Top victories for Texas’ environment in 2020

It’s been a really tough year and I figure we could all use some good news. Fortunately, we’ve seen lots of wins for Texas’ environment that I am excited to be able to share! Here’s my list of the biggest victories and highlights: 

• Austin Community College became the first community college system in Texas to switch to 100% renewable electricity (for its Round Rock and Elgin campuses). 
• Abilene Christian University joined Southwestern University and Austin College on the growing list of four year colleges which only use 100% renewable electricity. 
• Houston signed a contract to power all of its city-owned properties, from fire stations to airports, entirely with wind and solar power.  

• The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will receive $20 million annually in federal funding thanks to the passage of the landmark Great American Outdoors Act. 
• Hays County voters approved a $75 million investment in parks and open space.

• The Austin Independent School District school board will prioritize adding solar panels as they modernize all school buildings over the next 25 years.
• San Antonio utility CPS Energy voted to extend its $70 million incentive program for rooftop solar and energy efficiency for another year.

• The Texas Water Development Board approved rules for its new Flood Infrastructure Fund that encourage the use of nature-based infrastructure, such as open space preservation, as a flood control strategy.
• The Houston City Council approved new tax incentives to encourage the use of rain gardens and other nature-based infrastructure in commercial properties. 
• The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality proposed improvements to its penalty policy to better hold polluters accountable.  
• Environment Texas joined with the Environmental Integrity Project and other organizations in suing the Trump Administration over air pollution from industrial flares.

• The Oklaunion coal-burning power plant shut down and four more Texas coal-burning power plants (Coleto Creek, Tolk, Pirkey and Welsh) announced plans to retire or stop using coal.
• Austin voters approved funding for new light rail.
• The Houston and Dallas city councils approved climate action plans. 
• Everman Independent School District (near Fort Worth) became the first school district in Texas to purchase electric school buses.
• The proposed “Project Falcon” plastics facility near Corpus Christi, which would have added significant amounts of global warming pollution, was cancelled.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday break. See you in 2021!