A newsletter from TxDOT's Environmental Affairs ENVISION Division

Volume 2, Issue 4 Winter 1996 8 Pages Lavaca Bay Causeway project faces challenge of Superfund cleanup site By JIM DOBBINS hurricane, the most powerful on record, made a direct hit on the Environmental Affairs Division bridge, with maximum winds estimated at 175 miles per hour. A plan to replace the Lavaca Bay Causeway is overcoming a Following extensive repairs, the structure has been plagued by an major obstacle – a Superfund hazardous materials clean-up site. excessive rate of deterioration. Major repairs were carried out on The Lavaca Bay Causeway connects the cities of Port Lavaca the bridge in 1984, 1987 and 1994. and Point Comfort via State Highway 35 across a 2-1/4-mile Beginning in 1992, several interested parties, including the stretch of Lavaca Bay. The original four-lane Calhoun County span was completed in 1961, and was severely Commissioner’s Court, Port damaged in September of that year by Lavaca City Council, Point wave action from hurricane Carla. The Comfort City Council, Port Lavaca-Calhoun County See BRIDGE, Page 6

Rules to change on air quality, wetlands In this issue EPA raising ozone, particulate standards By BILL KNOWLES Environmental Affairs Division Lubbock uses The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new tougher standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter, which are two criteria pollutants listed in the Clean tree plantings Air Act Amendments of 1990. After reviewing more than 200 medical studies on the effects of ozone and particulate matter on human health, the EPA concluded that the to curb snow, current standards do not adequately protect public health. The proposal may change the Page 4 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to provide enhanced protection to nearly 133 million Americans, including 40 million children. Health experts say both — pollutants harm children more than adults because their developing bodies take in 50 Dallas proactive See AIR, Page 8 in seeking opinions USACE phasing out nationwide permit #26 on Trinity Parkway, By TOM BRUECHERT modified in order to reduce impacts to Environmental Affairs Division wetland resources. Originally, NWP #26 Page 5 The news is sad, but we have time to could be used for impacts of up to 10 — grieve and prepare. One of our most acres with USACE coordination. After useful nationwide permits (NWP) for USACE makes the announced ENV acquires transportation projects, NWP #26 “Above modification, NWP #26 will have a headwaters and isolated discharges,” has reduced maximum of three acres. (The Sanborn maps, received a pink slip from the U.S. Army effective date for this had not been Page 7 Corps of Engineers (USACE). announced as of this writing.) Luckily, NWP #26 won’t head into retirement just yet. First it will be See WETLANDS, Page 2 Page 2 ENVision Winter 1996 Ramsey makes a difference in El Paso By RICHARD GOLDSMITH meetings, coordination with the Texas Environmental Affairs Division Historical Commission and by working When you’re the environmental with the Allen family, the issues were coordinator for the El Paso District it resolved in late 1995. means not only the usual diversity you get Ramsey’s section has also explored with coordination issues, it means working new territory in preparing a joint with another state, New Mexico, even environmental document with another another country, Mexico – shoot, you’re state, New Mexico, on Artcraft Road (SH even in another time zone from the rest of 178). The new highway will connect a the state. new port of entry in New Mexico to Judy Ramsey heads the El Paso Interstate 10 in El Paso. The project District’s six-member Advance includes historical issues, a bike and Transportation Planning Division, a pedestrian path and even a sound barrier position she has held since 1987, though along one stretch. The first phase of the the name of the group has changed project in Texas is scheduled for letting in through the years. July. “The responsibilities have pretty much “It was challenging figuring out how to remained the same,” she said. Those do something that hadn’t been done duties include environmental Judy Ramsey (left) and Mary before. We processed the environmental coordination, public involvement, Telles-Goins, also of the El Paso document as a joint document, working transportation planning, public Distrist, look over the Allen House. out who would do what and pay for transportation, transportation enhancement what,” she said. projects and reports to the Transportation its beautification program and for starting The El Paso District must also work Commission. the state’s first public motor oil and filter closely with Mexican transportation “We have so many things going on in recycling stations. officials and the city of Juarez. our section we jump around from one Ramsey says the fragile desert ecology “There’s a lot to know on the thing to another a lot,” Ramsey said. of the El Paso area makes people more