LEGISLATORS COMMENT

Senator Calls Center 'Unique'

"The institute is doing ground-breaking research into the development of cost-effective environmental restoration technologies," said Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who called the arrangement a "unique partnership."

"I'm happy that the Senate has voted to provide another $1 million for the program in next year's budget," she said. "This will allow the center to continue to build on its valuable work, which benefits not only Texas, but the entire country."

"I applaud Texas City, Sam Houston State University and its local partners for working together as a team to establish the new Environmental Technology Development and Commercialization Center," said Senator Phil Gramm.

"This new center will help Texas and the entire country as we more aggressively seek to make new technologies available to the petrochemical industry. It will help Texas maintain its status as the 'Oil and Gas Capital' of the United States."

"The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement of funding for the Environmental Technology Development and Commercialization Center is great news for the environment, the State of Texas and the United States," said Representative Kevin Brady. "TRIES and the center combine the resources of private sector, academic institutions, and the federal government to proactively solve environmental problems."

"I applaud the efforts of my colleagues, Congressmen Jim Turner and Kevin Brady, for building a team of private sector and academic partners in an effort to bring an environmental technology development and commercialization center to Texas City," said Representative Nick Lampson.

"I am pleased that the Sam Houston State University partnership, which includes five major U. S. petrochemical and chemical corporations, the Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies, and the Houston Advanced Research Center, will receive nearly $1 million to funnel the latest technological advances to private industry where new products can be commercialized and new jobs created."

"I was pleased to support this important project," said Representative Turner. "The Environmental Technology Development and Commercialization Center in Texas City will be a tremendous help in developing environmentally sound processes which will benefit Texas companies once the processes are commercialized.

"Most importantly, this center will allow companies in Texas to determine the best and most practical technologies to use to help them comply with Environmental Protection Agency laws and regulations. The center is precisely the type of private sector-federal government partnership that we should encourage and support."

Texas City Mayor Chuck Doyle said that he expects the partnership to be effective in solving environmental problems.

"We are proud to have entered into this partnership with SHSU," he said, "and the process that will bring about the successful initiative for improving the environment through proactive involvement between the private sector, academic institutions and the federal government."

Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
Sept. 16, 1998
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu