In this week’s edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: A new report points to high levels of arsenic in many Texans’ drinking water, El Niño wreaks havoc globally and an interview with Laura Huffman of the Nature Conservancy.
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
Houston-area Residents Protest Hurricane Plan
A public meeting to gather input from Houston-area residents on various hurricane protection plans turned into a mini protest Tuesday with several attendees challenging a levee proposal that would leave some communities around Galveston Bay unprotected.
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Energy
Roundup: Cruz Among Last Standing, Contaminated Water, Ballpark Figures
In the Roundup: Ted Cruz still thinks he can surpass frontrunner Donald Trump to secure the GOP presidential nomination. Plus, a new report on arsenic in Texans’ drinking water and a look at which sports make money for state universities.
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Criminal Justice
In Texas Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee May Draw Attention for EPA Rulings
D.C. Circuit Chief Judge Merrick Garland has a history with cases involving the Environmental Protection Agency, which Texas has sued 24 times since Obama took office.
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Economy
As Oil Prices Fell, Texas Campaign Donations Followed
For decades, the petroleum industry has largely fueled Texas’ influence in national Republican politics. But operatives are seeing early signs that the current oil bust has depressed the sector’s political giving.
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Energy
Report: High Arsenic Levels in Many Texans’ Drinking Water
Tens of thousands of Texans live in places where the drinking water contains toxic levels of arsenic — a known carcinogen — and the state isn’t doing enough to discourage them from consuming it, according to a new report from an environmental group.
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Energy
Roundup: 2016, Voter ID Law, Hell and High Water
In the Roundup: Ted Cruz appears positioned to go head to head with Donald Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, a federal appeals court will again examine Texas’ controversial voter ID law, and the upper Texas coast remains vulnerable to a storm’s direct hit.
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Economy
Railroad Commission Hopeful Unclear on Agency’s Duties
Wayne Christian, a candidate for Texas railroad commissioner, frequently touts his energy expertise. But he did not know one of the agency’s key duties — regulating natural gas utilities — until a reporter told him.
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Energy
New Houston Hurricane Plan Stirs the Pot
A new proposal to protect the Houston area from hurricanes is reigniting controversy — and potentially diminishing the odds that a consensus will emerge anytime soon on the best plan to safeguard the nation’s fifth-largest metropolitan area.
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Energy
Video: A Conversation with Sid Miller
Full video of my 3/10 conversation with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Topics discussed: the state of ag, the decline in rural population, fee increases, cupcakes and deep fryers, and making America great again.