Millions consumed potentially unsafe water in the past 10 years
Texas, Oklahoma and California were the top states for EPA drinking water quality violations during the past decade. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/15/Doug_Hutcheson_TT.jpg)
-
![Public Works Director Doug Hutcheson fills a cup with water at the water treatment plant in Wolfforth, Texas. “We've tried to comply. We're team players. We're wanting to fix it and get it on down the road,” he said.]()
Credit: Elizabeth Sims/News21 -
Anti-wall activists march to protect church in Rio Grande Valley
Hundreds of Texans gathered at a historic mission a few hundred yards from the Rio Grande on Saturday to protest President Trump's proposed border wall. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/12/La_Lomita_Mission_07_TT.jpg)
![The Save the Mission! Save the River! Resist the Wall! procession atop the levee on the way to La Lomita Mission in Mission, on Aug. 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Martin do Nascimento for The Texas Tribune -
Judge denies ExxonMobil request to reduce $20 million air pollution fine
U.S. District Judge David Hittner slapped the the energy giant with a $19.95 million penalty in April for spewing millions of pounds of hazardous pollutants from a Houston-area industrial complex. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/ExxonMobileSign.jpg)
![ExxonMobil refinery in Baytown, Texas.]()
Credit: Dave Fehling NPR StateImpact / KUHF Houston Public Radio -
House approves tree removal bill, breaking from Abbott and Senate
The Texas House has given early approval to a bill that would allow property owners to plant new trees to offset municipal fees for tree removal on their land. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib_SummitCommunity_2011_26.jpg)
![Trees lining Westlake Drive in Austin.]()
Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo -
Persistence pays off for rural Texans besieged by sky-high power prices
After struggling to pay sky-high power line rates for more than three years, thousands of rural Texans are set to get relief. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/01/22/Hugh_and_Nancy_Raney_Alfalfa.jpg)
![Hugh and Nancy Raney in front of a pair of fields, one currently fallow, on their farm near Big Spring in January 2016. The couple had to stop farming part of their land when running the electric pumps to get well water to the fields became too expensive.]()
Credit: Gary Rhodes for The Texas Tribune -
Environmental groups sue EPA over lax Texas air pollution permits
Environmental groups are taking the EPA to court, alleging the federal agency isn't properly policing Texas air pollution permits they argue are too lax and complicated. Full Story
![ExxonMobil refinery in Baytown, Texas.]()
Credit: Dave Fehling NPR StateImpact / KUHF Houston Public Radio -
A Pass to Poison: Texas regulators largely fail to crack down on polluters
Texas industrial polluters rarely face sanctions when they spew noxious chemicals into the air during malfunctions and other unplanned incidents, exceeding the emission limits of their state-issued air permits. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/14/TT-PassPoison_pointer.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Rafael Aguilera -
New in Trib+Water: Restoring San Marcos' glass-bottom boats
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Texas rivers art exhibit at the Capitol, restoring the glass-bottom boats in San Marcos and an interview with Aaron Wolf of Oregon State University. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/04/08/Tribwater.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Report: Shopping for electricity is getting cheaper in Texas
Between 2006 and 2015, the last year for which data is available, residential electric prices for Texans who live in a competitive market decreased by 17.4 percent, while prices increased by 5.5 percent in other areas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/powerlines.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Warren Buffett unveils deal to buy big piece of Texas electric grid
Warren Buffet is making a play for Texas’ largest electric transmission utility. Berkshire Hathaway, his multinational conglomerate, has unveiled a deal to buy Oncor. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/04/19/Warren_Buffett_in_2010_TT.jpg)
![Warren Buffett in 2010.]()
Credit: White House -
Lawmaker urged Abbott to veto bill legalizing hot air balloon hog hunting
A Republican lawmaker fears a new Texas law that allows the hunting of wild pigs and coyotes from hot air balloons could lead to “future catastrophes” without increased oversight of commercial ballooning. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/05/Hot_Air_balloon_TT.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: iStock -
The Texas solar industry is growing. Could a trade case end that?
Cheap, imported solar panels have fueled growth in the solar industry in Texas, and reinvigorated the careers of laid-off oilfield workers. Some industry leaders fear a trade case will increase prices and end that growth. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Solar_1.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Mike Baker -
New in Trib+Water: Zebra mussels found in Lake Travis
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Zebra mussels are found in Lake Travis, a new approach to wastewater treatment and an interview with Carrie Kasnicka of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Amid Texas nuclear waste site's financial woes, judge blocks merger
A federal judge has blocked the purchase of the company that runs Texas' only nuclear waste dump — a setback in its proposal to accept spent nuclear fuel from across the country. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Simmons-Waste.jpg)
![John Ward, operations project task manager at Waste Control Specialists' facility near Andrews, Texas, walks over to inspect concrete canisters that will house drums of nuclear waste.]()
Credit: David Bowser -
New in Trib+Water: Zebra mussels found in Canyon Lake
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Zebra mussels are found in Canyon Lake, a debate on the benefits of off-channel reservoirs and an interview with Marcus Gary of the Edwards Aquifer Authority. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Will Texas lawmakers ax tree ordinances in more than 50 cities?
Dozens of cities and towns in Texas have ordinances aimed at protecting trees. During the special legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott wants to change that. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/06/13/TT-AustinPrice-TreeOrdinance-4.jpg)
![A tree is protected by wood planks during construction at a private residence in Austin on June 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
San Antonio pushes to lower emissions despite delayed regulations
After the EPA announced that the implementation of new, stricter standards for ozone levels in the air will be delayed a year, the city of San Antonio is forging ahead with plans to reduce emissions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/07/31/SanAntonio-Skyline.jpg)
![San Antonio is the second-largest city in Texas.]()
Credit: Lotus Carroll -
Abbott grappled with local tree regulations targeted in special session
Before he became governor, Greg Abbott was asked to replant trees on his Austin property — a regulation he has set out to axe during the upcoming special session of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/06/06/Abbott_special_session_BD_2_TT.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott lays out items for a special session at a press conference on June 6, 2017. The session will start on July 18.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
After 18 months, hurricane vulnerability documents arrive — but they're thin
Eighteen months ago, we asked the government for documents that should have shed a lot of light on Houston's vulnerability to a massive hurricane. After finally receiving them, it turns out the documents are basically useless. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d4767d57deaacd93b1b4d6307b512bf9/Oil%20Houston%20Facility%20PP%20TT.jpg)
![An aerial photograph of the Stolthaven Oil Tanking facility along the Houston Ship Channel on Nov. 10, 2015. Shell's Deer Park facility can be seen in the upper right.]()
Credit: Edmund D. Fountain/ProPublica/Texas Tribune -
New in Trib+Water: Border wall threatens wetlands
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Trump's proposed border wall threatens wetlands in Presidio, a controversy at the comptroller's office over handling of rare species and an interview with Kate Zerrenner of the Environmental Defense Fund. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()