Homework

Conservation/Endangered Species

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/10/06/Dunes-Sagebrush-Lizard

1. Which reptile/amphibian was being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act(ESA)?

2. What did the Centers for Biological Diversity (CBD) and Defenders of Wildlife hope the Fish and Wildlife Service wouldreverse?

3. What was significant about the 2012 decision?

4. Which member of the Plural Executive was granted intervenor status in thecase?

5. What does the DSL storyrepresent?

6. Previously, what would generally follow an ESA -listed species determination in thestates?

7. Did it stop the decline of the spottedowl?

8. Which industry was affected when the spotted owl was listed underESA?

9. How did forest management in the west changed after the spotted owl was listed under theESA?

10. Which areas in Texas would beaffected?

11. Why are the Permian Basin of West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico so important?

12. What did the Texas Legislature do to counteract the possibility of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as an ESAtarget?

13. What did the state of Texas gain from beingproactive?

14. Who did the Texas approachprotect?

15. Which university assisted with theresearch?

16. What kind of tactics did Congressmen Steve Pearce from New Mexico use to describe the activity of some of the environmentalgroups?

17. How did Pearce describe this particularplan?

18. Which recent decision was not as successful as the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (DSL)?

19. What was the main point of thisarticle?

Electricity/Power

The Texas PUC and ObamaCareBill Peacock

Texas Public Policy Foundation

http://www.texaspolicy.com/center/economic-freedom/blog/texas-puc-and-obamacare

1. What idea does the Public Utility Commission think would be best forTexas?

2. Who would pay for these capacity payments (corporatesubsidies)?

3. List the five impacts this might have onTexans.

4. Who appoints the PUCcommissioners?

5. Peacock believes electricity prices are low because supplies exceed demand. What happens when demand starts to increase relative to supply and what will these higher pricesgenerate?

6. List the three myths associated with the decrease inelectricity?

7. What does Peacock think we should not ask consumer to do regarding generators' claim that they can't turn aprofit?

8. What have past forecasts over stated?

9. What belief underscores the effort to impose a capacitymarket?

10. Have the future reserves even dipped below10%?

11. How about reserves to expecteddemand?

12. What does the author state regarding new generation inTexas?

13. The author thinks the problem stems from too much government intervention. How does the "market monitor and the PUC'S regulatory effort severely hamper market competition in the wholesalemarket?

14. How do state and federal subsidies for renewable energy distort themarket?

15. What two other factors have disrupted competition and reduce wholesaleprices?

16. What two suggestions does the author ask us to do to improve and reduce government intervention in the market and hence, avoid more regulations, higher prices, and highertaxes?

17. What was the main point of thisarticle?

Texas Renewable Energy Requirement in Cross-Hairs at Capitol

http://politics.blog.statesman.com/2015/03/17/texas-renewable-energy-requirement- in-cross-hairs-at-capitol/

1. Which state is the number one generator of windpower?

2. What does Senator Tory Fraser want todo?

3. What was the 2005 goal for renewable energy by 2015? What is the current production?

4. What does Senator Fraser's bill include? How much has it cost Texasratepayers?

5. What does Jeff Clark, head of the Wind Coalitionfear?

6. What was one strategy to kill thebill?

7. What justification does Bill Peacock give for the end to subsidies? The response from the renewable energy industrylobbyists?

8. What was the main point of thisarticle?

More Bad News For The Green Lobby: No, Fracking Does Not Release Outrageous Amounts Of Methane, Says New Study

Erika Johnsen

Proceeding from the National Academy of Science David Allen

National Journal

1. What did the new study from the Proceedings of the National Academies of Scienceconclude?

2. What were two concerns of the environmentalgroup?

3. Who was a lead author of thestudy?

4. How does the surface equipment effect on-the-ground methaneemissions?

5. What effect does the surface equipment have on the frackingrigs?

6. What is the overall conclusion regrading total methaneemissions?

7. Why is the timing of this study especially goof for the WhiteHouse?

8. What was the main point of thisarticle?

Water

Go to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) http://www.twdb.texas.gov/

Print in the title of the article in the search area.

This is an article that shows the research and development functions of the TWDB and the use of grant funds by the TWDB to explore and develop water sources on a regional level.

Houston Metro Success Story: Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project Water Projects for Texas/ Texas Water Development Board/News Media

1. What is the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project supply for thecommunity?

2. What has caused the ground tosubside?

3. What is the region's primary watersource?

4. What are the Houston and Galveston Subsidence Districts and Fort Bend Subsidence Districts nowrequiring?

5. What demographic change in Houston is prompting the increased demand? (Be specific)

6. What will the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer projecttransfer?

7. What three items will be needed to convey the untreated water to LakeHouston?

8. What will happen in LakeHouston?

9. What will happen after transfer andtreatment?

10. Who will be the endusers?

11. The project is slated to begin in 2015. When the strategy was first developed and how much will itcost?

12. Why was the Texas Water Development Board's (TWDB's) assistance so critical?

State to Study Desalination of Gulf Water as Viable Option in face of Drought Heather Alexander

Houston Chronicle

(A proposal to study the current water shortage by the Texas state legislature)

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/State-to-study-desalination-of- Gulf-water-as-5370551.php?cmpid=hpfc

1. What is Rep. Todd Hunter hoping todo?

2. What isdesalination?

3. How does the costcompare?

4. What will the new committee look for in thisstudy?

5. What two concerns dictate that desalination is amust?

6. How many desalination plants are there and what type of "water" is used in these plants?

7. What does the state water board tell us about the amount of brackish water in Texas?

8. What happened in Australia andCalifornia?