The heavy oil spilled into Galveston Bay causes concern for the nation's great natural nurseries. HARC's analysis reveals that oil spills are typically small, averaging about 100 gallons per incident. The latest spill is the largest in the Ship Channel since a facility leaked 70,000 gallons of bunker fuel in 2000.
HARC in the News
HARC serves as a valuable resource for both the private and public sector. Here you will find the latest news regarding HARC's research in the areas of air quality, water quality, clean energy, and resilience. HARC's communications department is ready to assist you with interview and research requests, press releases, media resources, and recent coverage of HARC.
For more information, please contact:
Kacey Wilkins, Communications and Marketing Specialist: 281-364-6092; email: harcmedia@harcresearch.org
A barge that spilled 168,000 gallons (635,000 liters) of oil Saturday into Galveston Bay is threatening a refuge that's crucial habitat for thousands of birds, experts say. National Georgraphic looks to HARC's Galveston Bay Oil Spill Environmental Overview Mapping Application for critical information on the spill.

HARC's Stephanie Glenn and the Double Bayou Watershed Protection Plan team review stakeholder ideas on potential voluntary solutions to water quality concerns in Double Bayou.

The Galveston Bay Foundation and HARC are partnering to provide residents the new Galveston Bay Report Card that will feature critical information on the health of Galveston Bay.

HARC Researcher, David Hitchcock, serves as a member of Bike The Woodlands Coalition pushing for bicycle lanes and shoulders to make the area more rider-friendly.

Cost, complexities cited as residents rage over dioxin's harm to rivers.

HARC's Vice President, Lisa Gonzalez, presents The State of Galveston Bay at the Deer Park Community Advisory Council final meeting of the year.

HARC's President Jim Lester discusses rising seas and what that means to Houston and the Gulf Coast.

Jim Lester discusses the importance of funds created by Proposition 6 should be prioritized for conservation and more innovative water strategies.

North Texas ties with Houston as the highest average in Ozone pollution. HARC's Jay Olaguer provides his theoretical view on ways to meet federal ozone standards.

After the successful passage of Proposition 6, Jim Lester confers over which projects should be at the front of the line for funding.

HARC’s Jim Lester weighs in on critical view of Tx water plan.

HARC Research Scientists, Rich Haut and Birnur Guven, discuss the importance of capturing and reusing natural gas and ways to reduce the amount of air pollution associated with the equipment.

HARC and TSSWCB host meeting to discuss ways to protect Double Bayou watershed.

Few business people have done as much to change the world as George Mitchell.

George P. Mitchell is recognized as the Houstonian of the century for his vision of The Woodlands, philanthropy, oil and gas contributions, and global legacy.

Scott Tong was the last person to interview George Mitchell back in December of last year.

HARC senior research scientist Jennifer Ronk discusses solar energy in Texas.

"If you're not measuring, you're just guessing," says Alex Cuclis, a chemical engineer who worked at a refinery for 15 years and now studies air pollution at the independent Houston Advanced Research Center.

The Houston area produces about a quarter of the nation's gasoline, and about a third of the plastics that are in our cars, cupboards and just about everywhere else. So it is no surprise that this heavily industrial area has a problem with air pollution. But in the past decade, Houston's air has improved dramatically.

Despite the many advantages of storing water underground, water utilities typically don't understand that the technology is tested and ready to use, according to HARC President Jim Lester. "It just makes so much more sense" than surface reservoirs, he says.

Storing water in manmade reservoirs underground – a technology increasingly being explored in drought-conscious Texas – can avoid eminent domain issues and dam-safety concerns that complicate surface-reservoir plans, HARC president Jim Lester says.

Through another HARC and City of Houston partnership, a new sustainable transportation alternative is made available for Houston residents. HARC’s role was to secure funding and manage the implementation of the new bike sharing program.

The Houston Advanced Research Center continues to tackle important environmental issues outlined by its founder, George Mitchell, more than 30 years ago. HARC is looking to develop technologies that reduce the impact of oil and gas exploration, reduce emissions from diesel engines, and improve air quality in the Houston and Dallas regions.

Rising sea levels are likely to cover the coastal highway on the unprotected west end of Galveston sooner than previously predicted.

Harris County Commissioners Court approved $1 million dollars in federal funding to CT scan the community's air. "This gives us opportunities to address environmental justice in a way we never have before," says Jay Olaguer, director of air quality research at the Houston Advanced Research Center.

Integral to the cadre of scientists and engineers concerned about undercounts is Alex Cuclis, an air pollution researcher with the Houston Advanced Research Center. He's also determined to broaden the use of advanced instruments to measure rather than estimate emissions.

Texas A&M’s partner in the EFD program, the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), is working to get an international cooperative agreement in place to promote all forms of low-impact drilling technology throughout South America.

David Hitchcock, member of The Woodlands GREEN and director of sustainable transportation programs at the Houston Advanced Research Center, was equally pleased. "We often have more to recycle than would fit in the smaller containers, as do several of our neighbors. Hitchcock added that the lids on the new carts will keep the contents from getting wet or from attracting wildlife.

The big oil companies told me we shouldn't delay action against manmade climate change. At least that's what I read on their websites.

Developed decades ago, hydraulic fracturing involves the process of breaking up heavy oil- and gas-bearing shale formations by pumping millions of gallons of chemically tainted water through vertical and lateral wells at intense pressure. Only in recent years has the practice become cost effective for industry, as advances in technology have been matched by rising energy prices.

The arrival of Hurricane Alex heralds another glaring reminder of Texas' susceptibility to widespread and prolonged power outages. Gone are the days when we safely assumed the lights would magically turn back on within a few hours after every storm.

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