Bayou City Waterkeeper

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that millions in these United States are struggling to keep water on.” Pushing the rising cost of water infrastructure on low-income families isn’t the answer! On #ImagineADayWithoutWater, the Water Equity & Climate Resilience Caucus (#WECRCaucus) has released a new #WaterAffordabilityForAll framework that lays out a vision for: 💧 Long-term investments in U.S. water infrastructure 💧 An end to water shutoffs 💧 Affordable water rates that keep people in their homes Learn more at https://lnkd.in/edP6VNm7

We are thrilled to announce the 2024 Environmental Justice Conference keynote speaker, Roishetta Sibley Ozane. Roishetta is the founder, director, and CEO of The Vessel Project of Louisiana, a small mutual aid and environmental justice organization that assists vulnerable Louisiana community members with bill assistance, food, emergency shelter, and more. She is also co-director of the Gulf Fossil Finance Hub, where she follows the money that finances fossil fuel production and educates and empowers community members to demand that those banks defund fossil fuels and invest in communities. Additionally, Roishetta is a mom of 6 and a grandmother of 1. Her children and grandchild are who she’s trying to make the world a better place for. Roishetta truly believes that no one is good until we are all good and she proves that daily through her giving heart and philanthropy. The last day to register is TOMORROW Friday, October 18th! Register here - https://lnkd.in/dv6ErDzs

On the 10th Anniversary of Imagine a Day Without Water, we lift up this conversation from our friends at WE THE PEOPLE OF DETROIT on "Restoring the Flow: Rewriting Our Water Story," which emphasizes the journey from past traumas to a future of resilience, healing, and equity in water access. Today 10/17 at 5pm CST.

Our office is closed Today, October 14th, in honor of Indigenous People’s Day, where we recognize the Indigenous communities that have lived & still live on Turtle Island for thousands of years. Check out "A Celebration of All Nations by Buffalo Bayou Partnership" happening today from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. More information: https://lnkd.in/gQk9mc9U

Bayou City Waterkeeper is hiring a Watershed Outreach Fellow. This fellow will work with us to protect wetlands and further outreach in our watershed. The fellowship is for 12 weeks, and payment is a $1,800 stipend for an average of 10-12 hours of work per week. Apply and learn more at https://lnkd.in/gWph4sf3.

BCWK presents the 2024 Environmental Justice Conference at Texas Southern University—Thurgood Marshall School of Law! This is part of the Texas Public Interest Environmental Law Conference, a two-day continuing legal education event for public interest attorneys and community members interested in environmental justice. Day 1 on October 25 consists of a series of invitation-only talks and panels for attorneys. Day 2 on October 26, we welcome community members to join us for a series of panels and speakers, including keynote speaker Roishetta Sibley Ozane, M.S. Roshietta is the founder, director, and CEO of The Vessel Project of Louisiana, a small mutual aid and environmental justice organization that assists our most vulnerable community members with bill assistance, food, emergency shelter, and more. Registration is live until October 18th and can be found here -https://lnkd.in/dv6ErDzs The conference is co-presented by Bayou City Waterkeeper, Air Alliance Houston, Earthjustice, Environmental Integrity Project, Lone Star Legal Aid, Public Citizen, with support from The Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation and Texas Southern University—Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

How can the Houston-Galveston area and communities be better protected from major flood events? What are the options for flood mitigation strategies and how might they make us safer? What are the pros and cons of different flood mitigation strategies? The Environmental Institute of Houston at UHCL presents Preparing for Growing Flood Threats: A Public Forum on Flood Mitigation Thursday, Oct. 10 Reception: 4:30 p.m. | Atrium I Panel Discussion and Q&A: 5:30 p.m. | Bayou Theater Meet the Panelists: 7:30 p.m. This free event is intended for community residents, policymakers, urban planners, students, environmentalists, and anyone interested in flood mitigation. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g6tjN8nX

This summer, BCWK worked with our partners at Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), Caring for Pasadena Communities, and Clean Water Action to submit comments on ExxonMobil Baytown Olefins’ permit renewal and amendment. Additionally, we supported EIP’s remarks on the Chevron Cedar Bayou Plant’s permit renewal and amendment. For further information on these projects, check out this article https://lnkd.in/gmDvknu7 We want to hear from you! Please reach out to BCWK Staff Attorney, Clara Goodwin, if you need support making a public comment, have information to share, or have questions on the topic.

We are seeking a Water Quality Investigator to join Mobile Baykeeper’s Field & Research Team and work directly under the Staff Scientist. The Field and Research Team uses water quality and habitat restoration science to guide our organization in defending and reviving the coastal waters of Alabama. We develop measurable connections between water quality changes and key bay health indicators (oysters, submerged aquatic vegetation, fish consumption safety and swim safety). By monitoring these indicators and pollution or other anthropogenic activities that degrade them, we create baselines to track improvements from intervention efforts. Learn more and apply at https://lnkd.in/gZcxYTZj

Last week, I was invited to join the Houston Regional Roundtable for the Texas Water Policy and Advocacy Hub. This convening was hosted by the National Wildlife Federation and other Texas Living Waters Partners. One of the goals of the hub is to strengthen the water advocacy community across the state with community input. It was exciting to elevate the voices of our community to create an inclusive space. Thank you Bayou City Waterkeeper for recommending me!