The Lone Star Sierra Club's Water for People and the Environment Committee held its monthly meeting virtually on March 10 focused on the topic of seawater desalination issues in Texas. The program featured guest presenters Elida Castillo, the Program Director for Chispa Texas, and Jason Hale, a resident of Corpus Christi, who discussed the desalination process and related environmental risks and impacts. Major desalination projects are proposed for the Corpus Christi area, which could have significant salinity impacts on the ecosystems of local bays and estuaries. Here is a recent posting on the issues related to desalination by Evgenia Spears, our Water Program Coordinator: The Truth About Seawater Desalination in Texas: Costs, Risks, and Alternatives | Sierra Club

Update: The TCEQ approved a permit application for a desal plant in Corpus Christi on March 13: TCEQ votes on desal permit for Corpus Christi's proposed plant

A recording of the March 10 meeting can be accessed at: Water For People & the Environment Committee - Zoom and entering passcode: $fkNQ7rw

Or contact Frank Blake at frankblake@juno.com to request access. 

The next Water for People and the Environment Committee will take place virtually on Monday, April 14. Details at this link: SC Water for People & the Environment Committee: PFAS Contamination Issues in Texas, Mon, Apr 14, 2025, 6:30 PM | Meetup. One can also register for that event here: Meeting Registration - Zoom

The topic of the April 14 meeting will be PFAS, with guest speaker Dr. Katie Pelch from the Natural Resouces Defense Council (NRDC). PFAS is a class of compounds referred to as 'forever chemicals' because of their persistence in the environment. Dr. Pelch will discuss the issues related to PFAS: primary sources, how they enter our water supplies and food chains, and the resulting environmental and health impacts on agricultural crops, livestock, and human health. PFAS contamination has been detected in some Texas counties, and many states across the country. Possible legislation to address the environmental impacts of PFAS chemicals is currently being considered in the Texas Legislature. 

Issues with PFAS:
PFAS Contamination, Biosolids, and Resulting Environmental & Health Impacts | Sierra Club

The purpose of the Water for People and Environment Committee:

These online public meetings are for all Texans interested in water issues, advocacy, organizing and networking.

Purpose: To enhance local and statewide water advocacy efforts and empower Texas residents to advocate for water in their communities.
- Active statewide collaborative network of water advocates
- Increased public awareness of water issues across the state
- Increased engagement in water advocacy among Texas residents
- Transformative policy impact

Photo by Lance Cheung, U.S. Department of Agriculture