A barrel of West Texas crude is selling for near $40 these days, a roughly 60 percent plunge from the roaring summer of 2014. Drilling communities are worried, but state officials aren’t sweating.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
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Economy
Obama Proposal Targets Methane Emissions
The federal EPA on Tuesday proposed another set of rules aimed at battling climate change. These would slash oil and gas sector emissions of methane, which often leaks from well pads, compressor stations, processing plants and other equipment used in production.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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31 Days, 31 Ways (2015)
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.
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Economy
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.
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31 Days, 31 Ways (2015)
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lawmakers first tacked on a $200 annual licensing fee for some occupations, the so-called professionals tax will be repealed Sept. 1.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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
