Ours is the first study to look at ozone in each layer of the atmosphere above Houston. Over the past year, we've seen that high levels of ozone extend much higher than previously believed, up to three or four miles in some instances.

TCEQ is interested not only in characterizing the ozone above Houston, but also in finding out where that ozone ends up. To that end, they've given us extra money to launch about 15 percent of our balloons from sites that are 80-100 miles from the city.

It's not the type of project that the city of Houston has been successful at in the past, so it's a huge challenge.

[The city did a study covering a more extensive area along Bardstown about six years ago, but] there's been quite a bit of change since then, ... Sometimes parking problems are more perceived than actual.

When I study the tracks of past hurricanes and study what we're looking at now, one can only say that it's by the grace of God that the Northeast hasn't gotten slammed yet.

We can't begin to do that without first doing our homework, which is why we're undertaking this study. We need a clear, up-to-date snapshot of the labor market in the region.