The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
Building the reservoirs and pipelines to keep up with the Dallas-Fort Worth region's surging population growth will cost billions of dollars. But environmentalists say conservation must come first. Full Story
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The Legislature ensured that a fund to help poor Texans with their electricity bills went to its intended purpose. But it also agreed to empty the fund by 2017. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Lawmakers and rural residents worry unpaved roads will create safety hazards and reduce property values. But the Texas Department of Transportation says converting paved roads to gravel is the only safe plan it can afford. Full Story
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A week after launching his bid for agriculture commissioner, state Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, has released his first campaign video, in which he promises to continue his "stand against the continued overreach of the federal government." Full Story
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Despite some Texas politicians' drumbeat against environmental regulations, the Legislature ordered the state to regulate greenhouse gases this year, with backing from big energy companies. Full Story
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Because of drought-related water shortages, Texas Parks and Wildlife has cut water service to Guadalupe River State Park’s three campgrounds and restrooms on most weekdays. Full Story
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Concerns over water levels in the Brazos River have sparked debate over who gets to use the river's water, how much water should be used and how much water should be left to keep the river healthy. Full Story
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Railroad Commission Chairman and Texas attorney general candidate Barry Smitherman released a new campaign video in which he promises to protect Texans against the "job-killing policies" of the Obama administration and the EPA. Full Story
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One way that invasive aquatic species like the zebra mussel can spread across Texas waterways is via boats that aren't cleaned. New legislation requires boater education courses to address the importance of cleaning boats. This story is part of our monthlong 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Cities, counties and rural water user groups across Texas submitted thousands of project ideas for the 2012 State Water Plan. Explore the most expensive projects regions submitted with our visualization. Full Story
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A federal appeals court will hear arguments Thursday in a lawsuit over whooping cranes that could have major implications for Texas water supplies and for natural resource planning across the United States. Full Story
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When it comes to drilling deep into Texas to bring up oil and natural gas, things can go wrong. Sometimes wells, especially old ones, leak. Full Story
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Texas needs more water and more power, and the two are highly dependent on each other. University of Texas energy professor Michael Webber talks with Terrence Henry of StateImpact Texas about that relationship. Full Story
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Most state lawmakers have been focusing on transportation funding these days. But several of them have their eyes on a different prize: convincing voters to support putting dollars aside for water projects. Full Story
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The new water bill has raised the profile of the Texas Water Development Board, which loans money for water projects and could be a powerful player in shaping water policy in the coming decades. Full Story
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The West community will receive additional federal funding to rebuild following the explosion of a fertilizer depot in April that killed 15 people and flattened much of the town, Gov. Rick Perry announced on Friday. Full Story
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In a web video titled "Future Generations," Republican agriculture commissioner candidate Eric Opiela highlights his deep ranching roots in South Texas and criticizes the White House's policies. Full Story
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As the ozone rating in San Antonio continues its slow upward march, area officials are beginning to investigate whether oil and gas drilling in the Eagle Ford Shale has anything to do with it. But their efforts are fraught with complications. Full Story
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The Edwards Aquifer is the subject of new pumping restrictions that are being announced Wednesday. San Antonio's water utility, which relies significantly on the aquifer, says that the city can avoid further restrictions of its own if it follows the authority's guidelines. Full Story
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A new study of water quality in the Barnett Shale region has found high levels of arsenic in wells that are closer to natural gas extraction sites. It's sure to fuel an already fierce debate over the impacts of hydraulic fracturing. Full Story
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