The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
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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The most severe scenario considered by ERCOT for this winter — very high demand for power, extensive fossil fuel outages, and low renewable power production — does not capture the amount of power lost during February. Full Story
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During a Friday visit, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said his agency is “prepared to act” to force accelerated cleanups in historically polluted Houston neighborhoods. Full Story
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After months of contentious negotiations, the U.S. House passed the Build Back Better plan. It would establish universal pre-K and provide funding to combat climate change, among other things. Full Story
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Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan on Friday will meet with community leaders and advocates in Houston neighborhoods where pollution has impacted people’s health. Full Story
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A proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule could require oil and gas producers to monitor and reduce emissions of methane in the field. Full Story
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The state Public Utility Commission adopted a rule — which experts first recommended a decade ago following a winter storm — requiring power companies to use “best efforts” to ensure plants can operate in the winter. Full Story
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Oil and gas industry groups provided a list of names to the Railroad Commission for appointment to a council formed in response to the February power crisis. All four of the industry's top choices were selected. Full Story
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A report from the state climatologist finds that the state is experiencing hotter days with less relief from high temperatures at night. Full Story
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Historians long thought the Karankawa people had disappeared. But now a group of descendants is fighting to protect a coastal area — where thousands of Karankawa artifacts were found — from an encroaching oil export facility. Full Story
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The conversation focused on what we’ve learned about extreme weather in Texas and beyond — and what can be done about it. Full Story
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“I think we fared well,” said one official in Matagorda County, where Nicholas made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Tuesday morning. Full Story
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Texas was spared from mass destruction once the storm came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane. But it caused enough damage to disrupt electricity for a large swath of the Texas coast, including the Houston and Galveston areas. Full Story
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The new law may soon be in conflict with federal regulators. A decision from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on one company’s license could come as early as Monday. Full Story
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A failed regular session bill sought to give a financial break to a West Texas nuclear waste disposal company. Now, lawmakers have removed what opponents called a giveaway and are again trying to pass a bill to stop highly radioactive materials from coming to Texas. Full Story
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The state plans to use past weather data to craft rules for power plant upgrades. Scientists warn that the accelerating effects of climate change make relying on old data alone insufficient. Full Story
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A pipeline helped secure water for San Antonio for decades to come — at a potentially high cost to some rural residents who are losing groundwater to the big city. Is it a preview for the rest of the state as climate change brings more water scarcity and cities keep sprawling? Full Story
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