TCEQ Sunset Review Meeting, November 1

Almost every state agency in Texas goes through a once-a-decade "sunset review," where legislators evaluate the effectiveness of state government operations and assess whether or not particular state agencies are still needed. Texas’ sunset process includes significant public participation opportunities at every step, and it’s up to Texans to use those opportunities to advocate for strong laws. The Golden Triangle Group Sierra Club, Clean Air & Water, Inc., and The Alliance for a Clean Texas (ACT) are sponsoring a meeting to help us make the most of our opportunity to work for strong environmental and health protection through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality sunset review. See the ACV website at www.acttexas.org for more infor-mation.

A TCEQ Sunset Review Town Hall Meeting will be held on Monday, November 1, from 6:00 -7:30 P.M. at the Dishman Art Gallery auditorium on the Lamar University campus. The goal of the town hall, one of 15 meetings being held across the state, is to educate people on the Sunset process and to provide a forum for questions and comments on environmental issues. The TCEQ will no doubt continue to exist so we need to provide input to the state legislators and TCEQ personnel attending on ways we think the agency can be more effective in serving the public’s needs. There will be a lot of political pressure this election cycle to weaken environmental regulations and enforcement—even in light of big problems like the Gulf oil spill—and we the people need to stand up for a clean environment and the quality of life that goes with it.