Clean Air

Reduction of toxic and other harmful emissions from industrial plants and electric power generating plants, prevention of air quality deterioration by a proliferation of new coal-fired power plants, and reduction of air emissions from vehicles

 through enactment of legislation to tighten the review and regulation of the health impacts of toxic air pollution sources and to reduce emissions in toxic hotspots;

 through a moratorium on permitting of new coal-fired power plants in Texas to allow a thorough review of the proposed plant technologies, cumulative air quality impacts of those plants, and alternatives to the plants;

 through adoption of the Clean Cars Program for new vehicles; and

 through full appropriation of the funds for the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) and the Low-Income Vehicle Repair and Replacement Assistance Program (LIRAP).

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 and other actions for greater energy efficiency for appliances sold in Texas and new buildings and homes built in Texas;

 through increased efficiency goals for investor-owned electric utilities; and

 through clarification of the goals and targets of the renewable portfolio standards 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 eliminating the cap on the revenue from the sporting goods tax that is allocated to state & local parks, fully appropriating sporting goods tax revenue to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, retaining and fully appropriating other current revenue streams for state parks, appropriating funds required for use of previously approved bonds for major repairs at state park facilities, and/or pursuing voter approval of new 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 of retail water suppliers


* This enumeration of Sierra Club State Legislative Priorities for 2007 incorporates revisions made by the Executive Committee of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club at its January 20, 2007 meeting in Austin.