On Tuesday, lawyers for Laredo merchants argued the city’s plastic bag ban conflicts with state law. The case has become a flashpoint in a roiling debate over the limits of local control, and the ruling could strike bag bans across Texas.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Energy
Texas Awarded $50 Million in Massive Volkswagen Settlement
Volkswagen has agreed to pay Texas $50 million as part of what is being described as the largest auto-related class-action settlement in U.S. history.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
A Closer Look at the Texas Twist in Fight Between Exxon, Virgin Islands
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is trying to intervene in an effort to thwart an investigation into whether Exxon Mobil misled investors about the risks of climate change. Here’s a guide to Paxton’s effort and how it fits into the much broader climate change battle in the United States.
Posted in
Economy
Texas Budget Spared in Court Ruling on Drilling Tax Case
A Texas Supreme Court ruling has spared the state from having to issue billions of dollars in tax refunds to oil and gas drillers — a prospect that had threatened to shake up the next legislative session.
Posted inEnergy, Environment
New in Trib+Water: Ranchers Frustrated by Frack Ponds
In this week’s edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Ranchers have a new problem in frack ponds, water utilities find possible vulnerability to cyberattack and an interview with Tim Loftus of Texas State University and the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment.
Posted in
Economy
Texas Lawmaker’s Startup Sells Help Shaping Local Policy
Rep. Jason Villalba, a Dallas Republican, is helping launch LightSwitch Solutions, an Austin-based public relations and consulting firm with plans to shape opinion about local policy.
Posted in
Economy
Former Mayor’s “Clean Coal” Effort Struggles
Since leaving office in 2007, former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller has been championing “clean coal” technology, but these days plans for a West Texas gasification plant appear to be on life support.
Posted in
Energy
Report: Texans Finding Better Deals on the Electricity Market
Texans who shopped for electricity in 2014 paid more on average than folks who only had one power option — but the difference was smaller than in years past.
Posted in
Energy
Lawyers Say Ruling Bad For Landowners
A recent Texas Supreme Court ruling favoring a South Plains ranch was described by some as a major win for private property rights, but others painted it as more of a win for developers.
Posted in
Economy
As Petroleum Royalties Dwindle, Questions Target Property Assessments
If there’s any silver lining for those royalty owners in these cloudy times, it’s this: Their property tax bills should also plummet. But some advocates are wondering whether many local governments are assigning values that are too high.
