest and most revered parks in order to facilitate commercial development is a direct assault on our quality of life.
At an initial meeting spearheaded by Representative Lon Burnam on January 4th, approximately 60 concerned citizens met to hear comments by leaders with the League of Women Voters, Tarrant Coalition for Environmental Awareness, the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club, and the Texas Campaign for the Environment.
The next few weeks are crucial in stopping this land grab. Try to join your neighbors on the following dates - your attendance will show our City Council that a significant part of the voting public places some values above the paving of our heritage.
City Council Hearing
Tuesday, January 10th, City Hall, 7:00 P.M.
Park Board Meeting
Tuesday, January 17th, 4:00 P.M.
Haws Athletic Center
600 Congress Street (East intersection of Henderson and White Settlement
Road)
City Council Meeting
Thursday, January 19th, City Hall, 10:00 A.M.
Trinity Park Coalition
Tuesday, January 31st, Botanic Garden Center, Camilla Room, 7:00 P.M.
- NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS CLEAN AIR STEERING COMMITTEE
The North Central Texas Council of Governments has established a Clean Air Steering Committee to advise the represented governmental bodies as to ways and means to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act by 2010. Without question this is the most important issue facing the environmental community in the D/FW region. The committee meetings are open to the public, and we can and should be a part of their decision-making process.
The next meeting will be at the NTCOG offices, 616 Six Flags Drive, Centerpoint Two, 3rd Floor Transportation Board Room, Arlington, Texas, 10:00-12:30, on January 13th. Those interested in further discussion will meet for lunch following the committee meeting; for further details and reservations please call Rita Beving, (214) 373-3808.
December 4th regular meeting the Region C Water Planning Group voted to submit a plan to the Texas Water Development Board which will include construction of four new reservoirs to help meet the water needs of the sixteen county region including Fort Worth and Dallas. Construction of the lakes has met with strenuous opposition from property owners, logging interests, and environmental groups, including the sierra Club, with opponents contending the the same amount of water could be made available through use of existing lakes and more stringent conservation efforts. The final vote was 16-3 in favor of the plan, with Fort Worth Sierran Bob Scott along with the other two environmental representatives opposing.
- CADDO LAKE INDUSTRIAL PARK The Greater Caddo Lake Association urgently requests our help in preventing the conversion of vital lake watershed to an industrial park. Please go here for full details of this land grab, then write your Senators and congressmen. Petitions are available through any GFWSC Executive Committee member or at our general meetings.
- TRINITY PARK FREEWAY RALLY Join State Representative Lon Burnam for the "Walk Against RAPE of Trinity Park" on Saturday, December 17th, 10:30 am, Trinity Park Shelter House. For more information, call 817 924-1997
- TRINITY
RIVER VISION/TRINITY UPTOWN PROJECT - The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers has completed its Central City Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) for a City of Fort Worth proposal to rechannel the
Trinity River north of downtown. The Trinity Uptown Project will
replace the existing system of levees to offer greater flood control
and provide a town lake to serve as the centerpiece for planned
redevelopment of commercial property along north Main Street. The
Corps held two hearings in July to gather public comment. Objections
voiced included concern for the destruction of wildlife habitat on the
lower sections of Marine and Lebow Creeks and the lack of definitive
information on toxic waste which will be exposed during excavation.
After finalization of the EIS the Fort Worth City Council will
determine the scope of the project, while actual construction start
dates will be controlled by local and federal funding availability.
Comments may be submitted until September 7, 2005 by writing Rebecca
Griffith, Project Manager, CESWF-PER-P, U. S. Corps of Engineers, Fort
Worth District, P.O. Box 17300, Fort Worth, TX 76102-0300, or email rebecca.s.griffith@swf102.usace.army.mil.
- REGION C WATER - Written comment will be accepted by the Region C Water Planning Group until 5:00 pm, September 9 on its 2006 Water Plan. The plan as it now stands calls for a combination of additional water from existing sources, increased conservation efforts, reuse, and construction of four new reservoirs. The plan may be viewed at www.regioncwater.org, and comment may be mailed to James M. Parks, RCWPG Chairman/Administrator, NTMWD, P.O. Box 2408, Wylie, TX 75098-2408 or via email regionc@freese.com.
- The City of Fort Worth has been given a “grant of discretionary enforcement” by the Environmental Protection Agency to proceed with plans for demolishing the Cowtown Inn on East Lancaster. This property has been abandoned for years and is considered a threat to public safety due to its condition.
Demolition has been delayed because asbestos is present, and the City has not been willing to invest the money necessary for its removal by traditional accepted methods. However, a pilot project known as the Fort Worth Method is contemplated in this case with the asbestos being wetted and removed without the usual safeguards. The EPA Office of Inspector General has serious reservations about the technique, as does the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter and our national offices.
Public hearings will be held on March 25th and April 29th at the Handley-Meadowbrook Community Center, 6201 Beaty, Fort Worth, 7:00 pm.
- The Brazos River Conservation Coalition has been organized by property owners near Mineral Wells to combat deterioration of the river’s quality. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has determined that the degradation is caused primarily by sediment released when rock is quarried at several locations along the river, and one quarry has already closed rather than take the steps necessary to control runoff.
For further information, contact Sandy Wilkins, e-mail sew170@earthlink.net or visit their web site at www.brazosriverconservation.org.
- The U.S. Corps of Engineers will be surrendering management of several hundred acres of land on Lake Grapevine due to budgetary considerations. The City of Grapevine has been temporarily using the property as parkland, and has announced plans to enter into a long-term lease with the Corps. Extensive development of the land is being considered, which is of great concern to many Grapevine and area residents who would prefer to leave the land in its natural state. Grapevine Citizens’ Watch has been created to work with the City toward that goal and all interested citizens are invited to join. Contact Patti Thoits, President, at (817) 421-9754, or e-mail andythoits@juno.com.
Home | Conservation | Outings | News | General Meeting