In a report released Thursday, the state’s electric grid operator indicated that next summer could see a repeat of the rolling blackout threats that plagued Texas past summer. The reason: rising demand for electricity and some power plants going offline.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Energy
Video: Perry Ad Ties Obama to Carter on Energy
In his newest campaign ad — airing today in Iowa — Rick Perry name-checks Jimmy Carter in accusing Barack Obama of “all talk, no action” on ending America’s dependence on foreign oil.
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Energy
Whooping Cranes at Center of Federal Court Case
A wild flock of whooping cranes flies each year from Canada to the Aransas marshes of the Texas Gulf Coast. As Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, the fate of the endangered birds has spurred a federal court case in Corpus Christi set to begin next week.
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Energy
Experts: Texas Drought to Continue Through Spring
The drought that has plagued Texas is virtually certain to continue at least until early summer, climate experts said on Tuesday at a conference in Fort Worth. But what happens after that is anyone’s guess.
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Energy
In Houston, Injection Wells Fuel Fears of Poisoned Drinking Water
Water remains a precious commodity thanks to Texas’ record drought. But in Montgomery County in Houston, as Dave Fehling of KUHF News and NPR’s StateImpact Texas reports, residents are concerned about a different threat to the water supply: wells used to dispose of toxic waste.
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Energy
Military Bases Battle Encroachment of Cities
The ever-expanding suburbs of San Antonio have created light, noise and endangered species challenges for Camp Bullis, where all military medics train. Other bases around Texas are also facing an array of encroachment issues.
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Energy
Houston’s Energy Dominance May Be in Jeopardy
Natural gas booms are under way in places like Pennsylvania, where the governor has said he wants to make his state the “Texas of the natural gas boom.” As Dave Fehling of KUHF News and StateImpact Texas reports, such efforts could lure energy giants from Houston, jeopardizing the city’s status as the so-called “energy capital of the world.”
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Energy
Despite Keystone Delay, Oil Still Likely to Flow to Gulf Coast
The Obama administration has halted construction on parts of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have transported oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. But the delay, as Mose Buchele of KUT News and NPR’s StateImpact Texas reports, isn’t likely to stop crude oil from reaching the Gulf Coast.
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Energy
Groesbeck, Nearly Out of Water, Hopes to Build Pipeline
City officials in Groesbeck — facing a water shortage that could leave the town completely dry by Thanksgiving — are scrambling to build a new pipeline, after their last effort to pump water from a nearby rock quarry failed.
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Energy
Residents Counting the Days in Groesbeck Until the Tap Runs Dry
Groesbeck, which has received no measurable rainfall since April, ranks near the top of the state’s list of communities in danger of running out of water. Local leaders are attempting a quick fix, lest the town run out of water by Thanksgiving.