Environment

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 78 counties Friday and instructed several agencies to increase preparedness as heavy rainfall, floods and gusty winds are expected across portions of the Texas coast this weekend.

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A forthcoming report by the Texas Campaign for the Environment Fund says the standards Texas uses to determine how much — and whether — to clean up abandoned industrial facilities and other contaminated sites are 'significantly weaker' than those of neighboring states and the federal government, in part because it tolerates a higher cancer risk.

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The report claims fecal bacteria at Texas beaches, rivers and lakes frequently reached unsafe levels in 2017.

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Democrats on the ballot in communities hit hardest by Harvey argue that Republicans in office haven't done enough to prepare Texas for the next major hurricane.

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Harris County voters overwhelmingly approved a bond measure that would finance an array of flood control projects in the Houston area. Saturday's vote came on the first anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, which brought one of the worst urban floods in U.S. history to the Houston region.

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After sustaining a direct hit from the hurricane, this beach town lost roughly 20 percent of its population. Local officials hope they can convince the displaced to return home despite the risks of coastal life in the era of climate change.

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Texas' Republican leadership cheered the announcement of the so-called Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule, which will give states broad authority in determining how to regulate pollution from coal-fired power plants. Along with coal-friendly West Virginia, Texas led a coalition of about two dozen states that sued over the rule's predecessor, calling it federal overreach.

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While Danielle Hale managed the emergency operations center at the Port of Corpus Christi during Hurricane Harvey, her family evacuated their Rockport home. A year later, she and her family continue to help Rockport rebuild, while the port continues to fine-tune its emergency preparedness plans.

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Harvey may have ravaged the coast, but the storm is proof of the adaptability of nature, scientists say.

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The state sued Volkswagen in 2016 after the German automaker admitted to using software that allowed its vehicles to circumvent emissions limits.

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Johnson, a Dallas Democrat, has served in the U.S. House for 26 years. If her party wins control of the chamber, she's well positioned to become the first African-American representative from Texas to lead a standing committee in Congress.

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As the floodwaters rose around the plant last year, chemicals began to overheat and then degrade, leading to a series of burns and huge plumes of black smoke.

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As the city in Hays County decides how to move forward with a wastewater treatment plant, residents worry that outsourcing services to a corporation could put the Blue Hole swimming area at risk.

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The settlement will end a "citizen suit" against Pasadena Refining System that alleges years of air pollution violations. Under the Clean Air Act, citizens may sue companies if government regulators fail to act.

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The allegations come as the Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to build at least 33 miles of wall or other barriers in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Allowing Mexico to fall short on its water deliveries is "rewarding bad behavior," state Rep. Lyle Larson said. But the commission that monitors the treaty says Mexico is currently ahead with its water obligations.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday officially deemed Bexar County noncompliant with new, stricter ozone standards enacted under the Obama administration. The so-called "nonattainment designation" will come with stricter federal scrutiny that state and local officials say will adversely impact the local economy.

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The latest aerial survey shows there are thousands more of the grouse in the Texas Panhandle and four surrounding states. Still, the total is tens of thousands short of what endangered species experts say is needed to achieve true conservation.

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Across the country, hundreds of candidates with academic or professional experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics have left their businesses and laboratories to compete in state legislative contests, congressional elections and even governor’s races.

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City officials credit the improvement to a change in how water is treated.

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