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About This Blog
Investigative journalism in the public interest. That’s what we focus on in Dallas-Fort Worth and throughout Texas. Join the conversation. Help us expose the problems and provide solutions. February 2010
Recent Posts
In print: Groups target possible EPA regional chief Problem Solver: D/FW Airport recycles tons Citizen Watchdog: Stimulus fueling road work Categories
dallasnews.com Blogs
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June 29, 2009
A number of grassroots groups are out to scuttle the application of John Hall, a former top Texas environmental official, to be regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. That's because Hall has been working as a lobbyist for more than a decade, representing big petrochemical companies, Waste Management, and other firms that frequently clash with anti-pollution activists. The opponents contend that Hall -- who has made as much as $9 million as a lobbyist since 1998 -- is hopelessly conflicted out of running the EPA in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico. They also weren't thrilled with his tenure as chairman of the old Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, predecessor of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, from 1991-95. They plan a press conference Tuesday morning outside the EPA's regional office in downtown Dallas. Hall defends his performance in state office and his work as a lobbyist. He says he has scrupulously avoided conflicts of interest.  Comments (1) Leave comment
|  E-mail entryThe entry "In print: Groups target possible EPA regional chief" is tagged: Al Armendariz , Environmental Protection Agency , EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson , John Hall , Texas Commission on Environmental Quality June 25, 2009
It turns out they do a lot of recycling. Tons of it. Specifically, more than 7,813 tons of material since 1996. The airport collects recycling all over the place, too. There are 86 public-use newspaper recycling containers, 76 public-use plastic bottle recycling containers and 80 administrative office mixed paper-recycling bins. The airport has almost doubled its primary recycling collection from 550 tons to 978 tons annually, Magana said. Comments (0) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Problem Solver: D/FW Airport recycles tons" is tagged: Problem Solver; Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport; D/FW; recycling June 1, 2009
In the latest installment of our Citizen Watchdog column, Jennifer LaFleur shows us a new online tool that we can use to keep track of the $2.2 billion in funding for new roads, bridges, bike paths and walking trails due to Texas. The Texas Department of Transportation is operating the site. The information is organized by county. After clicking on a particular project, you can pull up a construction schedule, location map, funding breakdown and construction company in charge. Jennifer used the TxDOT site to find that Harris County leads the state so far in the number of projects with 18. Tarrant County has the highest dollar amount, more than $1.2 billion. Did you find the TxDOT site helpful? Did you spot an interesting trend? Leave us a comment and let us know. Comments (1) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Citizen Watchdog: Stimulus fueling road work" is tagged: bike paths , bridges , Citizen Watchdog , federal funding , infrastructure , Jennifer LaFleur , online data , Recovery and Reinvestment Act , road construction , search tools , stimulus , tax dollars , TxDOT May 11, 2009
The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners' database lets you see whether the dentist has an active license or has faced disciplinary action. You can't get specifics on the punishment, but there is enough to get you started. Jennifer reminds us of one caveat when using the database: In 2005, the Texas state auditor found gaps in the TSBDE's processes for disciplining licensees and found the agency was not always enforcing sanctions against licensees. It also found problems with the agency's procedures for doing criminal background checks of licensees. The agency, for what it is worth, also was subject to critical audits in 2002, 2000 and 1997. Comments (4) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Citizen Watchdog: Scrub your dentist's past" is tagged: database , dentists , discipline , license , online , Texas State Board of Dental Examiners , TSBDE April 27, 2009
Economic statistics -- largely pessimistic these days -- may hold clues to which industries are prime for job creation in Texas. Our latest installment of Citizen Watchdog column by Jennifer LaFleur (right) finds that health and education are two with such opportunities. Jennifer recommends two resources: The College Board, a nonprofit association of colleges, universities and other educational institutions, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Do you have a suggestion for a Citizen Watchdog column? Send us an e-mail. Comments (0) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Citizen Watchdog: Using data for job leads" is tagged: Bureau of Labor Statistic , creation , economy , growth , jobs , The College Board |
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