“We are dying”: Houston workers protest new state law removing water break requirements
The protesters called House Bill 2127 the “law that kills” and said it will leave those who labor outdoors at the mercy of their employers. Full Story
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Emily Foxhall is The Texas Tribune's climate reporter. She joined the Tribune as an energy reporter in December 2022, focused on the state’s transition to green energy, the reliability of the power grid and the environmental impact of electricity generation. Emily is based in Houston, where she grew up. After a stint as a Tribune student intern in 2012, she began her career at the Los Angeles Times and its community papers. She later worked at the Houston Chronicle where her environmental reporting uncovered the effects of climate change and pollution on the region. She won several Texas Managing Editors awards and was part of the 2017 team that was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of Hurricane Harvey. Emily graduated from Yale University in 2013, where she studied English and was a Yale Journalism Scholar.
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![Members of Fe y Justicia Worker Center hold signs in protest of HB-2127 during a press conference at Houston’s City Hall on Friday, July 14, 2023. HB-2127 is a new state law that eliminates many worker protections.]()
Credit: Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribune -
Texas gets $60 million in federal funds to strengthen power grid against extreme weather
The Texas Division of Emergency Management will decide how to use the money. Full Story
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![The main switchyard at Vistra Corp.’s Midlothian Power Plant on October 15, 2021. This is where the power produced at this plant is transformed into usable energy.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Solar power proves its worth as heat wave grips the state
Texas has seen a boom in solar power in recent years, and experts say that’s helped the state grid weather an intense June heat wave. Full Story
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![Solar panels stand in long rows and cover hundreds of acres in Wharton county on Monday, April 3, 2023.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
ERCOT can’t be sued over power grid failures during 2021 winter storm, Texas Supreme Court rules
The all-Republican court narrowly found that the nonprofit corporation operating the state’s electrical grid qualifies for sovereign immunity, which protects government entities from lawsuits. Full Story
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![A variety of power lines in Dallas near Greenville Avenue during a winter storm on Feb. 16, 2021. Thousands of Dallas residents have been without power for multiple days.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
Texas called for energy conservation Tuesday as extreme heat spiked electricity demand
Texans were asked to conserve energy from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday as temperatures climb over 100 degrees for much of the state. Full Story
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![People cool off at Barton Springs as temperatures rose to 105° on July 13, 2022.]()
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Trap-neuter-release programs for cats are now legally protected in Texas
Animal advocates are deeply divided over whether so-called TNR policies are a good idea. A bill signed by the governor last weekend gives them legal protection statewide. Full Story
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![There are an estimated 75-100 stray cats fed daily by volunteers at various locations in Tomball, on June 11, 2023.]()
Credit: Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribune -
Houston commits to cleaning up after illegal dumpers under agreement with Department of Justice
Houston agreed to tackle illegal dumping to settle a federal civil rights case. Neighbors alleged the city failed to respond quickly enough to dumping complaints in primarily Black and Latino areas. Full Story
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![Trash piles up at a spot south of the Houston Gardens Park where it is regularly dumped on the road right next to a “No Dumping Allowed” sign, on Friday, July 22, 2022 in Houston.]()
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Fossil fuels got a boost from lawmakers aiming to fix Texas’ grid, while renewable energy escaped stricter regulations
The bills will give owners of natural gas power plants incentives to build more capacity, but they don’t go as far as originally proposed to change how electricity is created and sold in the Texas market. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan listens to state Representatives on the House floor during Sine Die, the last day of the 88th Texas Legislative Session, at the Capitol in Austin on May 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Climate proposals withered at the Texas Capitol this year
Proposals to improve energy efficiency failed. Bills that sought to limit greenhouse gas emissions in Texas were ignored, and legislation to block cities from taking action on climate change passed. Full Story
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![Industrial energy-producing wind turbines cover hundreds of acres of farmland in Lyford on May 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Ben Lowy for The Texas Tribune -
Experts predict “near-normal” 2023 hurricane season of 12 to 17 named storms
One to four of those storms could be Category 3 or higher, meaning they will have wind speeds of at least 111 miles per hour. Full Story
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![Residents survey their flooded neighborhood near Buffalo Bayou and the Barker Reservoir dam Tuesday Aug, 29, 2017 in Houston, after Hurricane Harvey.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune