During Hurricane Harvey, thousands of properties behind two federally owned reservoirs flooded. On Tuesday, the United States Court of Federal Claims ruled that the government was liable for the flooding and that property owners are eligible for damages.
Environment
Coverage of climate, conservation, natural resources, and environmental policy shaping the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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In Harvey's Wake
Watchdog report finds air pollution monitoring fell short during Hurricane Harvey
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General found that state and federal environmental regulators didn’t start monitoring air quality soon enough during the monster storm, which brought a spike in hazardous emissions from industrial facilities.
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Environment
Port Neches plant rocked by multiple explosions has history of environmental missteps
The Southeast Texas chemical manufacturing plant, owned by Houston-based Texas Petroleum Chemical Group, has been fined multiple times by state and federal regulators for air pollution violations.
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Energy
County ends voluntary evacuation of Port Neches, the second since last week’s plant explosion
After recommending Wednesday night that residents leave the area, Jefferson County officials have told residents it’s safe to return home.
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Energy
Report: Texas ranks second in budget cuts for environmental protection
An analysis by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project found that 30 states have cut funding to environmental agencies over the past decade. In Texas, lawmakers slashed spending by more than a third between 2008 and 2018.
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Energy
Retired Texas shrimper wins record-breaking $50 million settlement from plastics manufacturing giant
U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt approved the settlement agreement between a scrappy environmental coalition and plastics giant Formosa. The settlement is the largest in U.S. history resulting from a citizen environmental suit.
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Energy
Pipeline giant sues Railroad Commission, alleging lax oversight of natural gas flaring
A subsidiary of Tulsa-based Williams Cos. is suing Texas’ oil and gas regulatory agency after it approved a request from Dallas-based Exco Operating Co. to burn off natural gas from wells in South Texas while they were hooked up to Williams’ pipeline system.
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Energy
Trump EPA eases safety requirements enacted after West explosion
Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the new rules, saying they would make Texans safer. The Obama-era regulation was meant to improve chemical safety practices and prevent tragedies like the deadly 2013 fertilizer plant explosion in the tiny Central Texas town of West.
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Blowout: Inside America's energy gamble
In key vote, federal regulators OK controversial South Texas gas export facilities
A coalition of residents and indigenous and environmental groups has rallied against a trio of proposed terminals to export liquefied natural gas from the Port of Brownsville. Thursday’s vote puts the terminals closer to final approval.
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University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
Texans say climate change is happening, but it’s a highly partisan issue, UT/TT Poll finds
Most Texas voters say climate change is happening, but there are significant partisan differences, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.