Tan on the budget standoff between the House and Senate, Ramsey on budget cuts that cost us money, Philpott on Hispanics and redistricting, Stiles visualizes speed limits by state, Grissom on a liberal social justice organizer who became a conservative hero, M. Smith on even more student social security numbers at risk, Ramshaw on whether family planning equals abortion, Aguilar on what circumcision has to do with citizenship, Murphy on how much Texas university adminstrators are paid, Hamilton on the latest in the higher ed reform saga and Galbraith on Texas energy lessons from the 1970s: The best of our best content from April 4 to 8, 2011.
Energy
In-depth reporting on oil, gas, renewable power, and policies shaping the future of energy in Texas from The Texas Tribune.
Slideshow: Fighting Fires in Texas
The Texas Forest Service, the lead agency charged with fighting fires, has had a busy season due to strong winds and drought.
Forest Service Battles on Two Fronts: Fires, Budget
Drought and strong winds mean that the number of wildfires is way up this year. But the Texas Forest Service, the lead fire-fighting agency, is also facing heightened scrutiny in the Legislature โ and, of course, budget cuts.
Video: Fighting Fires With the Forest Service
The Texas Forest Service is the lead state agency tasked with fighting wildfires. Among its recent challenges: a 3,000-acre blaze on an army base near Brownwood.
Bill Would Create Texas Energy Council
The Senate Natural Resources Committee heard testimony this morning on a bill that would create a Texas Energy Policy Council charged with formulating an energy plan for the state.
Solar Backers Place Hopes in House Bill
Advocates of solar power made their case last night for passage of a bill that would add a dollar each month to residential electric bills to fund solar projects. Opponents worry about costs.
House Takes Testimony on Groundwater
The House Natural Resources Committee is taking testimony today on a controversial groundwater bill that would give landowners “a vested ownership interest” in water below their land.
On Energy, a Lesson for Texas From the 1970s
Unrest in the Middle East, rising oil prices and frustration with federal energy policy โ for many Texans, todayโs headlines must seem like dรฉjร vu. While the situation is far less severe than the aftermath of the 1973 Arab oil embargo, the parallels are unmistakable.
Interactive: Briscoe Energy Speech: 1973
This interactive document is a speech by Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr., in November 1973, calls for strict energy conservation measures in the wake of the Arab oil embargo. Navigate through the highlights by selecting links in the right sidebar.
Denton Paper Takes Close Look at Fracking
The Denton Record-Chronicle, a newspaper in the heart of the Barnett Shale gas-drilling region, has produced a series about “what it means to live in the midst of a modern gas boom” that is worth reading.


