Environmental Initiative Resolutions (7)

These resolutions were all developed by the Environmental Initiative of the Houston Region Democrats.

Some were originally presented and passed by the Harris County Democratic Party Executive Committee in June 2005, in a form that dealt with Harris County. Those resolutions were modified to address statewide issues and additional resolutions were added.

For information on these, contact Stephanie Hrabar, Ph. D.: shrabar{at}wt{dot}net, 713-683-0638.

For individual resolutions:

Click on the title for any resolution of interest to you.
Then click on the attachment, below the text of the resolution, to download a version that's formatted for printing.

To download the entire set of resolutions in PDF format and download a ZIP archive, click on this link.

See Resolutions for your precinct convention for more information on resolutions and what to do with them.

Ambient Air Quality Needs to be the Basis for Emissions from Industrial Plants

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;

More than 5 million people in the urban regions in Texas live daily in poor to toxic air quality;
Air pollution is known to aggravate respiratory congestion and impair the immune system in as little as seven (7) hours of exposure;
Emissions from industry, dust, heavy vehicular traffic, and smoke comprise the factors contributing to poor regional air quality;
Air quality management needs measurements and an appropriate baseline in order to monitor and enforce regulations;
EPA, TCEQ, and cities have air monitors that measure specific pollutants.
Health code regulations use an arbitrary basis/baseline for measuring emissions,
Known toxic chemicals occur commonly at much higher levels in the atmosphere than health limits allow as a direct result of an arbitrary basis/baseline;

Energy-Transportation & Public Health Policy..

To get a copy of this resolution formatted for printing, so you can take it with you to your precinct convention, click on the link in the Attachment box below.

Whereas Texas has historically been and will continue to be a vital source of our Nation's petroleum, petroleum products, and coal and coal-derived energy,

Whereas Air emissions from heavy vehicular traffic and industry activities are the leading causes of air pollution and toxic emissions,

Whereas Texas Health Code Clean Air Act exempts roads from air monitoring,

Whereas Air pollution is known to aggravate both respiratory congestion and cardiovascular related diseases, according to the Texas Department of Health,

Whereas The US Environmental Protection Agency testified under oath at a senate hearing January 24, 2008 that the health effects of air pollution had "yet to be determined",

Whereas Independent School Districts (ISD) do not participate in the public review process for pending or proposed energy-transportation projects nor are their bond and environmental health and safety departments required to review a Draft Environmental Impact Statement to estimate the potential impact on the health of students and public employees at schools within π mile of a major road,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Texas Democratic Party supports
energy-transportation policies regarding existing or future projects that consider practical measurable effects on public health and the environment. Furthermore, energy-transportation policies and projects must include provisions for the monitoring and enforcement of current and future State and Federal environmental codes.

Consistent with the resolution prepared by of OilPatch Democrats Energy Committee 2/08 and the Safer Air to Breathe resolution adopted by the Harris County Democratic Party 6/05 prepared by the Environmental Initiative of the Houston Region Democrats 3/05

Exemption of Diesel Truck Emissions Test

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality regulations;

Vehicle air pollution is acknowledged as aggravating both respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases;
Automobiles in counties, that not in compliance with ambient air quality regulations, are subject to an annual auto air emissions test and a fee for license renewal;
Diesel trucks are exempt from the state's vehicle emissions test program for license renewal;

Diesel trucks may not be exempt from the Texas vehicle emissions test program, until the air pollution threat to public health is eliminated.

Exemption of Roads from Air Monitoring

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality regulations;

Poor quality air has a direct effect on a community's health , particularly among individuals with chronic illnesses such as respiratory problems.
Urban regions modify major transporation projects within the city;
Vehicle air pollution (gas, particles and noise) is known to aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases;
The law exempts roads from air monitoring; heavy vehicular traffic, long driving times, emissions from industry, dust, and smoke comprise the factors contributing to poor air quality;

Require the federal or state funded transportation projects to include air quality and public health data in environmental assesments for major transportation within residential areas of counties that are not in compliance or near compliance.

Public Health Measures for Air Pollution Enforcement Program

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;

Air pollution aggravates both respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases, according to the scientific community, Texas Department of Health, and Texas Commission of Environmental Quality;
Regulatory compliance needs to specify and monitor living public health measures that are enforcable for the federal and state air quality programs,
Reasonable health measures includes incidences of aggrevation, inflamation, irritation, or burning of the skin, eyes, ears, nose, throat or lungs

The Texas Health Department establish appropriate, enforceable statewide living public health measures for the Air Quality Program that will monitor public health as part of the Air Quality Program.
Submission of public health measures, statistics, and research results in environmental assessments for publically funded projects.

Regional Water & Transportation Management Plans

WHEREAS Texas created regional water and transportation plans for development of urban areas and adjacent rural counties;

Texas is the home of many experienced scientists and engineers in hydrogeology, transportation, and public health;
General property tax revenue is a major source of funds for public institutions of higher learning, public transportation, and management of the public drinking water supply;
Surface and underground drinking water supplies are commonly polluted with urban and industrial wastes, that were released into the surface water or injected underground;

Good management of the Regional Water and Transportation Plans to create and maintain high quality public health and protect the public drinking water supply in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Appropriate and high public health science standards for regulating both surface and underground drinking water supplies in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Green-space for parks, recreation, floodwater management, and wetlands protection.
An environmental economic formula for water and transportation projects funded with public revenue, that includes an environmental assessment to protect public health as well as public funds.

Science-Based Standards for Safer Air to Breathe

WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;

Air pollution aggravates both respiratory and cardiovascular related diseases, according to the scientific community, Texas Department of Health, and Texas Commission of Environmental Quality;
Air pollutants are acknowledged by both the scientific community and the city, county, and state Departments of Health and Texas Commission of Environmental Quality as exacerbating both respiratory and cardiovascular related disease in the human population.
Vehicles and industry are the leading sources of hazardous air emissions;
Texas is the home of many experienced scientists and engineers in transportation, aerospace, and public health;
General property tax revenue is the primary source of funds for public institutions of higher learning and regulatory agencies,

Appropriate science-based air quality standards for the urban regions that will result in safer air for all humans to breathe.
Environmental assessments that include protection for human health based on appropriate health and life science studies.
An environmental economic formula that includes an environmental assessment that will protect both public revenues and public health for publicly funded transportation and development projects.