international side,” she said. International She started with TxDOT in 1979 with sensitive to environmental issues. Bridges involve the U.S. International the El Paso District and has headed her “The overall attitude of the district has Boundary and Water Commission and section since 1987. Ramsey earned a math been positive, even proactive in the 17 must also be permitted by the U.S. State degree from UT in 1971, a master’s of years I’ve been here. I feel very lucky in Department science in community and regional that regard. I haven’t met a lot of people If you call Ramsey, or anyone in the El planning from UT’s School of who didn’t want to do things (to preserve Paso District office, remember they’re in a Architecture in 1976 and then took a job the environment),” she said. different time zone, an hour earlier. with the city of El Paso. Three years later In the El Paso District, the issues most “It’s irritating at times. I realize she moved over to TxDOT’s district likely to crop up on any given project are sometimes at 4:15 that people in Austin office. in the archeological and historical realms. are gone and I can’t call them,” she said. She grew up in Marshall and had to get One challenging project, and one that The same situation arises during the used to El Paso’s wide open spaces. “Once Ramsey feels she has made a difference differing lunch hours, and not just with you get adjusted to it you love the vistas, on, is the ongoing widening of North Austin. Most of the El Paso District – all the mountains, the beautiful sky.” Loop begun in 1988. Two of seven phases but El Paso and Hudspeth counties – are Now she admits to feeling a bit are complete and one is under in the Central Standard time zone. How claustrophobic when visiting her parents construction. One phase involves a pocket would you like to communicate back and back in East Texas, with its canopy of of homes eligible for the National Register forth with maintenance offices that are in trees. of Historic Places. And of special interest a different time zone? The El Paso District won TxDOT’s among those is the Allen House. The Because of that problem, Ramsey said, 1995 Environmental Achievement Award unusual and well-preserved home was “E-mail has been a boon to us.” based on a variety of activities, including occupied by the same family, the Allens, See RAMSEY, Page 4 the use of drought tolerant vegetation in from the early 1930s. Through a series of Wetlands: USACE phases out NPW #26 Continued from Page 1 with USACE (which translates into TxDOT. Individual Section 404 permits The maximum impact presently paperwork and possible delays) and and required mitigation constuction are allowed without USACE coordination is potentially more mitigation could result. imminent. Your Water Resource one acre. That maximum will be reduced After two years, our old friend will Management contact at ENV will forward to one-third acre on the same date. This permanently go into the history books and more details and copies of the federal modification will affect TxDOT projects no longer be a nationwide permit. This register announcing this event when in a noticeable way. More coordination final exit will be much more costly to available. ENVision Winter 1996 Page 3 TxDOT part of multi-agency team to manage Texas coastal areas

By JIM DOBBINS also comply with TCMP regulations and objectives. Environmental Affairs Division David Potter, an environmental coordinator with the Corpus A landmark multi-agency effort to preserve the environment Christi District, does not feel that the plan will have a significant on the Texas coast has been launched, with TxDOT as a key impact on district operations. “Our environmental impact participant. statements are consistent with the TCMP objectives. Our project The purpose of the Texas Coastal Management Program approval process will change little as we already have (TCMP) is to oversee the “environmental big picture” on the agreements in place with all of our resource agencies.” coast. Legislators and environmental activists had felt that Texas’ fragmented government structure was not addressing these issues in a comprehensive, coordinated and efficient manner. Issues as diverse as economic development, water quality, erosion and dredging are to be addressed by this program. Nominees sought An outgrowth of the Coastal Coordination Act of 1991, amended in 1995, TCMP’s task is to develop a comprehensive coastal program based on existing statutes and regulations. for Environmental Among the goals of TCMP are: • Establish the Coastal Coordination Council (CCC) to develop policy and oversee implementation of TCMP. Achievment Award Transportation Chairman David Laney is a member. • Establish fundamental legal requirements with which state By SARA BARKER agencies and local governments must comply. Environmental Affairs Division • Create procedures to ensure that state agencies and local Calls for nominations for the 7th annual governments implement and adhere to uniform policies. Environmental