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.
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
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.
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Economy
As Oil Prices Plunge, Small Producers Could Get Tax Relief
After a 20-month free fall, West Texas crude prices thudded to a milestone last month — one that could bring some tax relief to small-time producers in Texas, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar said this week.
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Protecting the Coast
Hell and High Water: Risks Grow for Low-Lying Cities in Houston Region
Several experts worry that the low-lying residential areas in the Houston region are now more vulnerable to storms. Read more in our “Hell and High Water” project, done in collaboration with ProPublica.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
New in Trib+Water: Waiting on the Big One in Houston
In this week’s edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Some scientists fear a disaster waiting to happen when Houston’s perfect storm comes, Mexico pays back water debt to U.S. and an interview with Ken Rainwater of Texas Tech University.
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Economy
Texas Supreme Court Grapples With Billion-Dollar Tax Question
With billions of dollars at stake, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a tax showdown whose outcome could shake up the next legislative session while providing a boost to struggling petroleum drillers.
