The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
A dozen or more chemical plants in Texas are moving forward with expansion projects, spurred by the cheap natural gas created by hydraulic fracturing. But the boom is also raising concerns about water and air pollution. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasBoom-Petro-2.jpg)
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, which controlled the site until a year ago, has called the decision disrespectful to the memory of the Alamo. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/658923e97005affe8ab892684142c43d/DONT%20USE%20Alamo%20Patterson%20Thompson%202011)
Midland lies at the heart of a region that produces 14 percent of the world's oil. With oil prices above $80 a barrel on the world market, the area is experiencing a major boom. But the growth has also strained Midland like never before. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Foster_Jerod-9814.jpg)
Midland lies at the heart of the Permian Basin, a region that produces 14 percent of the nation's oil — and with oil prices high, the place is booming. But the rapid growth has also strained this once tight-knit community as never before. Full Story
Midland has always thought of itself as a small town, but an oil boom is rapidly reshaping the area. Housing as expensive (and hard to find) as New York City's has become the norm, and the strain is evident on schools and roads. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasBoom.jpg)
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Department of Agriculture, alleging that the agencies are liable for pay discrimination against three women. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1e33de3405a49fcf0f9b56366eb16816/DO%20NOT%20USE%20DOJ%20Sues%20AC-Glo%202012)
Desalination, the process of removing salt from water, may bring to mind a plant on the coast sucking in salty seawater and dispensing fresh water. But Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has a plan to bring desalination hundreds of miles inland, to thirsty Central Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-Desal-016.jpg)
The sudden death of 15 cows on a Central Texas pasture in May was more than a tragedy for the rancher. It marked the beginning of a search for answers that has pointed directly to the grass on which the cows were grazing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/CowInGrass.jpg)
Soot gets less attention in Texas than the big daddy of air pollution, ozone. But scientists say that it is a growing threat for Texans, and the Environmental Protection Agency is tightening standards. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Rice_Prof_Pollution_004_CROP.jpg)
While advocates worry particularly about heat conditions in a prison unit with recent water shortages, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering arguments in a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice alleging that the sweltering living quarters constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e6192f23e25477079043e3d2444b00d6/.BD%20Jail)
Last year’s drought dried up hay fields, sent feed prices through the roof and forced many Texas ranchers to sell off large portions of their herds. A year later, many are still trying to recover. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/120704-Bastrop-Land-Cows-018.jpg)
The historic Texas drought caused the Ogallala Aquifer to experience its largest decline in 25 years across a large swath of the Texas Panhandle, new numbers from a water district show. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/OG2.jpg)
It's nothing short of a "rebirth" of the petrochemical industry, one executive says. All along the Texas Gulf Coast, big companies are sinking billions of dollars into new plants. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/ExxonMobileSign.jpg)
Two months after Al Armendariz resigned from his post as a Texas-based regional director for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Sierra Club has announced that Armendariz is joining its "Beyond Coal" campaign. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Al-Armendariz-Sierra.jpg)
The Obama administration has announced plans to to expand drilling activities in the Gulf of Mexico, even as lingering effects of the disastrous 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill are still felt along parts of the Texas coastline. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/OilRigGulf.jpg)
The Public Utility Commission approved a 50 percent increase for the cap on wholesale electricity prices on the Texas electrical grid. That will mean higher prices for ordinary Texans, consumer advocates fear. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/EnergyCosts.jpg)
Much of the discussion at a Wednesday House committee hearing centered around efforts by drilling companies to recycle water or reduce their water consumption. Environmentalists questioned whether they are doing enough. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Fracking_diagram.jpg)
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is still feeling the effects of last year's wildfires, drought and budget cuts, but officials say the situation is improving with increased park attendance and donations. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TPAW.jpg)
This week's 100-degree weather across the state has raised important questions about how often Texas would need to force rolling blackouts to keep pace with demand. For the state, it mostly comes down how much power it has in its reserves — and how much it's willing to spend for it. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Blackout.jpg)
Drought may be a part of life in Texas, but last year's crisis left an indelible mark on the state. In a special report on the 2011 drought, KUT News, StateImpact Texas and Texas Monthly examine how the state will manage a growing population amid a shrinking water supply. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/DriedUpRiverBed.jpg)