Things are starting to move on the water policy front, with Texas House Speaker Joe Straus and others saying water will be a focus of the upcoming session. Meanwhile, West Texas keeps getting drier.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Energy
Along Gulf Coast, a Downside to Surging Oil Production
Oil production along the Gulf Coast has helped cut U.S. crude imports by 20 percent since 2005. But environmentalists say the increased production isn’t without drawbacks, including strain on the state’s rail, pipeline and highway systems.
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Energy
Hearing on Smart Meters Draws Impassioned Testimony
A Texas Senate committee heard sometimes emotional testimony Tuesday about smart-meter installations, as opponents of the installation argued that their rights had been violated and the meters carried health risks.
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Energy
West Texas Water Woes Run Deep, Despite Rain
Despite the recent deluge, the drought in West Texas is not over, and experts say the perennially dry region must plan carefully for the future. Pressure is also growing on the Legislature to address the problem next year.
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Energy
TribuneFest: A Conversation About the Future of Water
At the 2012 Texas Tribune Festival, University of Texas at Austin professor Danny Reible talked about the future of water with Rebecca Motal of the Lower Colorado River Authority, Andy Sansom of Texas State University, Amy Hardberger of the Environmental Defense Fund and state Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio.
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Energy
After Dallas Quake, Questions About Links to Fracking
A series of small earthquakes in the Dallas region has prompted another round of speculation about the link between seismic activity and oil and gas drilling in North Texas.
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Energy
Power Outages Threaten State’s Refineries
Most Texans are used to weather-related power outages, but they’re probably not aware of the danger they pose to the state’s massive petrochemical plants, which at times must send thousands of pounds of chemical vapors into the air.
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Energy
Pipeline Case Still Hanging in Texas Courts
On Friday, a Beaumont county judge will rule on yet another case involving TransCanada, the company building the Keystone XL pipeline. Despite all the court action, some say recent eminent domain rulings still haven’t clarified where private-property rights end.
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Energy
Water to Be Big Topic for House, Straus Says
Speaking to a cattle raisers’ group on Tuesday, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus promised that water “will be at the center of the discussion.”
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Energy
Climate Change Could Bring Vampire Bats to Texas
Contrary to a recent alarming news report in Central Texas, there are no vampire bats in the state, or even the U.S. But according to one scientific model, climate change threatens to push populations of the blood-hungry creatures close to Texas.