TribLive: A Conversation with Boone Pickens
At last Friday's quarterly meeting of the Texas Lyceum, I interviewed the energy magnate about his exit from the water business, the status of the Pickens Plan and Obama vs. Romney. Full Story
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In Fight Between Texas and EPA, Who's Winning?
A federal appeals court on Monday handed Texas a victory in its long-running battle with the Environmental Protection Agency. But after years of squabbling between the two sides, who's winning — and at what cost — remains unclear. Full Story
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Court Faults EPA's Rejection of Flexible Permits Program
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency unfairly disapproved of a Texas permitting program for air emissions. The opinion says the EPA must further consider the program. Full Story
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Amid Lingering Drought, a Sweet Silver Lining
Triple-digit temperatures and parched lands may not be ideal for Texas farmers. But the dry conditions this summer have bestowed an unexpected gift on farmers' fruit and vegetable crops: enhanced flavor. Full Story
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Concerns Over Air Pollution Weigh on Fracking Industry
Oil and gas production has soared in Texas since the introduction of the mining technique called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." But the boom in production has also raised concerns about air pollution. Full Story
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Study Links Gas Drilling to Earthquakes in Texas
Texans living near the Dallas-Fort Worth drilling area called the Barnett Shale may have recently noticed some tremors under their feet. A new study out this week from the University of Texas names the oil and gas industry as the culprit. Full Story
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Smart Water Meters Take Root in Texas Cities
Across Texas, cities are installing electronic water meters. The transition will save money, officials say, because meter readers will no longer have to go from yard to yard. Plus, the new meters make it easy to detect leaks. Full Story
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Al Armendariz: The TT Interview
The former EPA regional administrator on his decision to resign, why he joined the Sierra Club and why he views climate change as the biggest environmental problem facing Texas. Full Story
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A Solution for Texas' Power Problems: Saving Electricity at Peak Times
A small number of Texas homeowners are signed up to help the electric grid when it is strained, by allowing their air conditioners to cycle off briefly during the hottest afternoons. It’s a concept that regulators in Austin are eager to spread. Full Story
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Electricity Price Hike Looms, but Cost to Consumers is Unclear
The state-regulated maximum price for wholesale electricity takes a big jump on Wednesday, but whether the cost of higher prices will be passed on to Texas consumers remains unclear. Full Story
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Plans for Coal Plant Stalled as Permit is Denied
A judge this week reversed the air permit for a proposed coal plant in Corpus Christi called Las Brisas, handing environmental groups a victory and dealing a major blow to one of the few such plants still being planned in Texas. Full Story
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UT Professor on Defensive Over Fracking Study
Controversy over a professor's failure to disclose financial ties to a drilling company while leading an academic study has erupted at the University of Texas at Austin. The professor, Dr. Charles "Chip" Groat, has called the charges unfounded and overblown. Full Story
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Oil and Gas Boom Putting Workers at Risk
A surge in oil and gas production has been a boon for the state's economy, but it has come at the expense of the safety of oilfield workers, who not only face physical injury but also long-term health issues like fibrotic lung disease. Full Story
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Professor Who Led Fracking Study Faces Scrutiny
A University of Texas at Austin professor who led a report that denied a link between fracking and groundwater contamination has come under scrutiny for not disclosing financial ties to the oil and gas industry. Full Story
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Legislators Hone Question of Eminent Domain
The Texas House Committee for Land and Resource Management heard testimony Monday regarding the use of eminent domain by oil and gas companies to build on private land for what they say is the public good. Full Story
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Drought Not the Only Factor in Texas Tree Deaths
The 2011 drought wreaked havoc on the state's trees, but according to a new report, few of them died directly from dehydration. Rather, trees weakened by the drought likely fell prey to a different culprit: diseases and insects. Full Story
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Refinery's Smokestacks Have Avid Fans in El Paso
Two smokestacks in El Paso — remnants of the smelting company ASARCO — remind many residents of a legacy of environmental damage. But to a local group, the stacks, now slated for demolition, are landmarks worth saving. Full Story
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![Seen is the ASARCO Smelter site on Sunday July 8, 2012 in El Paso, Texas. The site began operations as a lead smelter in 1887 and started producing copper in 1910. Plagued by a series of environmental problems and a slump in the price of copper, Asarco declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005 and shut down.]()
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Pain in Midwest Could Be Texas Farmers' Gain
Though Texas has partly recovered from extreme drought conditions thanks to heavy rains, the Midwest is enduring one of its worst dry spells in decades. And as conditions in the Midwest drive food prices up, some say Texas farmers stand to benefit. Full Story
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As August Approaches, the Great Texas Electricity Debate Intensifies
Texas likes to be No. 1 at everything. But the state is last when it comes to the reliability of our electrical system, according to a recent assessment by an outside group. Can higher prices and conservation solve the problem? Full Story
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Does It Matter Who Wins the Railroad Commission Runoffs?
The four Republican Railroad Commission candidates sound remarkably similar on the big-ticket topics. But that doesn't mean they will vote the same way on everything once they get into office. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Jeramey Jannene/Paul Lowry/Todd Wiseman
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