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.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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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.
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Environment
Trump unveils major rollback of Obama’s Clean Power Plan
Texas’ Republican leadership cheered the announcement of the so-called Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule, which will give states broad authority in determining how to regulate pollution from coal-fired power plants. Along with coal-friendly West Virginia, Texas led a coalition of about two dozen states that sued over the rule’s predecessor, calling it federal overreach.
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In Harvey's Wake
She’s tasked with emergency planning at the Port of Corpus Christi. A year after Harvey, her community continues to rebuild.
While Danielle Hale managed the emergency operations center at the Port of Corpus Christi during Hurricane Harvey, her family evacuated their Rockport home. A year later, she and her family continue to help Rockport rebuild, while the port continues to fine-tune its emergency preparedness plans.
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In Harvey's Wake
“Mother Nature is very resilient”: A year after Hurricane Harvey, coastal ecosystems are thriving
Harvey may have ravaged the coast, but the storm is proof of the adaptability of nature, scientists say.
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Energy
Texas releases plan for how more than $209 million from Volkswagen settlement will be spent
The state sued Volkswagen in 2016 after the German automaker admitted to using software that allowed its vehicles to circumvent emissions limits.
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Texas Elections 2018
“The door to the future”: How Eddie Bernice Johnson could make history if Democrats win back the House
Johnson, a Dallas Democrat, has served in the U.S. House for 26 years. If her party wins control of the chamber, she’s well positioned to become the first African-American representative from Texas to lead a standing committee in Congress.
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In Harvey's Wake
Arkema officials charged with “recklessly” releasing chemicals amid Harvey flooding
As the floodwaters rose around the plant last year, chemicals began to overheat and then degrade, leading to a series of burns and huge plumes of black smoke.
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Environment
In Wimberley, a fight bubbles up over sewage and a beloved swimming hole
As the city in Hays County decides how to move forward with a wastewater treatment plant, residents worry that outsourcing services to a corporation could put the Blue Hole swimming area at risk.
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Energy
Environmental groups announce multi-million dollar settlement with Houston-area refinery
The settlement will end a “citizen suit” against Pasadena Refining System that alleges years of air pollution violations. Under the Clean Air Act, citizens may sue companies if government regulators fail to act.