The Railroad Commission of Texas would avoid intense legislative scrutiny until 2023 under a deal reached late Friday, a surprise six-year reprieve that rankled the oil and gas regulator’s critics.
Energy
In-depth reporting on oil, gas, renewable power, and policies shaping the future of energy in Texas from The Texas Tribune.
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Economy
Abbott Signs Call to Lift Crude Oil Export Ban
Texas has officially asked Congress to lift its 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports. Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed a resolution that calls the federal ban a “relic from an era of scarcity and flawed price control policies.”
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Energy
Drought Eases, but Aquifers Are Slow to Recharge
Heavy rains have led to substantial drought relief throughout Texas, but aquifers — which provide about 60 percent of the state’s water supply — have been slower to replenish.
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Energy
After Error, Hays County Groundwater Legislation Gets New Life
A bill designed to protect western Hays County residents’ water wells received a surprising, last-minute reprieve Thursday night — after a procedural error killed the legislation the day before.
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Energy
FEMA Gives Texans More Time to Assess Flood Damage
Federal officials are giving Texans more time to assess the damage to their property so they can file insurance claims after the deadly flooding that recently devastated some parts of the state.
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Energy
Hays County Groundwater Regulation Efforts Likely Dead
After fears of a massive, unregulated groundwater pumping project sparked a passionate display of political activism by Texas Hill Country residents earlier this year, the resulting legislative efforts appear to have failed.
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Energy
Climate Change, a Factor in Texas Floods, Largely Ignored
Climate change is taking a toll on Texas, and the devastating floods across the state are some of the best evidence yet of that phenomenon, state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said. But efforts to consider climate change policy in Texas have fallen flat.
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Economy
In Senate, Smooth Sailing for Shark Fin Ban
A measure to ban the trade of shark fins in Texas is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk after clearing the Texas Senate on Wednesday. The fins are collected by a brutal fishing process: cutting off a live shark’s fin and leaving the shark to die.
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Energy
Before Central Texas Flooding, Officials Sounded Alarm
When Wimberley residents woke up Sunday to flooding, the surprise was palpable: The area had been going through a drought. But months earlier, local officials had voiced concerns about the rapidly growing region’s vulnerability to flooding.
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Energy
Disaster Recovery Bill in Peril After Storms Devastate Texas
Texas housing advocates are sounding the alarm about disaster recovery legislation they say would be critical for those affected by the kinds of storms that devastated some parts of the state this week.