Texas has long refused to connect its decentralized grid to two national power networks, but Hunt Energy Network CEO Pat Wood said the state could do so without additional oversight — and without state Legislature approval.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Guides
How Texas’ power grid failed in 2021 — and who’s responsible for preventing a repeat
In the state’s power grid, electricity and natural gas are co-dependent. Here’s how the winter storm last year broke the system.
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Homeless in Texas
Unhoused Texans weather another winter storm with little aid
Advocates say emergency communications have not improved much since last year, and people experiencing homelessness were less likely to seek help this year because of new state and local policies targeting them.
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Energy
Earthquakes in Texas doubled in 2021. Scientists cite years of oil companies injecting sludgy water underground.
The surge in seismic activity from increased underground pressure is shaking the West Texas ground and rattling longtime residents.
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Energy
Live winter storm updates: City of Austin issues boil water notice
Texas faces a new winter storm a year after a deadly freeze left millions without power. Here’s the latest.
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Energy
Texans’ trauma from 2021 power grid failure provoked by another winter storm
This week’s freezing weather isn’t expected to be as severe as last year’s storm. But Texans remain anxious about the electricity grid.
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Guides
The 2021 winter storm caught Texans by surprise. Here’s how to prepare this year.
With the height of the winter season approaching, here are some tips to prepare an emergency kit, protect your home and stay informed.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
EPA rejects Texas’ more lenient standard for highly toxic air pollutant
In the wake of an investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune into the widely used chemical ethylene oxide, the EPA has moved to reject a less protective standard crafted by Texas regulators and backed by the chemical industry.
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Energy
State report shows how Texas environmental agency misses industrial pollution spikes during and after storms
A more than 200-page report by Texas’ environmental agency found that the majority of pollution emitted by industrial facilities during storms occurs at a time when the state’s air monitors are offline.
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Texas 2022 Elections
Analysis: Crime pays, politically speaking, for Texas AGs
A Texas attorney general is a civil lawyer, mostly concerned with regulatory, tax and administrative law. But to listen to the candidates, you’d think the state’s top lawyer was some kind of cop.
