Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter Action Alert
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Tomorrow (Thursday, March 5) the Commissioners
of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) are scheduled to vote
on federal stimulus funding for a list of new toll roads and
questionable projects like the Grand Parkway, which is proposed to be built through the beautiful Katy Prairie northwest of Houston.
Many
of these road projects pose serious environmental risks to habitat,
species diversity, water quality, and air quality.
TxDOT wants to plow ahead with new road projects in undeveloped areas
even though planners and land managers realize that denser development
in already developed areas provides more economic and environmental
benefits.
The Texas Sunset Review Commission has told TxDOT
that the agency must provide more opportunity for public participation
in its decision-making. In addition the federal stimulus bill requires
that decisions on expenditure of these funds must be transparent.
TxDOT needs to pause, listen to the public, prioritize maintenance of
existing infrastructure, and develop an improved stimulus projects list
that would be good for people and the environment and would create
green jobs, not fat hogs. We want real parkways, not toll porkways!
Tell
the Transportation Commissioners to delay their vote on the list of
projects to receive stimulus money and prepare a new list of projects
that are environmentally sound and reflect broader public input. Send your email now (by 10 a.m., Thursday, March 5).
Thanks!
Ken Kramer
Lone Star Chapter Director
Sierra Club
Please
help us grow our list of advocates by forwarding the link below. Ask
then to sign up for Action Alerts from the Lone Star Chapter,
Sierra Club.
Thanks again!
Sign up for Lone Star Action Alert e-mails and invitations at
-- https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/SPageNavigator/CHP_LoneStar_Signup