Achievement Award were recently sent to • Institute procedures to ensure that federal activities comply all district engineers. with Texas’ coastal policies. The Environmental Achievement Award recognizes • Establish procedures for the enforcement of TCMP policies, the best examples of projects and processes that fulfill regulations and statutes by state agencies, CCC and the attorney transportation objectives while protecting and enhancing general’s office. the natural and human environment. The award will be “This program will help us manage our coastal resources and presented to the district whose employees have make Texas eligible for about $2 million in federal funding,” said contributed most significantly to the natural environment ENV Water Quality Resources Branch Supervisor Carlos of Texas highways through the preservation, protection Swonke. and enhancement of native plants, endangered plant and TCMP was recently certified under the federal Coastal Zone animal species, natural topography, waterways and Management Act, which allows annual federal funding for wetlands; pollution prevention and abatement efforts; and various projects on the coast. protection of cultural resources at all stages of project TCMP’s regulatory program is focused on the direct development. management of 14 coastal natural resource areas (CNRAs). Each In previous years, Keep Texas Beautiful worked with CNRA contains vulnerable or unique coastal areas such as the Travel and Information Division and the Construction wetlands, reefs, waters of the open gulf, critical dune areas and and Maintenance Division to coordinate the annual coastal historic sites. Highway Beautification Awards program, which was How does the plan effect TxDOT? Activities concerning the founded by Lady Bird Johnson in 1970. Responsibility Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), such as dredging, disposal for the Environmental Achievement Award was of dredged materials, and alterations made to the canal must be transferred to the Environmental Affairs Division this consistent with the goals and policies of TCMP. year. Raul Cantu, a waterway planning engineer with the Past winners of the Environmental Achievement Multimodal Operations Office who oversees TxDOT Gulf Award (formerly the Scenic Preservation Award) have Intracoastal Waterway operations, said, “TCMP will add included the El Paso, Austin, Pharr, Paris and Corpus paperwork in the form of additional reviews, determinations and Christi districts. documentations, and may increase the costs of maintaining and Completed nominations must be received in ENV no operating the GIWW. The challenge of the plan’s review process later than 5 p.m., Thursday, May 1, 1997. The award will will be to avoid maintenance delays on the waterway, as any be presented at the 1997 Transportation Planning and delays would impede the efficiency of the waterway and shift Development Conference June 23-26, 1997, in Austin. If additional freight to our highway system.” you have any questions, contact Sara Barker (SBARKER) Environmental documents for transportation projects must at 512-416-2721. Page 4 ENVision Winter 1996 Lubbock District planting trees to reduce snowdrifts, plowing By PENNY MASON Lubbock Distrtict While for many, snow on the Texas Plains means no school for the day or snow angels in the front yard, for some West Texans, it means more work. In Bovina, maintenance technicians work long, hard hours to blade snow on farm-to-market roads where it drifts into the size of small hills. And, it is costly. “It’s about $3 a ton to move the snow,” said Mike Wilson, assistant roadway maintenance supervisor in Bovina. “It costs the taxpayers – it’s real expensive and it’s dangerous.” Some winters, 15 to 20 inches of snow falls on Bovina and the surrounding area. “I’ve seen it six or eight feet deep on some of the farm-to- markets,” he added. But TxDOT is taking action to prevent future maintenance problems. This year, the department planted a living snow fence. TxDOT, with the help of the Texas Forest Service, planted several hundred juniper trees on six different right of ways in northern Parmer County. And, the department got a helping hand from about 50 fourth graders from the Bovina elementary school. The students were invited to participate in this environmentally significant event to teach them the importance of using vegetation to prevent heavy highway maintenance. A living snow fence is a windbreak designed to catch blowing snow during the winter months. The fence, made up of a variety of junipers, blocks the wind and drifting snow, makes the roads easier to blade and keeps them open longer. It takes four to five years before the young saplings are large enough to make a difference, according to Ann Finley, maintenance contract administrator in Lubbock. “But, we should see a major difference when these trees and bushes mature.” TxDOT spent more than $5,000 for plant materials and vegetation barrier fabric and windscreens. The fabric and windscreens