Environment
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 by Jessi Devenyns
Environment
Watershed Protection Department debuts new pollution spills map
When the Watershed Protection Department went to renew the city’s permit to discharge under the Texas pollutant discharge elimination system this past year, it found new requirements. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality recently changed its rules to require cities…
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 by Jerry Quijano
Environment
Tower Girl, UT’s resident falcon, has laid eggs again. Will one hatch this year?
Tower Girl, the peregrine falcon who has made the UT tower home for a few years, has laid three eggs in her nest as of Sunday.This is the fifth time the falcon has laid eggs in the tower, but none…
Monday, March 9, 2020 by Jessi Devenyns
Environment
Environmental Commission recommends city develop holistic resilience plan
In many respects, Austin city officials are striving to create an environmentally sustainable city. However, according to the Environmental Commission, the city is not as resilient as it needs to be.“Right now, we don’t have a resilience plan,” Commissioner Katie…
Friday, March 6, 2020 by Ryan Thornton
Environment
Watershed Protection to begin multiyear study of trash in waterways
With trash and contaminants like dockless scooters rapidly accumulating in city creeks and rivers, Watershed Protection is kicking off a two-year, three-part study to better understand the impact of litter on city waterways.The study begins this month with a background…
Friday, March 6, 2020 by Andrew Weber
Environment
White-nose syndrome has been found in Texas. Here’s what that means.
Texas’ first case of white-nose syndrome in bats has been confirmed.The fungus that causes the disease was first detected in Texas bats in 2017, but the disease itself, which has killed millions of bats on the East Coast, hadn’t been…
Monday, February 24, 2020 by Ryan Thornton
Environment
Land use code to protect transit-oriented trees and increase canopy cover
A recent amendment to the draft Land Development Code could change how heritage tree preservation impacts new development on corridors.Council Member Paige Ellis offered a concept last week, the Supplemental Heritage Tree Preservation Program, that she said would help keep…
