The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
Federal authorities arrived in Bastrop on Tuesday to assist with the wildfires that have killed two, charred more than 30,000 acres and destroyed at least 600 homes. Matt Largey of KUT News reports that the crisis has stretched fire crews to their breaking point. Full Story
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Even as the Obama administration delighted conservatives last week by pulling back on a broad regulation to combat ozone pollution, the controversial "cross-state" rule that would also reduce smog-forming pollutants in Texas remains on track. Full Story
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The Environmental Protection Agency said Texas "has an ample range" of ways to comply with an impending pollution rule, after the state grid operator reported this morning that the rule would badly strain the electric system. Full Story
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The Texas commissioner of agriculture on the "catastrophic" devastation he's seen from the worst one-year drought in recorded Texas history, what the feds and state are doing and what needs to happen to cope with a potential multiyear drought. Full Story
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As the Central Texas utility struggles to retain electric customers, its new general manager, Becky Motal, announced that four senior positions have been eliminated and said staff reductions "may be necessary." Full Story
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A number of cities are making more money than usual from selling water this year because people are using more water to compensate for the lack of rain. But rates in many places are going up, to fix broken pipes and fund new supplies. Full Story
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DAY 26 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: 23 of the state's 94 parks face reductions in staff or operations. Full Story
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Are the drought and record heat due to climate change? Scientists hedge, especially on the drought question, but there's no question it's been getting hotter in Texas — and it's going to continue to do so. Full Story
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is warning that the worst one-year drought on record is causing black bears to change their behavior, roaming farther from traditional habitats and potentially becoming more aggressive toward people. Full Story
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Despite the national media's intense scrutiny of his history of appointing big-dollar donors to high-profile positions, Gov. Rick Perry named two such donors to key boards Wednesday. Full Story
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The cost of building several thousand miles of transmission lines to carry wind power across Texas is now estimated at $6.79 billion, a 38 percent increase from the initial projection three years ago. Full Story
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The relentless drought still gripping the state has dried up drinking water for cattle, pushing ranchers to sell off parts or all of their herds at auction. Matt Largey of KUT News reports. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry often emphasizes that he favors diversification of energy sources — and the record mostly bears him out. Wind farms and gas drilling have proliferated under his tenure, and he has tried to make building coal plants easier. Full Story
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Throughout August, the Tribune will feature 31 ways Texans' lives will change come Sept. 1, the date most bills passed by the Legislature take effect. DAY 18: The sport of catching catfish with bare hands, known as noodling, is now legal in Texas. Watch the Trib's interview with filmmaker and avid noodler Bradley Beesley. Full Story
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Rick Perry came to press the flesh with voters in Portsmouth, N.H., Thursday — but he ran instead into a vociferous protest of his views on Social Security and Medicare outside a local cafe. It wasn't much better inside. Full Story
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The sand dune lizard, located in parts of West Texas and New Mexico, could potentially be interfering with the drilling of oil and gas. Full Story
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As the scorching summer days march on, so does the fear of blackouts. Full Story
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Aguilar on the denial of asylum petitions by border judges, Galbraith on the history of wind, Grissom talks to the head of the Jail Standards Commission, Hamilton on plans for the state's new online university, Murphy and Ramsey on political warchests at midyear, Philpott on Texas' trucker shortage, Ramsey talks data privacy and abortion with Susan Combs, Ramshaw on the Rick Perry's experimental adult stem cell procedure, Root on the response to The Response, M. Smith on the country's could-be next first lady and Tan on a few of the ways Texas will change on Sept. 1: The best of our best content from Aug. 1 to 5, 2011. Full Story
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In West Texas, the main concern is water. In cities like Houston and Fort Worth, clay soil is drying up because of the blistering summer heat, bursting water pipelines and splitting asphalt roads. Across Texas, the cause of these spiraling problems is the same: a nine-month drought that shows no signs of relenting. Full Story
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After more unabating triple-digit temperatures and continued skyrocketing power demand, the Texas electric grid operator warned of a "high probability" of rolling blackouts, although as of 5 p.m. the danger appeared to have abated. Full Story
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