Government
BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
Harris County leads in gas-powered pollution An Oct. 30 report by research center Environ- ment Texas found gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment is putting residents’ health at risk. Experts said volatile ozone compounds can bypass lung defenses, damage one’s immune system and even cause premature deaths. Harris County is leading the charge of producing the most pollution from lawn equipment nation- wide, according to the report. What the experts say “It’s a dangerous and deadly pollution,” Environ- ment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger said. To lessen pollution, he said landscaping busi- nesses and homeowners could consider switching to cleaner, quieter electric lawn equipment. On the other hand Texas passed Senate Bill 1017 in 2023,
Volunteers clean up 300 pounds of trash During the inaugural event on Nov. 4, over 180 volunteers with Tidy Up Tomball picked up around 300 pounds of trash from 19 half-mile routes throughout the city, Tidy Up Tomball President Amanda Trickey said during a Dec. 4 presentation to City Council. Stay Tuned Tidy Up Tomball’s next cleanup event is scheduled for May 4. Learn more at www.tidyuptomball.com.
Construction on regional park to begin in 2024 Construction on the infrastructure for Mont- gomery County’s Fish Creek Regional Park is estimated to begin in the first quarter of 2024, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley said Nov. 8. Riley said the infrastructure construction would include work on the roads, driveways and sites for things in the park. In a nutshell The park will span 391 acres and be located off Fish Creek Thoroughfare near the Woodforest community, according to Precinct 2’s website. The park is estimated to cost between $30 million to $75 million using a combination of public and pri- vate funds, Precinct 2 Chief of Staff Bruce Berger said in a Nov. 9 email. Riley said the park will include around four sports fields, a community and nature center, soccer fields, and pickleball and tennis courts.
SJRA names new general manager
FISH CREEK THOROUGHFARE
Gas-powered pollution In 2020, Harris County produced as much pollution from gas-powered lawn equipment as 3.8 million cars, leading other large counties.
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The San Jacinto River Authority named Aubrey Spear as its new general manager Nov. 15. He will assume the role in January. The SJRA monitors water quality in the San Jacinto basin, provides water to munic- ipal utility districts and other entities, and operates the Lake Conroe Dam. Ed Shackelford has been the acting gen- eral manager since June, following former General Manager Jace Houston’s resignation. Career history According to a news release, Spear was previously director of water utilities for the city of Lubbock for 16 years where he led more than 200 employees. He also served on the executive committee of the Upper Brazos Regional Flood Planning Group.
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According to information presented at an open house Nov. 28, the nature center will contain a multipurpose hall, an exhibit hall, classroom spaces, pop-up shop centers and covered porch areas as well as shower spaces and kitchen areas for events and other uses. “This was a perfect piece of property for us to work with Johnson [Development] to build some- thing that’s not only a park—it’s got almost every other amenity that someone would be looking for,” Riley said. “And it’s needed. There’s no place like this over there.”
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Los Angeles County, California
Harris County
Cook County, Illinois
“This is exactly the initiative that we were looking to start. ... The future of this could really impact beautification in Tomball.” LORI KLEIN QUINN, TOMBALL MAYOR
SOURCE: ENVIRONMENT TEXAS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
prohibiting cities and counties from banning the use of equipment based on its fuel source.
TOMBALL PARKWAY 28595 Tomball Pkwy (281) 290-7810 SPRING STUEBNER 6603 Spring Stuebner Rd (281) 288-0239
THE WOODLANDS 10491 Kuykendahl (281) 681-9110 GOSLING ROAD SPRING 24527 Gosling Rd (281) 516-9404
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