Railroad Commission Seat Gets Hotter as Oil Booms
The state's drilling and fracking frenzy is raising questions about safety, earthquakes and water use. That's raising the stakes for this year's Railroad Commission race. Full Story
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Jim Malewitz
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Jim Malewitz was a reporter at the Tribune from 2013 to 2017, covering energy and environment and then working on investigations. Previously, he covered those issues for Stateline, a nonprofit news service in Washington, D.C. The Michigan native majored in political science at Grinnell College in Iowa and holds a master’s from the University of Iowa. There, he helped launch the nonprofit Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism, where he currently serves on the board of directors. Jim also coaches the Texas Tribune Runoffs, which, sources say, is the scrappiest coed newsroom softball team west of the Mississippi.
Past Contributions
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![Steve Brown (l.) and Ryan Sitton, Democratic and Republican nominees for Railroad Commissioner.]()
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Responding to Quakes, Texas Regulators Pass Disposal Well Rules
Texas regulators on Tuesday tightened rules for wells that dispose of oilfield waste, a response to the spate of earthquakes that have rattled North Texas. Full Story
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![Each day, dozens of trucks hook up to the Gulf Coast-run fracking fluid disposal well site near Gonzales, Texas.]()
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Oil Price Tremors Not Rattling Texas. Yet.
A steep drop in crude oil prices threatens to slow drilling in some U.S. oilfields, but officials in Texas' hottest shale plays say they're not worried. Full Story
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![Don Tymrak, city manager of Karnes City, in his downtown office. He says the recent tumble in oil prices shouldn't affect the South Texas city's conservative plans for development – at least not yet.]()
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First Wind, Now Gas: Tax Breaks Face Scrutiny
UPDATED: After calling for an end to subsidies for wind energy production, the Texas comptroller has released a report studying Texas’ largest incentive for natural gas producers. Full Story
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![A natural gas compressor station located near La Grange, Texas, on Jan. 29, 2014.]()
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Cruz Backs Sitton in Railroad Commission Race
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has endorsed Republican Ryan Sitton for railroad commissioner, Sitton’s campaign said Friday. Full Story
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![Ryan Sitton, the Republican nominee in the 2014 race for Texas railroad commissioner.]()
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Brown Proposes Local Councils to Ease Drilling Concerns
Steve Brown, the Democratic candidate for railroad commissioner, on Thursday called for shale communities to form councils that would address tension between drillers and residents. Ryan Sitton, his Republican opponent, dismissed the plan. Full Story
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![Steve Brown, a Democratic candidate for the Railroad Commission of Texas.]()
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Judge OKs Millions in Bonuses at Bankrupt Energy Future Holdings
Rejecting a bankruptcy monitor's objections, a Delaware federal district judge on Wednesday said Texas' largest power company can pay its executives up to $20 million in bonuses. Full Story
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Utility Regulators See Rise in Complaints, Analysis Says
Texans in 2014 complained more about their electricity service than in the previous fiscal year, reversing a trend of growing satisfaction, according to a new analysis. Full Story
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Sitton: Don't Blame Oil and Gas for Texas Water Woes
How does the oil and gas industry play in Texas’ water shortage? Not very much, says Ryan Sitton, the Republican candidate for railroad commission. Full Story
![Ryan Sitton, the Republican nominee in the 2014 race for Texas railroad commissioner.]()
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Energy Efficiency Advocates Optimistic About Loan Program
A coalition aiming to encourage commercial and industrial property owners in Texas to invest in energy and water efficiency says it has made major progress. Full Story
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![The Rose, a nonprofit based in Houston, upgraded its building’s windows, light switches and roof, above, to make them more energy efficient.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato