LNG company files for FERC- The Brownsville Herald

LNG company files for FERC approval; opposition responds

By STEVE CLARK Staff Writer

NextDecade LLC, one of three companies that want to build a liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville, on May 5 filed an application with the U.S. Federal Regulatory Commission for authorization to build and operate Rio Grande LNG, the proposed export facility, and Rio Bravo pipeline, a planned 137-mile pipeline to provide natural gas to the plant.

NextDecade said it expects to receive FERC authorization by the end of the first quarter of 2017 and will make a Final Investment Decision — whether or not to build the terminal — also in 2017. If the project moves forward, NextDecade expects to begin exporting LNG by the end of 2020.

Texas LNG, another one of the three companies with plans to export LNG from the port, filed its FERC application in late March.

NextDecade CEO Kathleen Eisbrenner said her company sees a “robust appetite for U.S. LNG on the long-term basis” around the world despite currently low oil and gas prices.

“This interest reaffirms the price competitiveness of U.S. LNG for customers looking to diversify their gas supply on a global level,” she said.

In response to NextDecade’s FERC filing, Jim Chapman of the anti-LNG group “Save RGV From LNG” released a statement describing the company’s plans as “a threat to the local South Padre Island and Port Isabel economy, which is currently thriving and actually supports the entire Rio GrandeValley region.”

“Rio Grande/NextDecade LNG is touting the 200 jobs they bring, but they don’t talk about the several thousands of existing jobs which will be threatened by massive industrialization and pollution,” he said. “Fishermen, oystermen, shrimpers and beach and nature tourism depend on clean air, clean water and a high-quality fish and wildlife habitat.”

Chapman characterized LNG as “a dangerous business” that uses highly volatile gases to liquefy natural gas in order to transport it overseas. He noted that the terminal would be built 2.7 miles from Port Isabel and, in the event of an explosion, Port Isabel residents would be forced to evacuate.

sclark@brownsvilleherald.com

Link to story

 http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/business/article_3decdd18-17c7-11e6-a9e1-3f34ce2c1541.html

Active Tourism- Port Isabel-South Padre Press

Town pledges $10,000 for active tourism

By MARTHA McCLAIN

Laguna Vista officials this week pledged $10,000 to fund a Brownsville-based transportation plan to develop an active tourism strategy throughout the South Texas region.

Geared for tourists who prefer active vacations, the plan focuses on bicyclists who, as a whole, are highly educated and spend more and stay longer at their destinations, said Ramiro Gonzalez with the City of Brownvsille.

Proposed is a bike trail possibly connecting the Palo Alto, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, the Fine Arts Museums, South Padre Island beaches, and potentially the Bahia Grande Ecological Center projected in Laguna Vista.

The local Eco Center’s construction is contingent upon award of grants through the Coastal Restoration Funding for Texas from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill grant program, otherwise known as the RESTORE Act. County Commissioner David Garza said he is working with Congressman Filemon Vela and the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife on the Bahia Grande project that would involve building a visitors’ center on the Town of Laguna Vista-owned 23-acre tract of land located adjacent to the Stripes Convenience Store on Hwy. 100. That grant application for the first phase of development is being submitted today, he said.

To continue reading go to:

http://portisabelsouthpadre.com/2016/04/15/town-pledges-10000-for-active-tourism/

Water Resource Education-The City of Edinburg News Archive

City Continues Water Resource Protection Education Efforts

January 17, 2014

EDINBURG, Texas  As part of regular efforts to protect one of our most valuable resources, City of Edinburg officials spent time with local students Friday to educate them about how stormwater contamination impacts the water we all use.

City of Edinburg Director of Public Works and Engineering Ponciano Longoria explained the serious consequences of failing to do your own part in keeping stormwater clean. He gave an interactive presentation before several Economedes High School classes showing how water drains to the Laguna Madre, an important and unique ecosystem by South Padre Island.

Longoria said polluted stormwater contaminates the water system it drains into; causes water shortages and leads to flooding because it clogs drainage systems, especially if illegal dumping is involved.

The only thing that can go into a storm drain is stormwater and stormwater is water that comes from the sky. Nothing else, Longoria said.

He explained keeping our streets clean is important because the majority of rainwater in urban areas becomes runoff that travels untreated into storm drainage systems that lead to the Laguna Madre. This happens because most surfaces in urban areas such as concrete, pavement, sidewalks and buildings are impervious, meaning they don't absorb water like the ground does.

