The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
Last summer’s record heat pushed the Texas power grid to the brink. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, a state House committee today will look into what's being done to prevent that from happening again. Full Story
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A report released Wednesday by the Texas comptroller's office looks at the impact of the current drought and other scenarios. Full Story
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Legislation cracking down on insider trading by members of Congress hasn’t landed on the floor of the U.S. House yet, but it’s already become a hot topic in Congressional District 10, which Michael McCaul of Austin represents. Full Story
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A report released Monday by the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation renewed its criticism of the Environmental Protection Agency. Environmentalists say the group's concerns are misplaced. Full Story
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The oil and gas drilling boom continues to benefit the Texas economy, but it's coming at a human price. Dave Fehling of StateImpact Texas reports on the disturbing number of workers in the industry who are getting injured, or worse, on the job. Full Story
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Unlike other Gulf states, Texas beaches did not get soaked with oil after the BP spill two years ago. Nonetheless, $100 million — and possibly far more, depending on the courts and Congress — is about to start flowing to Texas from BP for coastal restoration. Full Story
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Morgan Smith explains how some parents are choosing not to let their children take the new and rigorous STAAR tests. And Kate Galbraith tells us how state officials may use money from BP for coastal restoration. Full Story
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Coal may have fallen out of favor in the U.S., but it's still big business in Mexico, as residents of Maverick County have found out. Mose Buchele of KUT News reports on an effort along the Texas border to fight a mining operation that would bring coal to Mexican power plants. Full Story
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A familiar industry has brought a boomtown bluster back to West Texas cities like Midland. But as Dave Fehling of StateImpact Texas reports, drilling has intensified concerns over issues like water use, especially amid the record drought. Full Story
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In Texas, the largest cattle state, branding cows with a symbol like the "Rocking R" is practically a cultural necessity. But state and federal regulators are keener on another form of identification — ear tags — that's easier to standardize. Full Story
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Hydraulic fracturing has moved into parts of rural South Texas once known for their poultry and cattle industries, bringing new jobs and tax revenue. But as Dave Fehling of StateImpact Texas reports, drilling has also saddled cities with new concerns. Full Story
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The community of Spicewood Beach, about 40 miles northwest of Austin, is just days away from running out of water. As Andy Uhler of KUT News reports, the owner of Spicewood's water system is preparing to truck in water to meet residents' needs. Full Story
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Texas Parks and Wildlife launched a public fundraising campaign last month to fill a significant budget shortfall. And as Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, the next few years could prove even rougher for state parks if the drought and extreme heat persist. Full Story
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An accident at the Sandy Creek power plant, outside of Waco, has been shrouded in secrecy since October. Mose Buchele of KUT News reports on how a delay in operations there will affect the state's electricity supply. Full Story
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Not only would Keystone XL have brought jobs to the United States, it would have bolstered our national security by bringing us almost 1 million barrels each day of secure, North American oil. Full Story
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The pipeline would have been a disaster for our climate, the quality of the air we breathe and critical water resources across our country. Full Story
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Root on the end of Rick Perry's presidential campaign, Murphy on what happens to his campaign cash, Ramsey on his next act, Ramshaw, Aaronson, Murphy, Chang and Seger interactively chart the rise and fall of his run, Aguilar talks Juárez violence with a documentary filmmaker, Galbraith on the tug-of-war over surface water, Grissom and Murphy on three decades of capital punishment in Texas, Hamilton and Aaronson on our workforce needs in 2018 and Tan on the state's much-reduced list of women's health clinics: The best of our best content from January 16-20, 2012. Full Story
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The pipeline would have been a disaster for our climate, the quality of the air we breathe, and critical water resources across our country. It would have deepened our dependence on dirty oil from Canada’s tar sands, producing catastrophic levels of global warming pollution. Full Story
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Not only would Keystone XL have brought jobs to the United States, it would have bolstered our national security by bringing us almost one million barrels each day of secure, North American oil. Full Story
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An unlikely sight descended on the Capitol on Wednesday: a contingent of donkeys circling the building in the midday sun. As Mose Buchele of KUT News reports, the animals were led there as part of a protest aimed at stopping state officials from killing wild burros in West Texas. Full Story
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