The Trump administration has its predecessor to thank when it comes to “energy dominance.”
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Blowout: Inside America's energy gamble
As oil and gas exports surge, West Texas becomes the world’s “extraction colony”
An unprecedented drilling boom in the Permian Basin is great for business. But it’s polluting the air, overwhelming communities and threatening the planet.
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Protecting the Coast
Army Corps set to propose hurricane protection plan for Houston
For years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has studied how best to protect Houston from deadly hurricane storm surge. It will announce which one it thinks is best later this month.
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Environment
Anti-nuclear waste tour kicks off in Houston
Organizers of the “Protect Texas from Radioactive Waste Tour” plan to travel to five Texas cities over the next week in protest of a proposed plan to store used nuclear materials in West Texas.
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Environment
As Hurricane Florence bears down on East Coast, Texas faces flooding from Gulf Coast disturbance
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 78 counties Friday and instructed several agencies to increase preparedness as heavy rainfall, floods and gusty winds are expected across portions of the Texas coast this weekend.
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Environment
Report: Texas criteria for polluted site cleanup ‘significantly weaker’ than neighboring states
A forthcoming report by the Texas Campaign for the Environment Fund says the standards Texas uses to determine how much — and whether — to clean up abandoned industrial facilities and other contaminated sites are ‘significantly weaker’ than those of neighboring states and the federal government, in part because it tolerates a higher cancer risk.
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Environment
Report from environmental group warns of bacteria risk at Texas beaches, rivers
The report claims fecal bacteria at Texas beaches, rivers and lakes frequently reached unsafe levels in 2017.
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In Harvey's Wake
Hurricane Harvey becomes focal point in Houston-area races for Congress
Democrats on the ballot in communities hit hardest by Harvey argue that Republicans in office haven’t done enough to prepare Texas for the next major hurricane.
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Energy
Harris County voters pass historic $2.5 billion for flood control
Harris County voters overwhelmingly approved a bond measure that would finance an array of flood control projects in the Houston area. Saturday’s vote came on the first anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, which brought one of the worst urban floods in U.S. history to the Houston region.
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In Harvey's Wake
No place back home: A year after Harvey, Rockport can’t house all its displaced residents
After sustaining a direct hit from the hurricane, this beach town lost roughly 20 percent of its population. Local officials hope they can convince the displaced to return home despite the risks of coastal life in the era of climate change.