A Texas farmer’s battle to keep the Keystone XL oil pipeline off her property is only the most visible of what some legal experts describe as a rising tide of property-rights cases across Texas.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Energy
Forged in Flames: An Oral History of the Labor Day Wildfires
A year ago, much of Central Texas was in danger because of raging wildfires. Drought-sticken green spaces had provided the perfect tinder for far-reaching blazes. These are the stories of Central Texans who lived through the Labor Day wildfires.
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Energy
In Texas, Moving Crude Relies on Aging Pipeline System
Starting last year, federal regulators began urging pipeline operators to replace aging systems. Nowhere may that be more critical than in Texas, which is experiencing a major change in how crude oil is flowing up and down the state.
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Energy
Bastrop Park’s Planting Campaign Puts Emphasis on Seed Banking
The Texas Forest Service wants to plant 4 million loblolly pine seedlings in Bastrop State Park over the next few years, to help restore the forest after last year’s fires. But stored seedlings were almost thrown out ahead of the fires.
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Energy
Court Rulings Reflect a Losing Streak for Abbott
The state’s top lawyer has filed a pile of lawsuits against the federal government. Two decisions last week — on redistricting maps and the state’s voter ID law — went against Attorney General Greg Abbott and the state.
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Energy
Two Units at Major Texas Coal-Fired Power Plant to Shut
Texas will lose about 1 percent of its power supply over the winter and spring as Luminant temporarily shuts two units at its 1970s-era Monticello coal plant. The company blamed low power prices.
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Energy
Space-Tech Cameras May Help Spot Wildfires
In the year since wildfires destroyed thousands of homes across Central Texas, officials have looked for ways to reduce the threat of fires. They’ve since found one, in technology developed not for fighting fires but for exploring outer space.
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Energy
Solar Power Could Aid Texas Electric Grid, Officials Say
Texas lags in solar-power development, and lawmakers have been reluctant to promote it with incentives. Nonetheless, solar power can play a role in aiding Texas’ strained electric grid, industry officials and regulators said at a meeting in San Antonio.
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Energy
A Year After Fires, Communities Focus on Prevention
Sept. 4 marks one year since wildfires ravaged Central Texas, causing officials and residents to rethink how they manage their land. Since then, some communities have taken it upon themselves to make their surroundings safer in the event of another wildfire.
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Energy
Central Texans Recount an Escape From Roaring Fires
Nearly a year after wildfires tore through Central Texas, Spicewood residents Melvin Pulver and Debbie Opdahl recount how Pulver survived the Pedernales fire Sept. 4 through quick thinking and a little luck.