CEC:AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS UPDATE =AD 1/9/04
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LOCAL
(1) Longhorn pipeline gets green light from appellate court
(2) Keep Austin Beautiful seeks nominees for environmental awareness
awards

THE WEEK'S EVENTS
(3) Walnut Creek Trail Cleanup
(4) Intro to Permaculture
(5) Austin Sierra Club Strategic Planning Meeting
(6) Sierra Club Hike
(7) Simple Sounds Concert in the Cave
(8) Rhizome Collective Community Potluck
(9) MLK Tree Planting

IN THE NEWS
(10) Austin American Statesman
(11) Austin Chronicle
(12) News 8 Austin
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LOCAL

(1) LONGHORN PIPELINE GETS GREEN LIGHT FROM APPELLATE COURT
by Erika McDonald

The Longhorn Partners cleared another hurdle in its plans to operate a
controversial pipeline, after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
ruled in
its favor.
The appellate court upheld West Texas District Judge Sam Sparks's July
decision to allow the conglomerate to move forward with plans to revive
the
50 year-old pipeline in order to transport diesel and aviation fuel from
refineries in Houston to El Paso. Appealing the lower court's ruling
were
the city of Austin, the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer District and two
Hill
Country land owners.
Opponents of the pipeline argue that its age, deteriorating condition
and
proximity to the sensitive Edwards Aquifer, which supplies drinking
water,
create an environmental disaster waiting to happen.
But both courts were satisfied with environmental assessments by the
Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of
Transportation,
which found no significant impacts. Writing for the appellate court,
Judge
E. Grady Jolly called the pipeline's environmental assessment,
"exceedingly
thorough and comprehensive."
City of Austin Attorney David Smith says the city is studying the
Circuit
Court=B9s opinion and considering further options. Smith said no decision=

has
been made as to how to proceed.

(2) KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL SEEKS NOMINEES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
AWARDS
by Erika McDonald

Keep Austin Beautiful is currently accepting nominations for outstanding
environmental programs and individual contributions that have had a
significant impact on environmental awareness. Nominations should
reflect
outstanding service in the areas of environmental awareness, action,
activities and education undertaken any time during 2003.
Keep Austin Beautiful will host the 19th Annual Keep Austin Beautiful
"For
the Love of Austin" Awards Luncheon on Friday, Feb. 13 to thank
volunteers
for their effort to keep the Greater Austin area beautiful.
The luncheon is an opportunity to honor exceptional volunteer groups,
individuals and companies for their efforts.
Nominations can be submitted online at www.KeepAustinBeautiful.org.
Categories include Beautification, Recycling, Education, Litter
Abatement, Community Involvement, Industry Leadership, Individual
Achievement, and Best of the Best.
To make reservations for the ceremony, call Keep Austin Beautiful at
(512)
974-7625. A table for eight is $500 and the individual ticket price is
$30.
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(3) WALNUT CREEK TRAIL CLEANUP

Date: Sat, Jan 10
Location: Walnut Creek Neighborhood
Time: Contact for details
Contact: Jim Letchworth

(4) INTRO TO PERMACULTURE

Date: Sat, Jan 10
Location: Contact for details
Time: 10-11 am
Contact: Selwyn Polit at (512) 926-7876 or

(5) AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING

Date: Sat, Jan 10
Location: Contact for details
Time: Contact for details
Contact: Chuck Byrd at
=

(6) SIERRA CLUB HIKE

Date: Sun, Jan 11
Location: Emma Long Park Sierra Club
Time: 10 am =

Contact: Nagla Elerian

(7) SIMPLE SOUNDS CONCERT IN THE CAVE

Date: Sun, Jan 11
Location: Longhorn Cavern State Park
Time: 6-8:30 pm =

Contact: (877) 441-2283 or (512) 756-4680

(8) RHIZOME COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY POTLUCK

Date: Thurs, Jan 15
Location: 300 Allen
Time: 7 pm =

Contact: (512) 448-0717 or

(9) MLK TREE PLANTING

Date: Sat, Jan 17
Time: 9 am-12 pm
Contact: TreeFolks (512) 443-5323
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IN THE NEWS

(10) AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
=2E =

LOWERING OF LAKE AUSTIN BEGINS MONDAY, 1/4/04
Drawdown helps check the spread of unwanted weeds
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/...tions/sunday/=
met
ro_state_f37fab96a54c327200bf.html

COUNTY TO BUY THREE DOWNTOWN GEORGETOWN BLOCKS, 1/6/04
City officials say the county's purchase hurts downtown development
plans
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/...tions/tuesday=
/me
tro_state_f3bf014eb4e0500a0061.html

LANDFILL SPORTS A CLEAN IMAGE, 1/6/04
Owners don't want to run a trashy facility
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/...tions/tuesday=
/me
tro_state_f3bf115ab4e0a08e00d6.html

(11) AUSTIN CHRONICLE

A DIFFERENT SHADE OF GREEN FOR TEMPLE INLAND, 1/7/09
A different sort of land-use debate is taking shape over the Edwards
Aquifer.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/issue...ols_feature5.=
htm
l

(12) NEWS 8 AUSTIN

CITY, ENVIRONMENTALISTS DISAGREE OVER EXPANSION, 12/31/04
More on Temple Inland controversy.
http://www.news8austin.com/content/h...3643&SecID=3D2
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ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

CEC Environmental News Update is a weekly publication by the
Citizens'Environmental Coalition, a 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to
fostering dialogue, education and collaboration relating to
environmental
issues in the Houston/Galveston and Austin regions. Visit the CEC online
at
http://www.cechouston.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe email To
suggest
items for inclusion, or if you have news tips or story ideas send your
request via e-mail to Erika McDonald at .

Phone: (713) 524-4232
Fax: (713) 524-3311
-- =

Celestial Habitats by J. Kolenovsky
2003 Honorable Mention Award, Keep Houston Beautiful
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - business
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html - personal