will protect the small trees and prevent weeds from hogging the moisture. The fabric is placed around the base of the Photo by Penny Mason trees. “If we prevent weeds from growing – which is what this mesh In the Lubbock District, Bovina Maintenance Techni- fabric will do – the trees can grow on natural moisture. We won’t cian Rocky Menning lays the fabric that will protect the be out the expense of watering,” Finley said. juniper trees. The Texas Forest Service loaned the Finley also noted how important it is to preserve the equipment to TxDOT. Watching is Bovina Maintenance environment, and to teach future generations how to work with Technician Chris Hunt. Mother Nature. metropolitan planning organizations. Ramsey: El Paso District full of challenges Ramsey said the existence of the group Continued from Page 2 matter. “It is recognized that we could “has enabled us to minimize the time we For added confusion, on the Mexican probably meet the air standards if not for have to spend on conformity and to have side of the border, the city of Juarez is on Juarez,” Ramsey said. consistency statewide.” the same time as El Paso half the year and Ramsey is proud that she is one of the Outside of work, Ramsey says she is an hour off for the other half. original members of the Air Quality spends her time trying to keep up with her “This region has lots of challenges,” Technical Working Group, formed in the almost 13-year-old daughter, Leslie, and Ramsey said. spring of 1991 after the Clean Air Act her husband, Ken, who is a certified Juarez is also in the same air shed as El Amendments of 1990. The group includes public accountant. Much of her volunteer Paso, which is a non-attainment area for representatives from state and federal efforts are centered on her daughter’s ozone, carbon monoxide and particulate agencies and non-attainment districts and school. ENVision Winter 1996 Page 5 Dallas Trinity Parkway study takes public involvement to next level Project takes aim at corridor named one of 10 most congested

By SHARON REITER with community plans and goals for the because we wanted to make sure they had Dallas District Trinity River resource,” said Wesch- representation on the work group.” The Dallas District’s Trinity Parkway Schulze. “In order to fulfill this mission For those not selected to serve on the Corridor Major Investment Study (MIS) is and our 18-month schedule, we must work Community Advisory Work Group, there unique in many ways. One thing that closely with the public.” are still many avenues available for them makes this study different from others is to voice their concerns, complaints and that it involved two partnering sessions suggestions. Public meetings are held on a with numerous agencies. And another is ‘We just finished our third quarterly basis to update people on the its public involvement process. series of meetings. The re- study’s progress. Information has also First, a little history. The Trinity MIS sponse so far from the public been placed at 10 public libraries within involves making good decisions for is that they appreciate the the corridor and five newsletters are transportation needs along the Trinity planned. Wesch-Schulze has also given River Corridor in Dallas. The focus is on opportunities we have given numerous presentations to community and congestion problems in the Interstate 30/ them to participate. I even civic organizations over the past year. Interstate 35E Mixmaster and I-30 Canyon had a reporter from the Even the format for the public meetings near downtown Dallas, an area the Dallas Morning News ap- is unique. During the first round of public American Automobile Association (AAA) meetings, attendees were invited to come recently named one of the 10 most proach me and tell me that together around tables and jot down what congested sites in the nation! However, we were doing a good job of they thought were the problems with the the study area extends beyond downtown fulfilling our public involve- corridor, and what they felt would be the to cover the Canyon and Mixmaster and ment obligations.’ solution or solutions. their effects on area transportation –Sandy Wesch-Schultz “We just finished our third series of facilities. meetings,” said Wesch-Schulze. “The Last February, Project Manager Sandy response so far from the public is that they Wesch-Schulze held two partnering What makes this project even more appreciate the opportunities we have given sessions. The first included everyone complicated is that there are so many them to participate. I even had a reporter involved with the project, from “publics.” Some projects have only one from the Dallas Morning News approach consultants and sub-consultants (10 firms public – residents or business interests. me and tell me that we were doing a good to be exact) to district maintenance and The Trinity MIS crosses the spectrum by job of fulfilling our public involvement public information personnel. They came affecting homeowners, places of worship, obligations.” together