The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Aguilar on the aftermath of changes in U.S. immigration policy, Batheja on how the Republican candidates for Senate are handling that sensitive issue, KUT's Philpott on new driver's license laws and immigration, M. Smith on racial tensions and an ousted police chief in Jasper, Galbraith on the state's efforts to limit electric service blackouts, Hamilton on the hot Campbell-Wentworth Senate runoff in Central Texas, Murphy maps the May primary voting, Root on the restoration of the arson-damaged Texas Governor's Mansion and Dehn's latest Weekend Insider on obese Texans: The best of our best content from June 18 to 22, 2012. Full Story
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As last year’s drought intensified, the Colorado River brought less fresh water to the Gulf of Mexico. For the latest installment in KUT News' series on water issues, Mose Buchele looks at Matagorda Bay, where water quality has suffered — and the economy, too. Full Story
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For the first time since March 2011, no part of Texas is under the worst stage of drought, according to new U.S. Drought Monitor data. But as Laura Rice of KUT News reports, some parts of the state are drier than they've been in the last few months. Full Story
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Texas’ efforts to stave off future blackouts could cost ordinary households hundreds of dollars per year, a filing by a Texas industrial group suggests. Texas regulators are due to vote on the proposal next week. Full Story
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The drought has permanently changed life for some Texans, but in many ways, the scarcity just underlined a looming crisis. For the latest installment in KUT News' series on water issues, Mose Buchele looks at Wharton County, where water concerns have imperiled a generation of rice farmers. Full Story
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The 2012 hurricane season is here. TxDOT officials point to recent drills and expanded social media efforts as evidence that they are better prepared to help Texans with potential mass evacuations. Full Story
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