Desalination, the process of removing salt from water, may bring to mind a plant on the coast sucking in salty seawater and dispensing fresh water. But Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has a plan to bring desalination hundreds of miles inland, to thirsty Central Texas.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Energy
Amid Cattle Deaths, an Agricultural Mystery
The sudden death of 15 cows on a Central Texas pasture in May was more than a tragedy for the rancher. It marked the beginning of a search for answers that has pointed directly to the grass on which the cows were grazing.
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Energy
Soot is an Underrated Threat, Scientists Say
Soot gets less attention in Texas than the big daddy of air pollution, ozone. But scientists say that it is a growing threat for Texans, and the Environmental Protection Agency is tightening standards.
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Energy
Heated Arguments
While advocates worry particularly about heat conditions in a prison unit with recent water shortages, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering arguments in a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice alleging that the sweltering living quarters constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
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Energy
Ranchers Struggle to Recover From Texas Drought
Last year’s drought dried up hay fields, sent feed prices through the roof and forced many Texas ranchers to sell off large portions of their herds. A year later, many are still trying to recover.
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Energy
Shale Gas Fuels Refinery “Rebirth” on Texas Gulf Coast
It’s nothing short of a “rebirth” of the petrochemical industry, one executive says. All along the Texas Gulf Coast, big companies are sinking billions of dollars into new plants.
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Energy
Drought Caused Biggest Drop in Ogallala Aquifer in 25 Years
The historic Texas drought caused the Ogallala Aquifer to experience its largest decline in 25 years across a large swath of the Texas Panhandle, new numbers from a water district show.
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Energy
Former EPA Official Al Armendariz Joining Sierra Club
Two months after Al Armendariz resigned from his post as a Texas-based regional director for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Sierra Club has announced that Armendariz is joining its “Beyond Coal” campaign.
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Energy
More Areas in Gulf of Mexico to be Opened for Drilling
The Obama administration has announced plans to to expand drilling activities in the Gulf of Mexico, even as lingering effects of the disastrous 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill are still felt along parts of the Texas coastline.
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Energy
Regulators Approve Hike in Wholesale Electric Prices
The Public Utility Commission approved a 50 percent increase for the cap on wholesale electricity prices on the Texas electrical grid. That will mean higher prices for ordinary Texans, consumer advocates fear.