for two days to discuss the environmental and recreational interests, The media has been very helpful in potential rocks in the road, how the public business and industrial interests, getting the word out to the public meetings would be handled and how the landowners, civic groups and chambers of regarding the public meetings. Three TV different organizations would work commerce. A Community Advisory Work stations covered the public meetings, as together. Then, about a month later, she Group of 40-plus members was created to well as a local cable station. TxDOT organized a one-day partnering session address the concerns of these groups. distributed more than 120 news releases to with representatives from the different Members were identified based on various media avenues; purchased quarter- agencies involved in the project – the City nominations and community contacts. The page ads in the Dallas Morning News, El of Dallas, Dallas County, Texas Turnpike Community Advisory Work Group meets Sol de Texas, Oak Cliff Tribune and Authority, Trinity River Authority, U.S. monthly to provide input and feedback to Dallas Weekly; and placed large portable Army Corps of Engineers, FHWA, Dallas the study from people chosen to represent signs along I-30 and I-35E to promote the Area Rapid Transit, North Central Texas the community at large. public meetings. Times and dates for the Council of Governments, Texas Forming this group wasn’t easy. A meetings were also listed on Dallas’ Transportation Institute and the consultant series of neighborhood meetings for the hotline. team. homeowner associations and places of The next phase of public meetings, After all that partnering, they decided worship were conducted to encourage tentatively scheduled for March, will on the goals of the project and its mission interest in the study and ask for introduce detailed layouts and information statement, and were ready to get to work. neighborhood involvement. about promising strategies, and develop “Our mission is to develop a locally- “Making sure the public is given every consensus on a locally preferred preferred plan of action to solve opportunity to be involved is our main alternative. transportation problems along the Trinity concern,” said Wesch-Schulze. “In fact, River Corridor in Dallas, and to integrate we had to go to some neighborhoods twice Page 6 ENVision Winter 1996 Revised MOU with TPWD nearly ready

By BILL HOOD to all districts for review. Once again, the formal review process and further Environmental Affairs Division based on district comments, a number of expedite the environmental clearance The first MOU between TPWD and additional changes were made in the process. TxDOT was executed in October 1992. document. To further address the issues Where the original MOU sought to This document sets forth a mechanism to raised by the districts, the districts were specify habitat characterization enhance coordination of certain TxDOT invited to meet in Austin with ENV staff procedures, the revised MOU likely will activities with TPWD. This coordination to discuss any remaining or unresolved result in the development of such allows TxDOT to receive input from concerns with the MOU. This resulted in procedures apart from the MOU itself. TPWD, thus insuring that proposed one final set of revisions to the draft MOU The section dealing with channel construction activities consider the prior to its referral to TPWD. modifications was rewritten to simplify potential biological resource impacts. The This draft includes a number of minor provisions that would warrant TPWD coordination also allows TPWD to review changes, such as the addition or revision review of a project. The habitat any proposed mitigation plans for impacts of some definitions in the document and description provisions are being rewritten to natural resources. restructuring the MOU’s format. because the original MOU was vague and This MOU has been in effect for nearly Several major changes have also been subject to misinterpretation. five years and is now being revised to made to the document. The first and most The revised MOU has been forwarded better address the needs of both TxDOT obvious revision is changing the time to TPWD for review and additional and TPWD. The biologists of the Natural allowed by TPWD for review of TxDOT’s revisions can be expected as a result. Resources Management Section of ENV environmental assessments from 50 to 30 Following TPWD review, TxDOT has started this review process in early 1996. days. This will expedite final offered to host a workshop for TPWD and To more fully address issues that environmental clearance for a given TxDOT to resolve any outstanding issues. concerned the district environmental TxDOT construction project. It is anticipated that this will result in a staffs, a questionnaire was sent to all Another major change is the addition of document acceptable to the senior districts soliciting their input. The a section in the MOU entitled “Early management