Julie Thibodeaux

The Native Prairies Association of Texas, a statewide conservation group, met its fundraising goal to hire a North Texas Outreach and Stewardship Director. This role will oversee local prairie stewardship and partnerships. Less than 1% of Texas's tallgrass prairies remain, and efforts aim to conserve remaining examples threatened by urban expansion.

Molly Rooke, a Dallas Sierra Club activist, encountered hazardous abandoned oil wells on her family ranch. A Texas judge halted the Texas Railroad Commission's COVID-19 waivers for oil and gas companies, which bypassed environmental rules. Public Citizen's lawsuit emphasizes landowner rights and cleanup responsibilities amid industry bankruptcies.

After canceling his initial plans due to the pandemic, UTA graduate Graham Feil completed the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail using a "Flip Flop" strategy. Despite challenges like social distancing and wildlife encounters, Feil enjoyed the solitary journey and plans more hikes, emphasizing the value of nature and urban green spaces.

The Rocking Horse drill site in Arlington, near a preschool, was shut down after watchdogs reported operators violating the city’s gas drilling ordinance. Liveable Arlington documented the use of a gas-powered rig near the school, against the ordinance requiring electric rigs, prompting the city to act.

The 9th annual Green Source DFW Sustainable Leadership Awards honored North Texas environmental leaders on Zoom. Attendees included awardees like activists Olinka Green and Marsha Jackson, companies Texas Nameplate and Good Faith Energy, and initiatives like Fort Worth's composting program. The keynote address by Moses Boyd emphasized environmental justice.

The 9th annual Green Source DFW Sustainable Leadership Awards, recognizing environmental leaders in North Texas, will be held online via Zoom on Nov. 12, 2020, and is free to attend. Moses Boyd will keynote, discussing the link between environmental and social justice.

"Law & Nature" airs an "Election 2020" episode on EarthxTV from Nov. 9, exploring the election's impact on environmental law. Panelists will discuss issues like climate change and environmental justice, with insights from leading environmental law experts. The series emphasizes the election's potential long-term implications.

Fort Worth's Open Space Acquisitions Program, launched to preserve natural areas amid urban growth, aims to protect parcels for flood control, recreation, and wildlife. Overseen by Jennifer Dyke, the program collaborates with stakeholders and utilizes various funding sources, recently purchasing Broadcast Hill to expand Tandy Hills Natural Area.

Activists from Southern Sector Rising staged a protest with skull and crossbones posters at Dallas' Shingle Mountain, urging the city to act on removing 70,000 tons of shingles. While Dallas accepted a $450,000 contractor bid for cleanup, activists demand a detailed removal timetable. Next protest at City Hall is planned.

Environmentalists are protesting Waste Control Specialists' plan for a high-level radioactive waste dump in West Texas, which recently received preliminary approval. Public meetings are set for October, but activists criticize the virtual format. Concerns include safety risks and the legality of the site's use for nuclear waste.

Six North Texans will be recognized at the 2020 Texas Sierra Club’s Environmental Awards on Oct. 3 via Zoom. Honorees include Bre Jacks, Olinka Green, and Marcus X Russell for Environmental Justice, David Schechter and Robert Wilonsky for Environmental Reporting, and Andrew Brinker for Special Service.

About 30 migrating birds, disoriented by Dallas's bright lights, collided with buildings this week. The Texas Conservation Alliance's survey is part of the Lights Out Texas campaign to reduce light pollution. Dallas, a major migration path, is dangerous for birds due to its urban lights.