Friday, January 30, 2015
The Friday Video: Ecosystem Services
This should really be called Ecosystem Services 101. After watching this simple video, think about all the ways that El Paso compromises its ecosystem services and, thus, leaving a poorer world to our children and grand-children and our grand-children's grand-children. That's far too many generations to grasp for sprawlers and City Council members who want to short-sightedly sell land now managed by the PSB for a short-term fix to their budget problems. The video:
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Ackerman Calls for Conservation of Castner Range
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| Photo compliments of Doug Agee |
Judy Ackerman, one of El Paso’s most outspoken environmental advocates and Secretary of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition (FMWC), spoke last night to a nearly packed auditorium at the Chamizal National Memorial Theater about conserving Castner Range. Entitled “Conserving Castner Range, Crown Jewel of the Franklin Mountains” Judy urged the audience to sign a petition to save Castner Range from any future development.
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| Photo compliments of Virginia Galarza |
The presentation was sponsored by the El Paso Sierra Club Group and UTEP’s Environmental Advocates. FMWC formed in 1978 and was largely responsible in organizing local citizen efforts to create Franklin Mountains State Park in 1979. Today the organization is working with stakeholders across the city in helping to preserve from potential development the 7,081-acre Castner Range—previously used by the Army for artillery exercises from 1926-1966. Located at the state park’s eastern boundary, the range is closed to the public.
Prior to Judy's presentation, Jackson Polk introduced and showed his video:
Visit Jackson's El Paso Gold web site to see and purchase his outstanding documentaries about El Paso history and lore.
City Parks Director Neither Sought nor Approved Removal of Palms from San Jacinto Plaza
"No Responsive Documents" - that is the official City of El Paso response to this open records request made by me:
"Mr. Novak [Tracy Novak is the City Parks and Recreation Director], The Policy and Standards Manual for the Care of Trees and Shrubs in the City of El Paso 17.1.4 stipulates "in the case of park trees, the Parks and Recreation Department Director approves the removal in writing after consulting with the Project Arborist." The California fan palms were taken from the San Jacinto Park and given to the contractor rather than to the El Paso Tree Farm. Please supply me with all documents (email, letters, etc.) which reveal your consultation with the Project Arborist and/or our City Arborist, Brent Pearson, prior to the removal of the palms. Please also supply a copy of your approval in writing of the removal of those palms."
"No Responsive Documents" means that Mr. Novak failed to approve the removal in writing. There is no record that he consulted with either the Project Manager or our City Arborist.
Why pass ordinances and have policy and standard manuals when City officials just ignore them?
Also read elpasospeak's post today.
Why tell the truth at all?
"Mr. Novak [Tracy Novak is the City Parks and Recreation Director], The Policy and Standards Manual for the Care of Trees and Shrubs in the City of El Paso 17.1.4 stipulates "in the case of park trees, the Parks and Recreation Department Director approves the removal in writing after consulting with the Project Arborist." The California fan palms were taken from the San Jacinto Park and given to the contractor rather than to the El Paso Tree Farm. Please supply me with all documents (email, letters, etc.) which reveal your consultation with the Project Arborist and/or our City Arborist, Brent Pearson, prior to the removal of the palms. Please also supply a copy of your approval in writing of the removal of those palms."
"No Responsive Documents" means that Mr. Novak failed to approve the removal in writing. There is no record that he consulted with either the Project Manager or our City Arborist.
Why pass ordinances and have policy and standard manuals when City officials just ignore them?
Also read elpasospeak's post today.
Why tell the truth at all?
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Bosque to Get Pipeline from Bustamante
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
"All: Good news. The EPCWID#1 Board just passed, unanimously, Item 1683, which will allow the B-to-B Pipeline to cross over District land. Hooray!"--Richard
The "District" is the El Paso County Water Improvement District #1. Their agreement allows a pipeline to be extended from the Bustamante Treatment Plant directly to the Rio Bosque Wetlands Park. The agreement was necessary because the District owns a narrow strip of unused and abandoned land over which the pipe needs to be laid.
What does this mean? A true wetalands all year round with numerous bird species and other animals nesting and living there. It means more ecotourists and birders coming to El Paso spending money and paying sales tax.
