The board of the Dallas-based utility company Oncor recently authorized a $17 million payment to its chairman and chief executive, Robert Shapard, according to an SEC filing on Nov. 21, the day before Thanksgiving.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Energy
Texas’ Dry November Stirs Fears of Drought’s Return
The scorching summer months have passed, but the state recorded barely any rainfall in November, sparking fears that Texas could be in store for a dry and potentially devastating winter.
Posted in
Energy
Lawmakers Hear Concerns Over Rural Water Rate Hikes
Some Texans in rural areas face double- or even triple-digit rate increases from private water providers. On Wednesday they urged the Senate Committee on Natural Resources to address the problem, and lawmakers seemed receptive.
Posted in
Energy
State’s Crowded Electricity Market Often Masks Prices
State regulators say it all the time: Texas’ competitive electricity market benefits customers by letting them shop for the best prices. But in many parts of the state, the complex market has left consumers paying more than they should be.
Posted in
Energy
Long After BP Spill, Texas Awaits Restoration Funds
Though Texas has been promised at least $100 million for coastal restoration after the BP oil spill, the process of disbursing funds for projects like protecting marshland is facing delays.
Posted in
Energy
Enthusiasm Declines Over “Smart” Meters Program
Millions of “smart” electricity meters have been installed in homes, but now some Texans say the program should be optional. And some lawmakers are listening.
Posted in
Energy
Spokesman: George P. Bush is Still Shopping
George P. Bush, who filed campaign papers last week, is considering a run for Texas land commissioner, but hasn’t ruled out other options in the 2014 election cycle, his campaign said Wednesday.
Posted in
Energy
LCRA Approves Compromise Plan to Release Water for Rice Farmers
The board of the Lower Colorado River Authority voted Wednesday to release water to rice farmers next spring if Central Texas’ Highland Lakes, already diminished by drought, do not drop below 38.5 percent full.
Posted in
Energy
Emergency Drought Plan May Cut Rice Farmers Off Again
In another sign the Texas drought is far from over, the Lower Colorado River Authority is contemplating whether to enact an emergency plan that could cut off water supplies to rice farmers for the second year.
Posted in
Energy
TribuneFest: Water and the Land
At our Oct. 29 symposium on the future of water at Texas State University, Terrence Henry of NPR’s StateImpact Texas talked to Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, David Langford of the Texas Wildlife Association and Laura Huffman of The Nature Conservancy of Texas.