May 26th, 2017

SSCI’s offices will be closed on Monday, May 29, 2017 in observance of Memorial Day.  If you require immediate assistance, you can contact us at 800.324.7724.

April 21st, 2017

SSCI will be celebrating Earth Day tomorrow, April 22, 2017 at the Party for the Planet  at Armand Bayou Nature Center.  Earth Day is an annual event created to celebrate the planet’s environment and raise public awareness about the environment.  The day, marked on April 22, is observed worldwide with rallies, conferences, outdoor activities and service projects. The first Earth Day was in 1970.  For more information about the history of Earth Day, visit Live Science. Party for the Planet is being hosted by Armand Bayou Nature Center (ABNC) Board of Trustees.  ABNC stands out as one of the largest urban wilderness preserves Read More »

April 21st, 2017

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has proposed new rules for Mold Assessors and Remediators. The proposed new rules are necessary to implement the transition of the Mold Assessors and Remediators program from the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) to TDLR.  Texas Senate Bill 202 proposed transferring Mold licensing from TDSHS to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) effective on November 1, 2017. The proposed rules are published in the April 21, 2017, issue of the Texas Register (42 TexReg 2057). The TDLR will accept comments on the proposal until May 22, 2017.  The proposed Read More »

April 8th, 2017

Oil spills consisting of crude oil or drilling “mud” are often found at oil and gas drilling sites.  Drilling fluids are captured during drilling in pits and held for later disposal. The frequency of spills and improper maintenance and disposal of drilling mud results in soil, surface water, and groundwater impacts.  Once the drilling field has been exhausted or abandoned due to economic reasons, the wells, drilling equipment, tanks, pits, gathering lines, and other equipment (as seen in the pictures above) are left behind for property owners to cleanup. Because there are no requirements in most states for property owners Read More »

April 5th, 2017

  Many people enjoy feeding bits of bread to hungry ducks and geese as their children laugh, squeal, and giggle feeling as if they are part of nature.  However, Texas Parks and Wildlife warns that feeding migratory ducks at local ponds and creeks can create problems for the birds and the environment.  These problems include: Malnutrition Dependency Disease Environmental Degradation Water Pollution Artificial feeding also attracts birds to human habitats such as parking lots, fast-food restaurants, and retention ponds where they are subject to injury or accidental death.  Waterfowl are protected by natural cover in wildlife areas that provide protection from bad Read More »

April 4th, 2017

SSCI participated in a fishing trip courtesy of Armand Bayou Nature Center (ABNC) and Texas Legacy Outdoors. Captain Dwayne Green navigated the waters of Matagorda Harbor and Matagorda Bay resulting in a successful catch by Helen I. Hodges, President of SSCI.  Ms. Hodges with her catch, a Speckled Trout, is pictured with Captain Green on Matagorda Bay on March 18, 2017. ABNC located in Clear Lake, Texas stands out as one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the United States, providing the community with exceptional educational, recreational, and health benefits of nearby nature.  ABNC is planning for the future Read More »