Hooray indeed!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
El Paso Sierra Club Hosts Public Event at Chamizal for Conserving Casner Range
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
Did you know that, if it wasn’t for a group of El Paso citizens back in 1978 coming together to support protecting the Franklin Mountains, we might not have the Franklin Mountains State Park today? If you have ever traveled across Trans Mountain Road you know that in the northeast there is a large area of the Franklin’s administered by Fort Bliss. This area used to be an artillery range and over the past ten years a new movement has developed to protect what is called the Castner Range as an addition to the State Park.
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
A growing number of people across the city are showing their support for this effort and a number of organizations are hosting a free public presentation on conservation efforts to protect the Castner Range at Chamizal National Memorial next to Bowie High School on Wednesday night, January 28 at 7pm. (MAP)
Learn more about the program HERE.
elpasonaturally urges you to attend and bring family and friends.
Monday, January 26, 2015
The Monday Links: Rio bosque, PSB, City Planning and More
[Monday is "Links Day" with links gathered over the past week to online "stuff" to read and sites to surf that impact us directly or offer information about our regional issues. Please feel free to send me links to any conservation, environmental, simple living, city planning, energy and water, etc. stories that you have come across online.]
The Rio Bosque Wetlands Park
Austin bird lover had great visit to El Paso, wetlands (A must read proving the point so many of us have made. Austinite writes: "The Rio Bosque wetlands were a real jewel that the whole city can be proud of. Please appreciate the intrinsic and economic value of your unique local wildlife, and preserve and restore habitat where they can continue to flourish."
EPWU, irrigation district working together on pipeline, drain, new lake Looks like the Rio Bosque will finally get a steady, permanent supply of water. Birds and birders will flock to El Paso now.
The Public Service Board (PSB)
David Nemir: City Council must leave El Paso PSB alone (online the Times now has it right)
Keystone Pipeline and Climate Change
Heinrich Speech In Opposition To Keystone Pipeline (It's not just the pipeline that's bad. What's worse is the vast ecosystem destruction caused by tar sands mining. We need to realize that we are part of these vast ecosystems that have evolved with us. Destroy them, and we undermine our survival.)
This chart of rising ocean temperatures is terrifying (Drives home more of what Sen. Heinrich was saying)
City Planning
Green Cities Provide Demonstrable Health Benefits (Note to City Manager Tommy Gonzalez: trees work.)
Brand new apartments planned near the Downtown El Paso ballpark? (An infill project here in El Paso)
Online course and webinar
WEBINAR: Green Infrastructure and Flood Resiliency – Land Use Management as an Adaptation Strategy in the Built Environment
January 29, 2015 – 12:00 PM EST
This webinar addresses assessment, planning, and adaptation to not only better prepare for the next emergency, but to sustainably manage flooding, and stormwater to maintain human health and a vibrant local economy. Participants will leave this webinar with knowledge about the latest innovative approaches to understand the effects of inland flooding and apply low-impact development (LID), site design, and smart growth practices at different scales of implementation. There will be reference to pioneering hydrology-based, sub-watershed approaches that have shown mitigation potential not only for storm water and flooding, but to the loss and degradation in water quality.
Learn more and register here.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
City Council Must Leave the PSB Alone
[This is an op-ed piece written by David Nemir who just recently left the Public Service Board. It was published in this morning's El Paso Times. Their title: "City Council must not leave El Paso PSB alone" was a huge mistake. Read David's op-ed piece and you will understand why City Council must leave the PSB alone and not try to take over its management and trusteeship of land nor must it attempt to reduce the EPWU to a department of the City of El Paso. Leave the PSB alone. If you forward any link to an elpasonaturally post, this is the one to forward.]
As an outgoing member of the Public Service Board, I have had a front row seat in observing water management in El Paso, both present and past. This history guides El Paso’s water future.
In 1951, El Paso was out of water. Drought, depleting wells and dwindling river allocations compelled El Paso leaders to seek bond approval to acquire needed assets and infrastructure. When voters said no, El Paso leaders formed an independent Public Service Board and made it custodian of El Paso Water Utilities, the revenue from which could be pledged to servicing debt. With the combination of an independent management and an independent revenue source, the PSB could raise bond money without voter approval, using bond proceeds to expand water and sewer systems.
The model has worked well. For much of the past 63 years, the PSB has used bond funding to leverage its asset base, addressing water needs proactively. Indeed, strategic planning has been fundamental since the PSB’s inception. Capital projects are planned and budgeted years in advance and are almost always completed within 5% of budget.
