A look at the upcoming Republican and Democratic party conventions, the state’s win in a court battle over women’s health programs, and a second win on federal cross-state pollution rules.
Energy
In-depth reporting on oil, gas, renewable power, and policies shaping the future of energy in Texas from The Texas Tribune.
Texas State Receives Major Gift for Water Research
Texas State University in San Marcos on Friday will announce a major gift from the Meadows Foundation. The $1 million donation will help launch the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment.
As Climate Hurts Cattle, Ranchers Turn to Genetics
For years researchers have been studying how to develop cattle that are heat and drought tolerant. And while crossbreeding isn’t a new development, it’s becoming more common among Texas ranchers as summers become drier and hotter.
Drought Eases in Texas, but State Still Feeling Others’ Pain
In a twist of fate for Texas, where dry conditions wreaked havoc last year, much of the state has pulled out of the drought just as the rest of the country has entered into it. But that doesn’t mean Texas isn’t feeling the effects.
Court Sides With Texas, Overturns EPA’s Cross-State Rule
UPDATED: Al Armendariz, a former EPA regional administrator, said a court’s ruling overturning the EPA’s cross-state pollution rule “only delays the inevitable.” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott called the ruling a “victory for federalism.”
Amid Fracking Boom, Concerns Over Cancer Rates
Dramatic increases in oil and gas production, and the drilling technique called fracking, have been tied to elevated levels of air pollution in Texas, stirring concerns over health risks like cancer.
“Pocket Prairies” Preserve Houston’s Native Plants
“Pocket prairies” have been popping up all over Houston, helping beautify the city while preserving the native plants that are now harder to find in Harris County.
Off Beaten Path, Coastal Cabins Are Paradise for Their Permit Holders
Through a nearly 40-year-old program run by the Texas General Land Office, several people hold permits to use cabins on remote, state-owned islands near the Intracoastal Waterway. Permit holders love the isolation โ and the fishing.
Weekend Insider: Pocket Prairies, School Spending
Houston conservationists reintroduce native plants to the area, and we examine how much money school districts spend per student.
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.



