The latest energy news from The Texas Tribune.
On Saturday, Wichita Falls will enter an unprecedented stage 4 of emergency drought response, which includes a total ban on outdoor watering and an internal audit of water consumption by local businesses. Full Story
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About eight months after a ruptured pipe spewed at least 210,000 gallons of tar sands oil in Arkansas, residents and some public officials in East Texas are calling on regulators to permanently shutter the Pegasus pipeline, which runs beneath local reservoirs and backyards. Full Story
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With what has been described as the worst drought in recorded history punishing parts of Texas, Attorney General Greg Abbott found a way to keep watering his yard: He drilled his own well. Full Story
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This week in the Newsreel: The voting is over for now, the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll is out, and a statewide candidate questions the loyalty of anyone who loves Texas but hates fracking. Full Story
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Steve Brown, a former legislative aide and past chairman of the Fort Bend County Democrats, is the first Democrat to enter the race for railroad commissioner. Full Story
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A federal judge has granted Comptroller Susan Combs the day in court she asked for to address what she calls Texas' balance between environmental protection and economic growth. Full Story
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Use our interactive map to check out the correlation between the success of the water ballot measure and the severity of drought conditions around the state. Full Story
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Texas voters addressed the state's fast growth and lingering drought Tuesday by approving a $2 billion water fund and eight other constitutional amendments in a low-turnout election. Full Story
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Texas Comptroller Susan Combs on Tuesday defended a controversial program her office oversees to conserve the state's threatened dunes sagebrush lizard. Full Story
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This year's vote on water funding has some implications for conservative candidates in Texas. It's the best opportunity to fund water projects without raising taxes, but also controversially pulls from the state's savings account. Full Story
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A few companies in Texas are developing pilot projects to capture and use the excess natural gas that is often vented into the air or burned during the oil drilling process. Full Story
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Whether or not Texas voters approve Proposition 6, which would take $2 billion from the state's savings account to use for water financing, the state has a long way to go in dealing with its water deficit. Full Story
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As the Highland Lakes in Central Texas continue to dwindle to near-historic lows, the Lower Colorado River Authority is recommending unprecedented steps to cut back freshwater releases. Full Story
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The Colorado River, which flows from West Texas all the way down to the Gulf Coast, is caught in a tug-of-war amid the West's prolonged drought. Full Story
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The passage of Proposition 6, which proponents say would jump-start billions of dollars in spending on water projects across Texas, may be just the beginning of a debate over how to spend money in a new state water fund. Full Story
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The Tribune polled all candidates running for statewide office to determine whether they support or oppose Proposition 6. Scroll through this table to see where each of them stands. Full Story
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Hey, Texplainer: There are discussions that Texas might transform its energy market, shifting from “energy only” to a “capacity” market. What does that mean, and why does it matter? Full Story
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U.S. House members on Tuesday touted legislation, co-authored by U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, that would streamline the cross-border pipeline permitting process. But Federal Energy Regulatory Commission officials and environmental advocates have concerns. Full Story
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Hey, Texplainer: How do state officials make sure the electricity stays on during the many long, hot days of the Texas summer? Full Story
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Republican House Speaker Joe Straus stopped in El Paso on Monday to continue his statewide push for Prop 6, a ballot initiative that would tap into the state’s savings account to finance a water development bank. Full Story
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