teams of both agencies. It is information received from these Project Development.” In some cases, this hoped that the MOU can be signed early questionnaires resulted in additional will allow for earlier coordination with in 1997. revisions to the MOU. TPWD on projects with relatively minor A copy of the draft MOU was then sent impacts. The intent is to possibly avoid Bridge: Wildlife refuge part of dredging plan Materials Branch of the Pollution dredge disposals. Continued from Page 1 Prevention and Abatement Section Dennis Nielsen, the Environmental Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, explains. “During the 1960s, the nearby Coordinator in TxDOT’s Yoakum District Senators Lloyd Bentsen and Phil Gramm, Point Comfort Aluminum Company of said, “The spoils island will have a levee U.S. Representative Greg Laughlin and America (ALCOA) plant used mercury in built around it to contain the newly State Representative Todd A. Hunter, the production of chlorine gas and sodium dredged materials. The contaminated sand petitioned TxDOT for a replacement hydroxide. The mercury was discharged in and mud, about 600,000 cubic yards once bridge. wastewater and found its way into the dry, will be placed on the island and in the TxDOT responded by designing a new sediment at the bottom of the bay, where it area between the island and the bayfront six-lane structure to accommodate more contaminates the top several inches of the so that it connects the two and forms a traffic and to allow for easier coastal bay’s floor. Once this sediment is peninsula. The levee will prevent the evacuations when hurricanes threaten the dredgedup, special precautions must be mercury from re-entering the bay. The area. The span will be built just north of taken to dispose of the materials in a spoils will then be covered with clean and parallel to the existing bridge. manner that meets the approval of the sediments to provide a secure cap sealing Straightforward, right? Wrong. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).” in the mercury contaminants. ALCOA’s The fly in the ointment: barges must be TxDOT personnel have been working plan calls for the peninsula to be brought in to act as work platforms to closely with representatives of ALCOA, designated a wildlife sanctuary by 2014.” build the new causeway. In order to the Army Corps of Engineers and the Funding for this project is expected to accommodate the barges, the construction Calhoun County Navigation District be available sometime between 1998 and area, which ranges in depth from ½ foot to (CCND) to find a workable solution to the 2001. Construction is estimated to take 5 feet, must be dredged to a depth of 8 problem. By working with these groups, about two years to complete. The existing feet. Unfortunately, the bay bottom at this TxDOT avoids assuming liability for the causeway will then be demolished. Once site is also a Superfund hazardous site in the event of a problem with the finished, TxDOT will not only have materials site. The area was added to the waste disposal. provided the community with a new six- Superfund National Priorities List in 1993. A nearby spoils (dredged sand and lane bridge, but will also have assisted in Wendy Worthey, an environmental mud) island leased by ALCOA from providing a cleaner bay and a new quality specialist in ENV’s Hazardous CCND is the site planned to receive the wildlife sanctuary. ENVision Winter 1996 Page 7 ENV buys microfilm of Sanborn maps

By ERIN TRUJILLO hazardous material surveys. mid-1880s to the early 1950s. Some cities and TOM EISENHOUR Originally created for risk assessment have updated maps from as recent as Environmental Affairs Division purposes by the fire insurance insurance 1970. In general, Sanborn maps are The Environmental Affairs Division industry, Sanborn maps contain detailed available for the historic or central (ENV) has purchased a complete information on building features such as business districts of a city or town. microfilm set of Sanborn Fire Insurance size, shape, construction type (sometimes A review of historical land use Maps of the state of Texas. The maps are date), use and street address. Maps were information is one component of valuable resources for both historical and prepared for most cities and cover from the environmental site assessments for a hazardous material survey. Sanborn maps are extremely useful to identify abandoned underground and former aboveground storage tanks. Historians use Sanborn BrainBender maps prior to an on-site survey to determine whether structures more than 50 by CRM's Steve Sadowsky years old might be present in a project area. Unfortunately, not all districts have local libraries with Sanborn maps or TxDOT Districts Abilene microfilm. A significant savings was realized by Find the names of the 25 TxDOT districts listed in Amarillo acquiring the microfilm reels of the entire the column at right in the puzzle below. Names may Atlanta state. Plus, ENV already had a microfilm be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and in reverse reader and printer. The entire microfilm order. Letters may be used more than once. Time: Austin collection, which cost $8,772, could pay about 30 minutes. Good Luck! (Answers on Page 8.) for itself on a single project if it helps Beaumont TxDOT avoid contractor down time or claims due to possible contamination. Brownwood The supplier, Chadwyck-Healey, ORNSSAEEMHSESHNEB Bryan claims that it is the only company with LGLAHAUST I NEMPVEH ownership rights to the microfilm from Childress A I HSACNGRKCUF I AE S 1850 to 1970. To copy the microfilm reels would be a violation of the copyright. TASOEAOANYTOEUNAD Corpus However, paper or hardcopy printouts can Christi AAAEUMPTNNRS I ETAO be distributed for use within TxDOT. Dallas The intent is for either district staff or FMMLESLKETE ILLLLO ENV’s Hazardous Materials Branch and/ AABUROTGWTO I APELW El Paso or Cultural Resource Management staff to perform microfilm review and/or printout LRABY IMOTVBNSAVAN Fort Worth on a project-by-project basis. Of course, A I LBPERNNATT I SCPW Houston division requests could be subject to OLPOMTOL I AATTOLLO workloads and other priorities. Processing Laredo these requests as efficiently as possible RL I CHI LDRES SYOOER still needs to be worked out. IOSKSS SUVI RTRLSWB Lubbock Some districts may still want a duplicate set of microfilm reels for their Lufkin DSDS I I IORTNOTYLER area. Chadwyck-Healey will apply the 20 AEBEOUMHROHUR ILAE Odessa percent discount that was obtained from ENV’s order to microfilm purchases for POELSNCAMELPEXASD Paris any TxDOT district. Districts can contact GRCKOSNUGUAHMLFA I Stacy H. Holley, Chadwyck-Healey sales Pharr YOAKUMACFODALLA SG representative, at 1-800-752-0515 or 1- San Angelo 800-737-2956 for price information. ORTP SECKV I DRONTKR Budget justifications would be up to each LARKBMI TODERAL I OP San Antonio district. Additional orders would be billed directly to a district. VOLEGNANASMYNEHCO Tyler For an index to the cities and dates CACATLANT I RAGECL L Waco available or if you have any other questions, please feel free to call Erin CARA E ARCAB T E R D I OE Wichita Falls Trujillo (512-416-3232) or Tom AWICHI TAKANSASWRS Eisenhour (512-416-2619). Page 8 ENVision Winter 1996

Environmental Affairs Division 125 East 11th Street Austin, Texas 78701-2483

Address correction requested

would join the ranks of dirty-air Air: Rules changing communities (officially named nonattainment areas): Austin, San ORNSSAEEMHSESHNEB Continued from Page 1 LGLAHAUST I NEMPVEH Antonio, Corpus Christi, Victoria and the A IHSACNGRKCUF I AES percent more air per pound of body weight Tyler-Longview-Marshall area. The new TASOEAOANYTOEUNAD than adults. areas could possibly be required to adopt AAAEUMPTNNRS I ETAO Ozone forms in the lower atmosphere auto-emission inspection programs and FMMLESLKETEI LLLLO when sunlight reacts with chemical stricter limits on emissions from industry, AABUROTGWTO I APELW pollutants emitted from vehicles, industry, power stations and small businesses. LRABY IMOTVBNSAVAN printer shops, dry cleaners and other sources. EPA officials say that the new A I LBP ERNNATT I SCPW OLPOMTOL I AATTOLLO Ozone reduces lung functions, especially in standards would have the following RL ICH I LDRESSYOOER children. Particulate matter is composed of benefits each year: IOSKS SSUVIRTRLSWB tiny specks of matter in the air that can lodge • About 20,000 fewer premature deaths. DSDS I I IORTNOTYLER themselves deep in the lungs causing • About 250,000 fewer aggravated AEBEOUMHROHURI LAE breathing problems. The newly proposed asthma episodes. POELSNCAMELPEXASD standard covers the tiniest particles • About 60,000 fewer cases of chronic GRCKOSNUGUAHMLFA I generated by industry, diesel engines, wood bronchitis. YOAKUMACFODALLASG ORTP S ECKV I DRONTKR stoves and other sources of combustion. • More than 250,000 fewer acute LARKBMI TODERAL IOP What do the new standards mean to childhood respiratory problems. VOLEGNANASMYNEHCO Texas? Currently, Texas has four areas that • Savings of nearly $1 billion in CACATLANT IRAGECLL do not meet the current (NAAQS): Dallas- agricultural crop losses due to ozone. CARAEARCAB T E RD IOE Fort Worth, Houston-Galveston, Beaumont- • Less haze in national parks and other AWI CH I TAKANSASWRS Port Arthur and El Paso. Five new areas areas.

ENVision is a publication of the via GroupWise to RGOLDSMI. Division Director Environmental Affairs Division, Deadline: Feb. 20 for the next issue. Dianna F. Noble, P.E. Texas Department of Is ENVision going to the right Transportation, 125 East 11th Street, person in your organization? Please Deputy Division Director Austin, Texas, 78701-2483. contact us to correct an address or to Ken Bohuslav, P.E. We welcome ideas for stories and suggest additions to the mailing list. Communications Director standing features. Submit those to Jean Beeman the above address, attention Richard RECYCLED PAPER SOY-BASED INK Goldsmith, phone 512-416-2743 or Editor Richard Goldsmith