Abbott to Texans: Try to Use Less Power
Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday made this appeal to Texans: Curb your electricity use, if you can – for the grid’s sake. Full Story
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![Grid technicians monitor screens at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' state-of-the-art backup control center in Bastrop.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
UT, Japan Partner to Cut Data Center Energy Use
The University of Texas at Austin and the Japanese government are joining forces to tackle a growing problem of the digital age: As data centers crop up across the U.S., they're sucking up a lot of electricity. Full Story
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![Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos speaks at a press conference at the University of Texas at Austin, where officials announced a new partnership with the Japanese government aimed at boosting energy efficiency at data centers.]()
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New Law Will Help More Texans Go Solar
A loophole in state law allowed some developers to block solar installations on homes in new neighborhoods. Now it's been plugged. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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![Nipendra Patel in front of his home in the Bastrop community of The Colony. Patel's roof is marked with studs meant to support solar panels, but the neighborhood's developer blocked their installation.]()
Credit: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez -
Obama Unveils Climate Rules, With Texas-Wide Implications
President Obama on Monday unveiled the final version of his state-by-state effort to combat climate change by reshaping the nation’s energy sector – a plan that has roiled Republican leaders in Texas. Full Story
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Lawmakers Ditch $200 Fee for Lawyers, Doctors, Brokers
Fourteen years after lawmakers first tacked on a $200 annual licensing fee for some occupations, the so-called professionals tax will be repealed Sept. 1. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Grid Operator Asks Texans to Temporarily Curb Electricity Use
The operator of the electric grid that covers most of the state called for Texans to temporarily curb their electricity use for a few hours on Thursday afternoon as record-breaking demands strain the state’s energy resources. Full Story
![Grid technicians monitor screens at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' state-of-the-art backup control center in Bastrop.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Jerry Patterson to George P. Bush: Focus Less on "Derriere"
Upset about the way a recent state audit painted the agency he lead for 12 years, former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is jabbing his successor, George P. Bush, for failing to push back against the audit’s findings. Full Story
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Despite Early Optimism, Trade With Cuba Dipping
When the U.S. announced it would lift its embargo last winter, experts were excited about the prospect of increased trade with Cuba. But Texas' trade with the island nation has dropped, and when things might pick up isn't easy to predict. Full Story
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Perry Launches Populist Offensive Against Big Banks
Former Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday launched an offensive against banks that are too big to fail, making a pitch for Wall Street reform. Full Story
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![Former Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday delivered a speech on Wall Street reform in New York. The Republican presidential candidate vowed that if elected, the United States "will not bail out a single bank on Wall Street."]()
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Abbott Won't Detail Who's Paying for Job Hunting Trips
Gov. Greg Abbott is in New York touting Texas and looking for jobs to poach. But he won't give details on who's paying for the trip, or similar jaunts planned to Mexico and Cuba later this year. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Abbott Shuts Door on Tesla Loophole
Giving a nod to franchised auto dealerships, Gov. Greg Abbott has suggested that Texas doesn’t need to carve out a loophole in its laws that would allow Tesla to sell its high-end electric cars directly to consumers. Full Story
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![Tesla vehicle on display outside the Texas Capitol on Jan. 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
State Sales Taxes Drop, Ending 62-Month Growth Streak
Texas collected less state sales tax revenue in June than it did in the same month a year earlier, ending a remarkable 62-month streak of growth, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Wednesday. Full Story
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In Planned Bullion Depository, Supporters See a Golden Opportunity
As Texas develops the nation's first state-run bullion depository, supporters predict the state could become a national destination for investors in gold, silver and other precious metals. Full Story
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UT/TT Poll: Economy, Border Security Are Top Issues
Texans haven't changed their answers on the biggest problems facing the state and the country — or on how the state and the country stack up, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Abbott Signs Bill to Limit Pollution Lawsuits
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed legislation that could make it tougher for local governments to sue big-time polluters – an effort that largely targets Harris County prosecutors. Full Story
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![The San Jacinto River Waste Pits, an EPA Superfund site that is contaminated with dioxins, is located off Interstate 10 east of Houston.]()
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Signing Tax Cut Bills, Abbott Predicts "New Era of Job Growth"
Declaring “a new era of job growth in the state of Texas,” Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday signed a $2.56 billion bill cutting the franchise tax rate paid by businesses by 25 percent. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott tries out an Oculus Rift virtual reality system at AMD's Austin office after signing a bill cutting the business franchise tax rate.]()
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Video: Straus on Tax Relief
At our 6/9 conversation, State Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, the Speaker of the Texas House, talked about the billions of dollars in tax relief approved by the 84th Legislature. Full Story
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Despite Early Momentum, Energy Legislation Flames Out at End of Session
Who killed the House and Senate's top energy bills? Their autopsy evokes the names of T. Boone Pickens and Koch Industries and involves plenty of squabbling between the chambers. Full Story
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![A fueling station for vehicles powered by compressed natural gas sits in Austin. As of mid-March, Texas was home to 130 natural gas fueling stations, according to the Railroad Commission of Texas. Those 77 public stations and 63 private ones serve about 7,200 vehicles.]()
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EPA Finds No "Widespread" Fracking Effects on Water
A draft report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finds no evidence that hydraulic fracturing has “led to widespread, systemic impacts” on the nation’s drinking water supplies, though the practice has harmed water in some cases. Full Story
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Abbott Signs Higher Ed Bill Ending Fund Touted by Perry
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill Thursday that eliminates a controversial startup investment fund long touted by his predecessor, Rick Perry. The legislation directs much of the fund's money to a new researcher recruitment effort. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs several higher education related bills into law on June 4, 2015. He also praised state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, left, for her work in the most recent legislative session on education issues.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
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