Some farmers in West Texas oppose new regulations that cap the amount of water they can pump from wells that tap the Ogallala Aquifer. A two-year moratorium on enforcement has not appeased them.
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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Energy
Farmers and Regulators Square Off in Battle Over Ogallala Aquifer Rules
As the Ogallala Aquifer slowly declines, some West Texas farmers are facing a new type of regulation: a limit on the amount of water they would pump from wells on their own land. And many aren’t happy about it.
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Energy
Weekend Insider: Class Sizes, Groundwater Limits
In this episode of the Texas Tribune Weekend Insider, we look at growing elementary class sizes and limits on groundwater use in West Texas.
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Energy
In Natural Gas Boom, Some See an Impending Bust
In Texas, the natural gas boom has created jobs and reinvigorated the state’s energy industry. But as Mose Buchele of KUT News reports for StateImpact Texas, some experts say the industry could slow dramatically in the coming years.
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Energy
Urban Water Use Climbs Despite Restrictions
In 2011, residents of some large Texas cities increased their water usage — despite the widespread adoption of restrictions on lawn-watering.
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Energy
Critics Say New Source of Oil Brings Risks for Texas
Tar sands from Canada may provide the U.S. with a new source of oil. But as Dave Fehling of KUHF News reports for StateImpact Texas, what critics call the world’s dirtiest oil could pose a risk to communities on the Gulf Coast, where the oil would be processed.
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Energy
Mark Mathis: The TT Interview
The director of SpOILed, which has been described as a “love song to Big Oil,” on who funded his film and why he gives short shrift to climate change.
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Energy
Federal Audit Questions $8 Million Paid to HNTB
A federal auditor is recommending that Texas repay or find supporting documentation for $8 million in inflated labor costs related to the Ike-Dolly disaster recovery program.
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Energy
Amid Finger-Pointing, Hurricane Relief Lags
Nearly four years after Hurricanes Ike and Dolly ravaged the Texas coast, thousands are still waiting for housing assistance.
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Energy
Executive Director Leaves Railroad Commission
John Tintera, executive director of the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry, is leaving less than one week after the election of a new chairman, Barry Smitherman, to lead the agency.