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.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
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.
Posted in
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.”
Posted in
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.
Posted in
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.
Posted in
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.
Posted in
Energy
Weekend Insider: Pocket Prairies, School Spending
Houston conservationists reintroduce native plants to the area, and we examine how much money school districts spend per student.
Posted in
Energy
TribLive: A Conversation with Boone Pickens
At last Friday’s quarterly meeting of the Texas Lyceum, I interviewed the energy magnate about his exit from the water business, the status of the Pickens Plan and Obama vs. Romney.
Posted in
Energy
In Fight Between Texas and EPA, Who’s Winning?
A federal appeals court on Monday handed Texas a victory in its long-running battle with the Environmental Protection Agency. But after years of squabbling between the two sides, who’s winning — and at what cost — remains unclear.
Posted in
Energy
Court Faults EPA’s Rejection of Flexible Permits Program
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency unfairly disapproved of a Texas permitting program for air emissions. The opinion says the EPA must further consider the program.
