(Terence Henry/State Impact Texas)
In October, word got out of a scuffle between scientists and the Texas government. On one side, Rice University oceanographer John Anderson, who submitted an article on rising sea levels for a report to be published by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on Galveston Bay. On the other, the TCEQ itself, which didn’t like some of what Anderson had to say, and excised his references to climate change and human impacts.
An agreement has now been reached between the two parties that will result in Anderson’s article being published in the commission’s report. It’s not immediately clear what the compromises are between Anderson and the commission due to a confidentiality agreement.
After the TCEQ excised Anderson’s references to climate change in October, he released the edits the commission made to his article, and that led to the commission removing his article from the report entirely. The commission was criticized for silencing scientific warnings on climate change, and an online petition was taken up by a fifth-grade teacher in San Antonio at change.org, asking the commission to release the un-edited version of Anderson’s article. Commission spokesperson, Andy Saenz, said at the time, “why would we include things we don’t agree with? That’s ridiculous.”
The petition seems to have been a success. (Read the full story at State Impact Texas)
OTHER NEWS LINKS:
- Houston, Cy-Fair Among Latest School Districts to Sue State (Houston Chronicle)
- Goodfellows Steps in After Mom with 2 Degrees Loses Job (Houston Chronicle)
- Family gets new home just in time for Christmas (KTRK-13 News)
- Americans Are Most Generous, Global Poll Finds (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
- Power Plants Have Four Years To Comply With New EPA Rules (KUHF-Public Radio)
OPINIONS ON NEW EPA REGULATIONS:
- Toward Healthier Air (New York Times)
- Lisa Jackson’s Power Play (Wall Street Journal)