With gasoline costing $1 more than a year ago, budget planners can add fuel expenditures to their list of worries. However, it’s also true that oil companies will also pay more in taxes to the state as they beef up their drilling operations.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Energy
Lawmakers Question Tax Exemption for Natural Gas
In a Texas House Appropriations Committee hearing this morning, natural gas producers fought back against suggestions that a major tax exemption they receive be rolled back.
Posted in
Energy
Senate Approves Radioactive Waste Commission Plan
Today the Senate passed a couple of bills that outline how the Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission should oversee a low-level radioactive waste dump planned for Andrews County.
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Energy
Wildfires in West Texas Could Creep Eastward
A string of wildfires has charred about 400,000 acres in drought-stricken West Texas. But as Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, areas further east, also thirsting for water, may be just as vulnerable as the west.
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Energy
Steve Pollock: The TT Interview
The regional fire coordinator for the Texas Forest Service, near the front lines of a 100,000-acre blaze that swept through Stonewall and King Counties last weekend, says more bad fire weather is on the way later this week.
Posted in
Energy
Steve Pollock Audio
An audio interview with Steve Pollock of the Texas Forest Service on the Texas wildfires.
Posted in
Energy
Lawmakers Eye Repeal of Natural Gas Tax Break
The state of Texas generates a fortune from taxes on mining for oil, gas and minerals. But as Ryland Barton of KUT News and ReportingTexas.com reports, the natural gas industry enjoys a special incentive that some legislators want to scrap.
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Energy
Drought Could Keep Wildfires Blazing Until Summer
Firefighters continue to battle massive wildfires that have scorched more than 300,000 acres across the state in the last week. As Crystal Chavez of KUT News reports, with the state still battling a drought, little relief is in sight.
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Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Tan on the budget standoff between the House and Senate, Ramsey on budget cuts that cost us money, Philpott on Hispanics and redistricting, Stiles visualizes speed limits by state, Grissom on a liberal social justice organizer who became a conservative hero, M. Smith on even more student social security numbers at risk, Ramshaw on whether family planning equals abortion, Aguilar on what circumcision has to do with citizenship, Murphy on how much Texas university adminstrators are paid, Hamilton on the latest in the higher ed reform saga and Galbraith on Texas energy lessons from the 1970s: The best of our best content from April 4 to 8, 2011.
Posted in
Energy
Slideshow: Fighting Fires in Texas
The Texas Forest Service, the lead agency charged with fighting fires, has had a busy season due to strong winds and drought.