Researchers and scientists are at odds about how to protect the Houston Ship Channel, and Texas legislators will try again to reach a consensus in 2017.
Energy
In-depth reporting on oil, gas, renewable power, and policies shaping the future of energy in Texas from The Texas Tribune.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
New in Trib+Water: Groundwater Pumping Health Risks?
In this week’s edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: New information points to health risks by cities that pump groundwater, reservoirs could be contributing significant amounts of methane gas and an interview with Stuart Henry, former Sierra Club attorney.
Posted in
Energy
EPA Proposes to Remove Long-Festering Toxic Waste Near San Jacinto River
Federal environmental regulators have proposed to remove 202,000 cubic yards of toxic waste that has festered for more than half a century along the San Jacinto River.
Posted in
Economy
Paxton Blasts Clean Power Plan Ahead of High-Profile Legal Arguments
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is helping to lead a 28-state effort to strike down the Clean Power Plan, President Obama’s landmark effort to to fight climate change.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
New in Trib+Water: Red Tide Hits South Texas Coast
In this week’s edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Red tide has been detected in waters off Padre Island National Seashore, working with private landowners to set aside land for conservation and an interview with Brian Kamisato of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District.
Posted in
Energy
Analysis: “Smitty,” a Texas Lobbyist for the Small Fry, Hanging It Up
Tom “Smitty” Smith, a colorful lobbyist and liberal activist who turned Public Citizen Texas into a strong voice on environmental, utility, consumer and ethics issues, is hanging up his spurs after 31 years.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
New in Trib+Water: State Park for San Marcos River?
In this week’s edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: a river protection group wants part of the San Marcos River declared a state park, the U.S. and Mexico cooperate on an aquifer study and drug resistant E. coli is found in French water samples.
Posted in
Energy
Toxic Aquifer Injections Trouble Railroad Commission Hopeful
Mark Miller, a Libertarian candidate for Texas railroad commissioner, is taking the commission to task for its failure to track toxic injections into underground zones that could hold drinking water.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Rep Wants to Limit His Industry’s Liability For Busting Pipes
State Rep. Cecil Bell, a private contractor, says he has a plan to curb costly and sometimes dangerous strikes to underground pipelines during construction: make sure whoever is responsible pays to fix them.
Posted in
Economy
Texas Stops Helping Poor Families Pay Their Electric Bills
Lite-Up Texas, a program that offered electricity discounts to hundreds of thousands of poor Texas families over the years, has run out of money.