The Environmental Protection Agency has formally denounced the state’s air-pollution permitting system for some of its biggest industrial plants — and reactions are pouring in.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Energy
TribBlog: Uribe to the Rescue
“I’m all for Texas turning blue, but not like this,” said Hector Uribe, Democratic candidate for land commissioner.
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Energy
EPA to TCEQ: Step Off
The Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t think Texas is doing enough to keep its air clean, so today the agency is expected to tell the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that the feds will take over air quality permitting for about 39 plants. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports.
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Energy
Oil and Water and Hurricanes
The National Weather Service is expected to upgrade Tropical Storm Alex by the end of the day, kicking off an Atlantic hurricane season that will be different from previous ones in the Gulf of Mexico because of — you guessed it — that pesky leaking oil off the Louisiana coast. Ben Freed of KUT News Radio reports.
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Energy
The Nuclear Option
Seventeen years ago, Texas turned on its last nuclear reactor, about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth. In another decade, several more reactors could get built here — if events in Washington go the power companies’ way.
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Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Ramsey’s interview with Rick Perry’s chief consultant, Stiles on the massive amount of cash that cities are collecting from red-light cameras, Grissom on the coming debate over the Democrats’ two-step primary/caucus process, Thevenot on the State Board of Education’s latest controversial plan, Aguilar on immigrants deported for minor infractions, Ramshaw on the social conscience (or lack thereof) of medical schools, M. Smith on a nascent voter registration effort in Harris County, Hamilton’s interview with the newest state senator, Philpott on Bill White’s feistier week, Galbraith on how tighter EPA rules will affect Texas and Hu on questions about the governor’s transparency: The best of our best from June 21 to 25, 2010.
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Energy
Seeing Green
The Environmental Protection Agency’s campaign against Texas’ air pollution permitting process is well-known, but federal regulators are also working to tighten a number of other rules relating to power plant waste, ozone and greenhouse gas emissions. Texas businesses fear that the new regulations will dent the state’s fragile economic recovery. Environmentalists are, predictably, delighted.
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Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
M. Smith’s interview with the new chair of the Texas GOP, Philpott on Republicans and Tea Partiers living in harmony, Aguilar on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s not-yet-released strategic plan, Ramshaw’s tragic tale of out-of-state kids in Texas treatment centers, Grissom on how budget cuts could impact juvenile justice, Stiles’ awesome new population app, Galbraith on the decline of the Ogallala Aquifer, Hamilton’s interview with the commissioner of higher education and the debut of Hu’s new video debate series: The best of our best from June 14 to 19, 2010.
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Energy
TribBlog: Keeping Up With the Jones Act
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Dallas, filed a bill today to waive the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — a move sure to please Republican state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston.