In West Texas, the dry desert air makes for bright stars. But light pollution remains a problem as fast-growing cities, plus a distaste for regulation, mean that light diffuses into the night sky. A few towns in West Texas and the Hill Country are trying to change that.
Kate Galbraith
Kate Galbraith covered energy and environment for the Tribune from 2010 to 2013. Previously she reported on clean energy for The New York Times from 2008 to 2009, serving as the lead writer for the Times' Green blog. She began her career at The Economist in 2000 and spent 2005 to 2007 in Austin as the magazine's Southwest correspondent. A Nieman fellow in journalism at Harvard University from 2007 to 2008, she has an undergraduate degree in English from Harvard and a master's degree from the London School of Economics. She is co-author of “The Great Texas Wind Rush,” a book about how the oil and gas state won the race to wind power.
Posted in
Energy
TCEQ Chairman Plans Meeting With New EPA Regional Chief
Bryan Shaw, the TCEQ chairman, told an Austin conference he has already had two “productive” calls with Ron Curry, the new regional head of the Environmental Protection Agency. The two plan to meet within about a month, Shaw said.
Posted in
Energy
Symbol of Texas Owes its Survival in Part to Oklahoma
As Bevo arrives in Dallas ahead of Saturday’s Red River Rivalry game, it’s worth remembering that longhorn cattle might have gone extinct nearly a century ago but for the quick actions of some federal employees, who assembled a herd on an Oklahoma wildlife refuge.
Posted in
Energy
As Drought Persists, Water Seeps on to the Issue List
Things are starting to move on the water policy front, with Texas House Speaker Joe Straus and others saying water will be a focus of the upcoming session. Meanwhile, West Texas keeps getting drier.
Posted in
Energy
Hearing on Smart Meters Draws Impassioned Testimony
A Texas Senate committee heard sometimes emotional testimony Tuesday about smart-meter installations, as opponents of the installation argued that their rights had been violated and the meters carried health risks.
Posted in
Energy
West Texas Water Woes Run Deep, Despite Rain
Despite the recent deluge, the drought in West Texas is not over, and experts say the perennially dry region must plan carefully for the future. Pressure is also growing on the Legislature to address the problem next year.
Posted in
Energy
New Regional EPA Chief Named to Replace Armendariz
Ron Curry, a former New Mexico environmental regulator, will become the new Dallas-based regional head of the Environmental Protection Agency. He replaces Al Armendariz, who resigned after a firestorm this spring.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
Dried Up: Public Water System Shortages
The drought that began in October 2010 has continued into 2012, and it has taken a toll on Texas’ water supplies. As the summer of 2012 draws to a close, these communities are at risk of running out of water within 180 days.
Posted in
Energy
When Power Fails, the Grid is Rarely to Blame
Texans are already used to the lights going out because of everyday issues like storms, equipment problems or people driving into utility poles. So why is there so much fuss about preventing the occasional grid-wide power outage?
Posted in
Energy
Expiring Tax Credit Threatens Wind Boom
Texas is the top wind power state, but the expiration of a key tax credit at the end of this year could significantly impact the state, which contains about a fifth of the nation’s turbines.