The result is a water utility that is among the best in the country --- winner of awards and provider of some of the lowest cost water services in the state. And as part of its planning, the Public Service Board has acquired significant land assets, paid for by ratepayers, that will play an important role in funding El Paso’s water future.
However, water ratepayers are falling victim to this success. Since its inception in 1952, the PSB returns 10% of all water revenue annually back to the city as a franchise fee. But recent City Councils have sought to modify that arrangement in order to generate new revenue for the City.
In 2012 Council formed a blue ribbon commission to analyze the revenue share model and to benchmark it against franchise fee and payment in lieu of tax models used for water utilities in other cities throughout Texas and the U.S. This resulted in a July 2013 report to Council that concluded that El Paso’s revenue share model is in line with other communities and is fair to both ratepayer and taxpayer.
Unfortunately, City Council chose to ignore this report and in August of 2014, increased the revenue transfer to the City by a whopping 30% by imposing an annual “street rental fee” on El Paso Water Utilities, advocating that this be raised by new fees on non-residential ratepayers (eg: churches, schools and business).
When City Council imposes a dollar of pass-through fees to the ratepayers, zero cents of that dollar go to meet water needs. Regardless of whether a new fee is called a franchise fee, a street rental fee or an easement use fee, it is still a cost to the water ratepayer without an offsetting benefit in water services. And it sets a dangerous precedent.
Through 63 years of strategic planning the PSB has acquired an inventory of land and water infrastructure which it holds in trust for El Paso’s water future. Through those same 63 years, City Councils have often had a shorter term, less strategic focus. The PSB, its asset base and its operations should be left alone until Council can articulate a good reason for change. City budget challenges are not a good reason.
David Nemir
As an outgoing member of the Public Service Board, I have had a front row seat in observing water management in El Paso, both present and past. This history guides El Paso’s water future.
In 1951, El Paso was out of water. Drought, depleting wells and dwindling river allocations compelled El Paso leaders to seek bond approval to acquire needed assets and infrastructure. When voters said no, El Paso leaders formed an independent Public Service Board and made it custodian of El Paso Water Utilities, the revenue from which could be pledged to servicing debt. With the combination of an independent management and an independent revenue source, the PSB could raise bond money without voter approval, using bond proceeds to expand water and sewer systems.
The model has worked well. For much of the past 63 years, the PSB has used bond funding to leverage its asset base, addressing water needs proactively. Indeed, strategic planning has been fundamental since the PSB’s inception. Capital projects are planned and budgeted years in advance and are almost always completed within 5% of budget.
The result is a water utility that is among the best in the country --- winner of awards and provider of some of the lowest cost water services in the state. And as part of its planning, the Public Service Board has acquired significant land assets, paid for by ratepayers, that will play an important role in funding El Paso’s water future.
However, water ratepayers are falling victim to this success. Since its inception in 1952, the PSB returns 10% of all water revenue annually back to the city as a franchise fee. But recent City Councils have sought to modify that arrangement in order to generate new revenue for the City.
In 2012 Council formed a blue ribbon commission to analyze the revenue share model and to benchmark it against franchise fee and payment in lieu of tax models used for water utilities in other cities throughout Texas and the U.S. This resulted in a July 2013 report to Council that concluded that El Paso’s revenue share model is in line with other communities and is fair to both ratepayer and taxpayer.
Unfortunately, City Council chose to ignore this report and in August of 2014, increased the revenue transfer to the City by a whopping 30% by imposing an annual “street rental fee” on El Paso Water Utilities, advocating that this be raised by new fees on non-residential ratepayers (eg: churches, schools and business).
When City Council imposes a dollar of pass-through fees to the ratepayers, zero cents of that dollar go to meet water needs. Regardless of whether a new fee is called a franchise fee, a street rental fee or an easement use fee, it is still a cost to the water ratepayer without an offsetting benefit in water services. And it sets a dangerous precedent.
Through 63 years of strategic planning the PSB has acquired an inventory of land and water infrastructure which it holds in trust for El Paso’s water future. Through those same 63 years, City Councils have often had a shorter term, less strategic focus. The PSB, its asset base and its operations should be left alone until Council can articulate a good reason for change. City budget challenges are not a good reason.
David Nemir
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