Little-known fact: Texas is second only to Georgia in peanut farming. But as Terrence Henry of KUT News reports, while Texas’ peanut farmers have dealt with droughts before, they’ve never seen anything like this year’s crippling dry spell.
Energy
In-depth reporting on oil, gas, renewable power, and policies shaping the future of energy in Texas from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Energy
With the Drought, More Dust Storms
Despite last weekend’s rains, the Texas drought lingers — and experts say the number of irritating and dangerous dust storms could increase across the state, especially in West Texas and the Panhandle.
Posted in
Energy
UT Professor Debunks Climate Change “Myths”
The head of the UT’s Energy Institute, Raymond Orbach, is wading into politicized territory with a new paper aiming to debunk eight “myths” about climate change.
Posted in
Energy
Carolyn Brittin: The TT Interview
The deputy executive administrator of the Texas Water Development Board on overseeing the 295-page water plan, what the state should spend to fully ensure it has adequate water supplies and what scares her about the future.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Murphy, Ramshaw and Root on Rick Perry and race, Philpott on Perry’s vague economic plans, Tan and Wiseman on Barack Obama’s foray into Texas to defend his jobs plan, Aguilar on Perry’s proposal to send U.S. troops to Mexico, Ramshaw on efforts to leash rising health care costs, M. Smith on upcoming legal challenges to the state’s school finance system, Aaronson interactively explores Medicare spending proposals, Galbraith on efforts to pass — and to oppose — a $6 billion water program, Grissom on the release of a man wrongly convicted of murder and Hamilton on efforts to let the public write some legislation: The best of our best content from October 3 to 7, 2011.
Posted in
Energy
Plans for Coal Plant Highlight Groundwater Supply Concerns
The construction of a coal-fired plant near Bay City, already delayed by concerns over the historic drought, has raised questions about Texas’ dwindling groundwater supply. Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports.
Posted in
Energy
Texas Officials Unmollified by Pollution Rule Changes
The federal EPA has proposed scaling back some requirements of its contentious cross-state rule for reducing air pollution. The rule has infuriated many Texas officials, and the revisions are not appeasing them.
Posted in
Energy
Can Texas Make It Rain?
Speculation that the drought gripping the state could last through 2020 has scientists in Texas looking to so-called weather modification, which, as Matt Largey of KUT News reports, involves using the power of science to play Mother Nature.
Posted in
Energy
Business Groups Back Water Ballot Measure
Next month, Texans will go to the polls to decide whether to authorize $6 billion in bonding authority dedicated to building and fixing water infrastructure. But some conservatives and Tea Party members have concerns about the measure.
Posted in
Energy
2011 Texas Tribune Festival Keynote: John Cornyn
Full video of the keynote speech by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the Energy and Environment track at the 2011 Texas Tribune Festival.