Greg Junek: Sunday Briefing

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will have a meeting July 25 in Longview to inform the public about, and receive comment on, potential non-attainment boundaries and designations for a new ozone standard.

The meeting for Tyler, Longview and Marshall will begin at 1 p.m. in the council chambers of Longview City Hall, 300 W. Cotton St.

The Environmental Protection Agency established the new ozone standard in March.

The EPA designates areas as either in attainment or non-attainment with respect to national ambient air quality standards for ozone. A non-attainment designation may require additional measures be taken to bring an area into compliance.

According to TCEQ information, the meeting – one of seven conducted around the state in July — will give the public an opportunity to learn about the process the state will follow as it develops its recommendation. Texas must submit a recommendation to the EPA no later than March 27, 2009, in accordance with the Clean Air Act.

Small Business Development Center will be host to a luncheon and tour for area lenders and small businesses from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. July 15, in Room 104 of the Regional Training and Development Center located on the Tyler Junior College West Campus.

Special guest will be Herbert Austin, who was recently named the district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Based in Dallas/Fort Worth, the district covers 72 counties in North, Central and East Texas.

U.S. Small Business Administration. Based in Dallas/Fort Worth, the district covers 72 counties in North, Central and East Texas.

Austin is responsible for the management and delivery of SBA programs and services, which include oversight of SBA resources, Small Business Development Centers and Service Corps of Retired Executives chapters.

The district office works with 314 participating lenders to provide access to capital to the small business community and covers 22 percent of the land area of Texas, contains 36.3 percent of the population and has 649,232 small businesses.

Also included in the program will be representatives from the city of Tyler, the Tyler Economic Development Council and area state and federal representatives.

For more information, contact John Hart, president of the Greater East Texas Certified Development Corp., at 903-535-9226.

IHS will have a regional customer appreciation event from 3-6:30 p.m. July 29 in the Woman’s Building, 911 S. Broadway Ave.

People in the petroleum industry will be able to meet with IHS product and data experts, discuss strategic issues and make connections with friends and colleagues in the industry, information from the company said.

Attendees to the invitation event will be treated to a happy hour and product demonstrations. The event is free, but advance registration is required by going to www.energy.ihs.com.

People who work in petroleum industry exploration, development, production or business development, and those who are curious about industry trends have been invited. Past attendees have included IHS data and application users, geoscientists, exploration managers, pipeline and transportation managers, petroleum engineers, LNG and gas new ventures management, strategy managers, banking and finance professionals and landmen.

IHS is conducting customer appreciation events and regional energy conferences worldwide.

The Texas Forestry Association announced it will be host to the Teachers’ Conservation Institute July 6-11 and July 13-18. The institute aims to help teachers reconnect children to nature.

According to information from the TFA, research shows that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional well being of children and adults. Educational activities in the outdoors also engage students’ curiosity and teach them problem-solving and higher order thinking skills necessary for success in school.

The TCI aims to provide educators with tools, training and resources they need to bring the environment into their classrooms and their students into the environment. Participants will explore the forest cycle, learn about plants and animals in East Texas’ forests and discover how the forests are managed in a sustainable way as they visit mills, tree farms, harvest operations and nurseries.

This is the TFA’s 19th year to be host to TCI.

July 18 is the deadline for eligible ranchers and other livestock producers to sign up for assistance under the Livestock Compensation Program of the Livestock Indemnity Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced.

Producers can apply to receive benefits through the LCP for eligible losses incurred during 2005 or 2006.

For more information, call the Smith County office at 903-561-2050, Extension 2, or the Upshur/Gregg county office at 903-734-1441, Extension 2. Program information can also be found on a fact sheet titled “Agricultural Assistance Act of 2007, on the FSA’s Web site, www.fsa.usda.gov. Click on Disaster Assistance Programs.

Greg Junek
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