Concrete companies say they’re just following the law. A handful of bills addressing the issue have been filed for the 2021 legislative session.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Energy
Oil companies snag Gulf of Mexico waters for offshore drilling in last bid before Biden transition
President-elect Joe Biden has promised to ban new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters. The Trump administration held its last Gulf of Mexico auction Wednesday.
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Environment
Texas rolls out mobile pollution monitoring capabilities following failures during Hurricane Harvey
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has deployed technology to monitor emissions in real time, part of a $2.2 million effort to fix gaps in monitoring identified during Hurricane Harvey.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Privately built border wall will fail, engineering report says
The report, set to be filed in federal court this week, confirms reporting from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune that found portions of the wall were in danger of overturning if not fixed due to extensive erosion just months after it was built.
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Texas Hurricane Season 2020
“In survival mode”: How some evacuees are still dealing with the dual challenge of a hurricane and a recession
Many Southeast Texans were already struggling through a pandemic and its parallel recession. Then came Hurricane Laura and officials’ evacuation orders.
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Texas Hurricane Season 2020
Hurricane after hurricane wreaked havoc in Orange, Texas. Finally, residents say they got a break.
State and local leaders and thousands of residents surveyed the comparatively little damage with gratitude — and surprise.
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Texas Hurricane Season 2020
Hurricane Laura in Texas: President Donald Trump to visit and survey damage
We’re tracking the impact of Hurricane Laura, which made landfall after midnight Thursday.
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Coronavirus in Texas
“It could have been far worse”: Texas and local officials express relief after state avoids massive damage
Gov. Greg Abbott said an aerial view of the area revealed more ripped-off rooftops and downed trees in Orange than anywhere else in Texas.
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Coronavirus in Texas
As Hurricane Laura heads for Southeast Texas, officials scramble to evacuate and shelter people during a pandemic
The storm is now a Category 4 hurricane whose dangerous winds and storm surge could cause damage along a large swath of the Gulf Coast and Southeast Texas.
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Texas Hurricane Season 2020
Still recovering from Harvey, Texans in Beaumont and Port Arthur are now preparing for a new hurricane during the pandemic
Groups that have been fixing homes and providing assistance to victims of the 2017 hurricane are now getting ready to face a new disaster, with the added challenge of COVID-19.