The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
Sept. 4 marks one year since wildfires ravaged Central Texas, causing officials and residents to rethink how they manage their land. Since then, some communities have taken it upon themselves to make their surroundings safer in the event of another wildfire. Full Story
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Nearly a year after wildfires tore through Central Texas, Spicewood residents Melvin Pulver and Debbie Opdahl recount how Pulver survived the Pedernales fire Sept. 4 through quick thinking and a little luck. Full Story
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Where did a Lubbock County judge get the idea that the U.S. might cede sovereignty to the U.N.? In Texas, activists fearful of such a prospect have cited a 20-year-old resolution called Agenda 21. Full Story
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As the anniversary of last year's Central Texas wildfires draws near, KUT News and StateImpact Texas revisit what led to the worst fires in state history, and how the state has changed since last summer. Full Story
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A look at the upcoming Republican and Democratic party conventions, the state's win in a court battle over women's health programs, and a second win on federal cross-state pollution rules. Full Story
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Texas State University in San Marcos on Friday will announce a major gift from the Meadows Foundation. The $1 million donation will help launch the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. Full Story
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For years researchers have been studying how to develop cattle that are heat and drought tolerant. And while crossbreeding isn't a new development, it's becoming more common among Texas ranchers as summers become drier and hotter. Full Story
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In a twist of fate for Texas, where dry conditions wreaked havoc last year, much of the state has pulled out of the drought just as the rest of the country has entered into it. But that doesn't mean Texas isn't feeling the effects. Full Story
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UPDATED: Al Armendariz, a former EPA regional administrator, said a court's ruling overturning the EPA's cross-state pollution rule "only delays the inevitable." Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott called the ruling a "victory for federalism." Full Story
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Dramatic increases in oil and gas production, and the drilling technique called fracking, have been tied to elevated levels of air pollution in Texas, stirring concerns over health risks like cancer. Full Story
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"Pocket prairies" have been popping up all over Houston, helping beautify the city while preserving the native plants that are now harder to find in Harris County. Full Story
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Through a nearly 40-year-old program run by the Texas General Land Office, several people hold permits to use cabins on remote, state-owned islands near the Intracoastal Waterway. Permit holders love the isolation — and the fishing. Full Story
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Houston conservationists reintroduce native plants to the area, and we examine how much money school districts spend per student. Full Story
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At last Friday's quarterly meeting of the Texas Lyceum, I interviewed the energy magnate about his exit from the water business, the status of the Pickens Plan and Obama vs. Romney. Full Story
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A federal appeals court on Monday handed Texas a victory in its long-running battle with the Environmental Protection Agency. But after years of squabbling between the two sides, who's winning — and at what cost — remains unclear. Full Story
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The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency unfairly disapproved of a Texas permitting program for air emissions. The opinion says the EPA must further consider the program. Full Story
Triple-digit temperatures and parched lands may not be ideal for Texas farmers. But the dry conditions this summer have bestowed an unexpected gift on farmers' fruit and vegetable crops: enhanced flavor. Full Story
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Oil and gas production has soared in Texas since the introduction of the mining technique called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." But the boom in production has also raised concerns about air pollution. Full Story
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Texans living near the Dallas-Fort Worth drilling area called the Barnett Shale may have recently noticed some tremors under their feet. A new study out this week from the University of Texas names the oil and gas industry as the culprit. Full Story
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Across Texas, cities are installing electronic water meters. The transition will save money, officials say, because meter readers will no longer have to go from yard to yard. Plus, the new meters make it easy to detect leaks. Full Story
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