The City of Edinburg is a member of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Stormwater Task Force, along with more than a dozen other municipalities in the region.

Tips to avoid polluting stormwater include picking up pet waste, properly disposing of grass clippings or leaves in the trash or by composting and never dumping your car's oil on the ground or in the storm drain.

Because of the lifecycle of water, the golden rule is: If you wouldn't want to drink it or swim in it, don't let it go down the storm drain.

Longoria helped students understand the area's waterways, including the two major ones, the Rio Grande and Arroyo Colorado, all lead to the Laguna Madre, one of only six hypersaline lagoons in the world and the only one in the U.S. It is a diverse wildlife habitat and one of the foremost recreation destinations in the country.

The Rio Grande, some 1,800 miles in length, has many wildlife species. Some of these are only found in the Rio Grande Valley. The Rio Grande is on the WWF list of the 10 Rivers Most at Risk.

Some students expressed concern about swimming at South Padre Island after learning about pollution, but Longoria said there's still time to prevent further damage.

It all begins with us,he said. We have to take care of each other.

To help, follow the Dirty Dozen tips pictured with this story and report illegal dumping. Don't take it upon yourself to stop an illegal dumper. Write down their license plate number if possible and call the police department immediately. Violators face citations, fines and, in some cases, jail time. Call the City's Stormwater Specialist at (956) 388-8211 or (956) 388-8999 to investigate the dump site.

LNG seeks local vendors-Port Isabel-South Padre Press Article

LNG seeks local vendors

By DINA ARÉVALO

Dozens of local vendors crowded into a conference room on the first floor of the Hilton Garden Inn on South Padre Island for a workshop hosted by Rio Grande LNG Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, on the sidewalk out past the hotel’s long driveway stood a small group of demonstrators armed with boldly printed signs which read “No LNG.”

The tug-o-war to influence what image of LNG is projected to the public continues. On one side, industry representatives were enthusiastic about the progress being made by the billion dollar company which hopes to be one of three companies to construct a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export terminal along the Brownsville Ship Channel. On the other, local members of the grassroots movement, Save RGV from LNG, are determined to keep their voices heard as they protest against these companies in a state that has historically been friendly towards the energy industry.

To continue reading go to: 

http://portisabelsouthpadre.com/2016/04/15/lng-seeks-local-vendors/

Can neighborhoods be revitalized without gentrifying them?-The Nation Article

Can Neighborhoods Be Revitalized Without Gentrifying Them? 

Baltimore’s new housing plan could provide a form of neighborhood uplift that benefits communities, not developers.

By: Michelle Chen

Last year, the death of Freddie Gray in police custody placed his neighborhood in a tragic spotlight, highlighting an all-too common urban misery: epidemic poverty, blighted lots, and shattered homes. Gray’s Baltimore has become notorious as the site of failed “urban renewal” projects, rife with liberal talking points but showing precious little progress in alleviating poverty and joblessness. There’s now a plan to generate change from the inside out, creating community housing as a source of collective healing...

To see more go to:

http://www.thenation.com/article/trusting-baltimore-communities/

RGV on America's Poorest Cities List-Texas Monthly Article

Rio Grande Valley Tops List of “America’s Poorest Cities” 

By Jason Cohen

Last month, Harlingen topped a Cost of Living survey, earning it the title of “America’s Least Expensive City. And neighboring McAllen came in third.

Now, the inevitable flip side to such data. The two Rio Grande Valley metropolitan areas have finished no. 1(McAllen-Edinburg-Mission) and 2 (Brownsville-Harlingen) on a list of “America’s Poorest Cities” (or, if you prefer, 365th and 366th on a list of “America’s Richest Cities”) by the website 24-7 Wall Street.

- See more at: http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/rio-grande-valley-tops-list-of-americas-poorest-cities/

Texas Monthly article What Are The Most Walkable Neighborhoods In Texas?

What Are The Most Walkable Neighborhoods In 
Texas?

By Dan Solomon

Texas cities don’t have a great rep for walkability. Like, you technically can walk around most cities in Texas, but doing so isn’t always super pleasant. Blame it on the relentless sunshine, the lack of sidewalks, the fact that everything is spread out because it was mostly built with cars in mind, or a population that would rather drive—but the fact is that, when you compare any city in Texas to, say, New York, San Francisco, Miami, or Chicago, you’re going to wish you had your car. 

See more at: http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/walkable-neighborhoods-texas/