Where did a Lubbock County judge get the idea that the U.S. might cede sovereignty to the U.N.? In Texas, activists fearful of such a prospect have cited a 20-year-old resolution called Agenda 21.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Energy
A Year Later, Tracing the Roots of Texas’ Wildfires
As the anniversary of last year’s Central Texas wildfires draws near, KUT News and StateImpact Texas revisit what led to the worst fires in state history, and how the state has changed since last summer.
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Energy
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Conventions, Pollution, Planned Parenthood
A look at the upcoming Republican and Democratic party conventions, the state’s win in a court battle over women’s health programs, and a second win on federal cross-state pollution rules.
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Energy
Texas State Receives Major Gift for Water Research
Texas State University in San Marcos on Friday will announce a major gift from the Meadows Foundation. The $1 million donation will help launch the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment.
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Energy
As Climate Hurts Cattle, Ranchers Turn to Genetics
For years researchers have been studying how to develop cattle that are heat and drought tolerant. And while crossbreeding isn’t a new development, it’s becoming more common among Texas ranchers as summers become drier and hotter.
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Energy
Drought Eases in Texas, but State Still Feeling Others’ Pain
In a twist of fate for Texas, where dry conditions wreaked havoc last year, much of the state has pulled out of the drought just as the rest of the country has entered into it. But that doesn’t mean Texas isn’t feeling the effects.
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Energy
Court Sides With Texas, Overturns EPA’s Cross-State Rule
UPDATED: Al Armendariz, a former EPA regional administrator, said a court’s ruling overturning the EPA’s cross-state pollution rule “only delays the inevitable.” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott called the ruling a “victory for federalism.”
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Energy
Amid Fracking Boom, Concerns Over Cancer Rates
Dramatic increases in oil and gas production, and the drilling technique called fracking, have been tied to elevated levels of air pollution in Texas, stirring concerns over health risks like cancer.
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Energy
“Pocket Prairies” Preserve Houston’s Native Plants
“Pocket prairies” have been popping up all over Houston, helping beautify the city while preserving the native plants that are now harder to find in Harris County.
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Energy
Off Beaten Path, Coastal Cabins Are Paradise for Their Permit Holders
Through a nearly 40-year-old program run by the Texas General Land Office, several people hold permits to use cabins on remote, state-owned islands near the Intracoastal Waterway. Permit holders love the isolation — and the fishing.