The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
Levels of lung-damaging ozone spiked this year across Texas, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Scientists are still trying to understand why, though the hot weather is likely part of the cause. Questions are also rising about the ozone impacts of oil and gas drilling. Full Story
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Root on Rick Perry's controversial new ad, Tan on the fallout, Aaronson's map of where the food stamps go, my interview with Stephen Colbert's campaign finance lawyer, Aguilar on the drop in the number of illegal immigrants crossing into Texas, Hamilton on the growth of unregulated colleges, Galbraith's interview with S. David Freeman on the environmental failures of public power, Grissom on the newest state agency and and Hamilton and M. Smith on a sudden change at the top of UT's law school: The best of our best content from December 5 to 9, 2011. Full Story
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State officials launched a campaign this week soliciting donations to help fund Texas parks, which saw a drop-off in visitors this year because of record heat and wildfires. Matt Largey of KUT News reports. Full Story
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The chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on managing wind energy, how electric cars could change the grid and what he's learned by monitoring his electricity consumption at home . Full Story
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Only you can help Texas parks recover from devastating wildfires and a dropoff in visitor-generated revenue, the state parks department says. The agency launched a campaign today asking for donations to help fill a $4.6 million budget hole. Full Story
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The former general manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority talks about rebuilding the organization after the "Trailergate" sex scandal, the environmental failures of public power and why electricity deregulation is a "huge mistake." Full Story
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According to scientists, much of what is now Galveston Island could someday be under water. As Dave Fehling of KUHF News and NPR's StateImpact Texas reports, the potential crisis has some worrying that the city and state have ignored the threat. Full Story
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has put off a decision on whether to declare the dunes sagebrush lizard, which lives in West Texas, an endangered species. The delay has pleased Texas business groups but alarmed environmentalists. Full Story
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In a report released Thursday, the state's electric grid operator indicated that next summer could see a repeat of the rolling blackout threats that plagued Texas past summer. The reason: rising demand for electricity and some power plants going offline. Full Story
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In his newest campaign ad — airing today in Iowa — Rick Perry name-checks Jimmy Carter in accusing Barack Obama of "all talk, no action" on ending America's dependence on foreign oil. Full Story
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A wild flock of whooping cranes flies each year from Canada to the Aransas marshes of the Texas Gulf Coast. As Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, the fate of the endangered birds has spurred a federal court case in Corpus Christi set to begin next week. Full Story
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The drought that has plagued Texas is virtually certain to continue at least until early summer, climate experts said on Tuesday at a conference in Fort Worth. But what happens after that is anyone's guess. Full Story
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Water remains a precious commodity thanks to Texas' record drought. But in Montgomery County in Houston, as Dave Fehling of KUHF News and NPR's StateImpact Texas reports, residents are concerned about a different threat to the water supply: wells used to dispose of toxic waste. Full Story
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The ever-expanding suburbs of San Antonio have created light, noise and endangered species challenges for Camp Bullis, where all military medics train. Other bases around Texas are also facing an array of encroachment issues. Full Story
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Natural gas booms are under way in places like Pennsylvania, where the governor has said he wants to make his state the "Texas of the natural gas boom." As Dave Fehling of KUHF News and StateImpact Texas reports, such efforts could lure energy giants from Houston, jeopardizing the city's status as the so-called "energy capital of the world." Full Story
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The Obama administration has halted construction on parts of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have transported oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. But the delay, as Mose Buchele of KUT News and NPR's StateImpact Texas reports, isn't likely to stop crude oil from reaching the Gulf Coast. Full Story
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City officials in Groesbeck — facing a water shortage that could leave the town completely dry by Thanksgiving — are scrambling to build a new pipeline, after their last effort to pump water from a nearby rock quarry failed. Full Story
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Groesbeck, which has received no measurable rainfall since April, ranks near the top of the state’s list of communities in danger of running out of water. Local leaders are attempting a quick fix, lest the town run out of water by Thanksgiving. Full Story
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Ramshaw and Root on the debate that dominated the nation's political news, Tan and Ramshaw on how it will affect Rick Perry's campaign, Philpott on what "oops" might mean for Perry in South Carolina, Root on what it means in Iowa, Dehn with the latest Weekend Insider video, Galbraith on the split fates of water-related constitutional amendments, Grissom on an arrest in a 1986 murder case, Hamilton on UT-Arlington's efforts to control tuition costs and M. Smith, Murphy and Gerdau on West Texas schools raising money with wind farms: The best of our best content from November 7 to 11, 2011. Full Story
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Terrence Henry of KUT News and NPR's StateImpact Texas spoke with one longtime resident of Corpus Christi trying to get families to speak out about the health problems they've faced living on what some call Refinery Row. Full Story
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