At a board meeting on Wednesday, the Lower Colorado River Authority approved an emergency plan that could cut off water supplies to downriver rice farmers entirely next year if the drought worsens.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Energy
Texas Schools Feeling Effects of Drought, Fires
The drought and extreme heat are taking their toll on school districts across Texas. Costly problems include cracks in building foundations, increased maintenance costs and loss of vegetation.
Posted in
Energy
Drought Could Pose Power Plant Problems
If the drought continues well into next spring and summer, the electric grid could lose “potentially several thousand megawatts,” according to an ERCOT official. That’s roughly equivalent to several coal plants.
Posted in
Inside Intelligence
Inside Intelligence: Parched
Amidst a record-setting drought and neighborhood-devouring wildfires, we asked the insiders this week about water and fire policy.
Posted in
Energy
Texas State University System to Manage Christmas Mountains
A mountainous tract of West Texas land that has been a point of contention between the General Land Office and environmental groups will serve a new purpose — a research and educational area for university students.
Posted in
Energy
LCRA Planning for Drought Worse Than 1950s Dry Spell
Fearing that this drought could reduce lake levels lower than ever before, the Lower Colorado River Authority’s board will meet next week to discuss reducing or ending its water sales to downriver farmers next year.
Posted in
Energy
A Dry Odessa Looks Longingly to El Paso for Help
Odessa, running seriously low on water, is looking to the example set in El Paso, a desert city that has poured money into a desalination plant and invested in conservation.
Posted in
Economy
Officials Insist EPA Rule Could Turn the Lights Off in Texas
At a hearing today, power companies and state agencies slammed the Environmental Protection Agency over a measure aimed at reducing emissions from power plants in 27 states, including Texas.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
M. Smith on Rick Perry’s allergic reaction to federal school money, E. Smith elicits Ted Cruz’s take on David Dewhurst, Root and Ramshaw cover Perry’s first presidential debate, Ramshaw and Aguilar poke at Perry’s immigration record and how it plays among Republicans, Hamilton on the dash for top status among Texas colleges, Galbraith on an environmental ruling from the White House that got conservative applause and one that didn’t, Grissom has the latest on the Willingham arson case and the state’s plans to look at other fires and Aaronson’s widget for comparing the presidential candidates: The best of our best content from Sept. 5 to 9, 2011.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
With Wildfire Risk High, Military Alters Training in Texas
As the worst one-year drought in Texas history wears on, officials at some military installations around the state have banned the use of tracer fire and other pyrotechnics.