“Hunting for warm places to go”: Austinites cope as outages linger
While families search for warmth, light and distractions, line workers race to restore normal life. Full Story
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![On day four without power, Justin Havird and Vernon, 2, build with Lego bricks at the Austin Central Library on Feb. 4, 2023.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott issues disaster declaration for Texas ice storm
Abbott declared disaster in seven Texas counties hard hit by this week’s winter storm. Austin has been the epicenter of a power crisis as tens of thousands wait for electricity to be restored. Full Story
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![Dora Portello, right, hands out boxes of free food to help people outside of their store, Brianna’s Home Decor Thrift Shop, during the winter weather that went through Dallas on Feb. 2, 2023.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Is Texas uniquely bad at disaster preparedness?
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with University of Texas at Austin professor Michael Webber and environment reporter Erin Douglas about the state’s widespread power outages. Full Story
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![A tree limb rests atop a car after an ice storm caused power outages across Austin on Feb. 2, 2023.]()
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Texas is well-positioned to weather a potential national recession, Dallas Fed economist says
Despite worries of a national recession, Texas’ robust labor force and strong energy sector could help it fare relatively well in a potential 2023 slowdown. Full Story
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![Construction in downtown Austin's warehouse district on May 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Austin makes progress restoring power, but tens of thousands still without
The city originally said it would restore all power by 6 p.m. Friday. But more than 57,000 customers are still without electricity Saturday night. Full Story
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![Icicles hang from telephone poles and power lines after an ice storm in north Austin on Feb. 1, 2023.]()
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Texas cities debate costly infrastructure investments in age of extreme weather
Experts say local governments should prioritize extreme weather preparedness. Cost can be a deterring factor. Full Story
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![Holly Phillips, an employee at 7-Eleven, finally waits for a bus to get home after she was stuck in the store for two nights as the roads iced over and other employees were not able to come in to take over her shift as winter weather moved through Dallas on Feb. 2, 2023.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ tech capital again fumbles digital communication amid a power crisis
As tens of thousands of households and businesses face a third day in the dark, Austin leaders say they will improve emergency communications. But residents and critics have little patience for bungled warnings. Full Story
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![A fallen tree blocks most of Barton Skyway in South Austin, Texas, U.S., during a winter storm on Feb. 1, 2023.]()
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Critics say state tax break helps petrochemical companies and hurts public schools
In December, legislators killed a controversial tax abatement program known as Chapter 313, but its effects will last decades. Full Story
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![Corpus Christi Ship Channel on April 17, 2022.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang/The Texas Tribune -
Company that wants to build oilfield dump in East Texas gave $53,750 in campaign donations to regulators
McBride Operating LLC and its owner, Joseph McBride, contributed to the political campaigns of the three commissioners on the Texas Railroad Commission now considering his request. Full Story
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![Two wells of the Paxton Water Supply Corporation sit about 1,000 yards away from the proposed dumpsite on Jan. 18, 2023.]()
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Austin doesn’t know when it’ll fully restore power as hundreds of thousands of Texans remain in the cold
Close to 325,000 electricity customers statewide lacked power Thursday evening. Austin’s main power provider said it can no longer promise full restoration by 6 p.m. Friday. Full Story
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![Crews from Pedernales Electric Company work to repair downed power lines in Buda on Feb. 1, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
In East Texas, a town fights to keep an oilfield waste dump from opening near wetlands and water wells
The Texas Railroad Commission has rejected the proposal twice over water contamination concerns, but locals are dismayed that the commissioners keep giving the developer more chances to alter its application. Full Story
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![Janet Ritter, a local cattle ranch owner, points to the planned dump site illustrated in McBride's permit application on Jan. 19, 2023.]()
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State regulators approve controversial Texas electricity market reform
The substantial change in the way the state’s market works will first be reviewed by the Legislature. Full Story
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![The Decker Creek Power Station, a natural gas power plant northeast of Austin on February 28, 2021.]()
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EPA moves away from Permian Basin air pollution crackdown
The oil industry pushed hard against the proposal to issue an ozone nonattainment designation, which would have required that companies reduce oilfield emissions. Full Story
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![A natural gas flare operates less than 200 yards away from a family home on March 14, 2022 in Midland.]()
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State agency that oversees Texas power grid needs more money to do its job, Sunset Commission finds
The Public Utility Commission has about 200 employees but needs more to handle shoring up the state power grid and tackling an expanded list of regulatory duties, according to the state Sunset Advisory Commission. Full Story
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![Electrical workers repair a power line in Austin on Feb. 18, 2021. Many Texas residents are still without power, and many don't have clean drinking water or working water at all.]()
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Texas Supreme Court will decide whether ERCOT should be immune from lawsuits sparked by deadly winter storm
Many people and insurers sued the Electric Reliability Council of Texas after the 2021 freeze. The nonprofit says it shouldn’t be liable. The state Supreme Court has a chance to weigh in. Full Story
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![The Supreme Court of Texas hears the final arguments concerning whether ERCOT has sovereign immunity, at the Supreme Court Building on the Capitol grounds in Austin on Jan. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
A Texas project hopes to turn water into fuel for cars, planes, ships and trains — using wind
New subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act are powering the race to build the country’s first large-scale producer of “green hydrogen.” Full Story
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![The Hale Wind Farm located outside of Petersburg and south of Plainview.]()
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Greg Abbott calls for investigation into Atmos Energy following disrupted natural gas services during freeze
Atmos, a major natural gas provider for the state, apologized for last week’s service disruption that left some Texans without heat during freezing weather. Full Story
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![The Dallas skyline is barely visible from Winfrey Point in Dallas on Dec. 22, 2022. Temperatures dropped from 45 degrees at 9 a.m. to 25 degrees shortly before noon.]()
Credit: Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune -
After underestimating power demand, Texas electric grid operator gets federal permission to exceed air quality limits
The U.S. Department of Energy granted permission for power plants to release more pollution than is normally allowed — if grid conditions worsen. Full Story
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![Details of electrical transformers at the Austin Energy/Sand Hill Energy Center
in Del Valle on March 24, 2020.]()
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Texas power grid holds amid record winter demand, but test isn’t over
At least one person died in the freezing weather. High demand for electricity is forecast to continue into Saturday. Full Story
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![A woman and a man wait for the bus in Dallas on Dec. 22, 2022.]()
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Texas shelters prepare for twin emergencies: arctic cold and an increase in migrants
Cities and nonprofits are using a variety of strategies to keep unhoused people warm. But some organizations warn they’re already at capacity as El Paso sends migrants across the state. Full Story
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![The Dallas skyline during the wintery weather on Feb. 3, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune