The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
The EPA set its first-ever drinking water limits for five types of PFAS chemicals, and nearly 50 of Texas public water systems have reported exceeding the new limits for at least one. Full Story
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In Borger, officials say a prescribed burn stopped the Windy Deuce Fire from entering neighborhoods. But the practice has faced opposition from some landowners. Full Story
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As legal efforts fall short, Rio Grande Valley residents are pursuing a novel strategy to halt export terminals on wetlands: Lobby Europeans to reject gas from the U.S. Full Story
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A high-tech chemical company has purchased the last available water in the Nueces River to make hydrogen and ammonia for export. Full Story
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In testimony to state lawmakers, Dale Jenkins and his Panhandle peers shared the “hidden cost” of the wildfires. Full Story
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Officials are worried that there’s arsenic in some of the estimated 13,500 private water wells in Ector and Midland counties. Full Story
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is negotiating a land trade involving part of Boca Chica State Park. Full Story
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The new federal limits target six cancer-causing chemicals and aim to reduce the cancer risk of cancer for nearby communities. Full Story
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In some parts of the state, the skies cleared enough for people to see the total solar eclipse. Full Story
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Some districts will close for the day expecting traffic jams and busy city services. Others will stay open for parents who can’t find child care. Full Story
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Thursday’s hearing marked the end of the Legislature’s three-day marathon of public hearings. Full Story
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The Texas A&M Forest Service concluded that a fallen decayed utility pole caused the Smokehouse Creek fire. Full Story
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Attorney General Ken Paxton said the settlement will reimburse the state and feds for damages to natural resources. Full Story
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Llano residents are told to stock up on groceries. A Sulphur Springs church is renting its parking spots. And everyone’s watching the weather forecast ahead of Monday’s eclipse. Full Story
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A special legislative committee is investigating what caused the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest in state history. Full Story
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A new operator was assigned to fix the well in Midland County, which is still not compliant with state standards. Full Story
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Texas has become an early hot spot for geothermal energy exploration as scores of former oil industry workers and executives are taking their knowledge to a new energy source. Full Story
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Supporters say developing hydrogen as a fuel is critical to slowing climate change. Critics are concerned that producing it with fossil fuels will prop up the oil and gas industry. Full Story
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As ranchers recover from the Smokehouse Creek fire, they face the agonizing choice of what to do with an unknown number of injured cattle. Full Story
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A new report by the Environmental Integrity Project compiled data on every U.S. plastics plant built, expanded or proposed since 2012, revealing massive growth in Texas. Full Story
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