The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a rule earlier this week to list the prostrate milkweed, which lives along the Texas-Mexico border, as an endangered species. The rare plant is threatened in part by border security activities, scientists say. Full Story
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Texas has long refused to connect its decentralized grid to two national power networks, but Hunt Energy Network CEO Pat Wood said the state could do so without additional oversight — and without state Legislature approval. Full Story
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In the state’s power grid, electricity and natural gas are co-dependent. Here’s how the winter storm last year broke the system. Full Story
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Advocates say emergency communications have not improved much since last year, and people experiencing homelessness were less likely to seek help this year because of new state and local policies targeting them. Full Story
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The surge in seismic activity from increased underground pressure is shaking the West Texas ground and rattling longtime residents. Full Story
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This week’s freezing weather isn’t expected to be as severe as last year’s storm. But Texans remain anxious about the electricity grid. Full Story
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Texas faces a new winter storm a year after a deadly freeze left millions without power. Here’s the latest. Full Story
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In the wake of an investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune into the widely used chemical ethylene oxide, the EPA has moved to reject a less protective standard crafted by Texas regulators and backed by the chemical industry. Full Story
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A more than 200-page report by Texas’ environmental agency found that the majority of pollution emitted by industrial facilities during storms occurs at a time when the state’s air monitors are offline. Full Story
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A Texas attorney general is a civil lawyer, mostly concerned with regulatory, tax and administrative law. But to listen to the candidates, you’d think the state’s top lawyer was some kind of cop. Full Story
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The federal infrastructure bill’s passage renewed hopes that Texas would finally get a coastal storm barrier. But Galveston and Houston could still get hit by a hurricane before it is built. Full Story
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Controlled burns, used to prevent catastrophic wildfires, are typically safe and rarely get out of control. Experts warn that burns gone awry can scare residents and compromise the critical fire management tool. Full Story
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Scientists say a study that estimated far more golden-cheeked warblers in Texas than previously thought has been attacked and taken out of context as the state and federal government battle over the bird’s endangered status. Full Story
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Ongoing La Niña conditions have brought warm, dry weather and deepened drought conditions across the state. Full Story
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With the height of the winter season approaching, here are some tips to prepare an emergency kit, protect your home and stay informed. Full Story
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As 2021 comes to a close, here’s a look back at just some of our favorite images captured by Texas Tribune photographers all over the state — and across the nation — to tell the stories of Texans in a challenging year. Full Story
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Nobody told Yaneli Ortiz’s family that the factory they lived near emitted ethylene oxide. Not when the EPA found it causes cancer. Not when she was diagnosed with leukemia. And not when Texas moved to allow polluters to emit more of the chemical. Full Story
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Portable generators are among the deadliest consumer products. Two decades after the government identified the danger, and as climate change leads to more power outages, people are left vulnerable by a system that lets the industry regulate itself. Full Story
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A warming earth has brought milder winters, but emerging science suggests that extreme cold spells in Texas could also result from climate change messing with complex weather processes. Full Story
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Cities have made some preparations in case of another severe winter storm. But keeping the lights and water on is far from guaranteed. Full Story
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