Old Oilfield Equipment Raises Pollution Fears
Abandoned oilfield equipment is a common problem in Texas, but some fear that the recent surge in hydraulic fracturing will set off worrisome new encounters with old wells. Full Story
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Kate Galbraith
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Kate Galbraith covered energy and environment for the Tribune from 2010 to 2013. Previously she reported on clean energy for The New York Times from 2008 to 2009, serving as the lead writer for the Times' Green blog. She began her career at The Economist in 2000 and spent 2005 to 2007 in Austin as the magazine's Southwest correspondent. A Nieman fellow in journalism at Harvard University from 2007 to 2008, she has an undergraduate degree in English from Harvard and a master's degree from the London School of Economics. She is co-author of “The Great Texas Wind Rush,” a book about how the oil and gas state won the race to wind power.
Past Contributions
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![Landowner Stuart Carter, in Central Texas near the town of Luling, has years of abandoned oil equipment on his property. Here, two oil wooden oil tanks that he says date to the 1920s.]()
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West Texas Oilfield Town Runs Out of Water
Barnhart, a small community about 50 miles southwest of San Angelo in West Texas, has run out of water after the town's only municipal water well failed. Officials say that the water demands of oil drilling are a factor. Full Story
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![Southern plains bison from the Goodnight heard are raised for meat on Hugh Fitzsimons's SHAPE Ranch in Carrizo Springs, TX, February, 21, 2013.]()
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Fine-Dust Pollution in Houston Could Violate Federal Standards
In Houston, air pollution worries usually are about ozone, but scientists are paying increasingly close attention to fine dust. It’s more dangerous than ozone, some say, and the EPA will soon decide whether Houston has too much. Full Story
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![An oil refinery is shown in the Houston Ship Channel in 2011.]()
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Court Ruling Could Lead to Shakeup of Water Plan
Just as Gov. Rick Perry and lawmakers finalize plans to spend $2 billion on water-supply projects around the state, a court decision could force Texas to rethink its water-planning process. Full Story
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After Legislative Session, What's Next for Water?
There is plenty of action still to come on water after the legislative session, starting with a shake-up of the Water Development Board. In addition, all eyes will be on a November referendum asking voters to approve new water funds. Full Story
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Railroad Commission Adopts Key Well Construction Rule
The Texas Railroad Commission passed a long-awaited rule on Friday to strengthen the construction of oil and gas wells. The commissioners hope to set an example for other drilling states. Full Story
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![An oil & gas drilling rig is drilling a well for Pioneer Natural Resources in the Eagle Ford Shale formation near Yorktown.]()
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Will Lawmakers Save the Railroad Commission?
UPDATED: If lawmakers don't do something quickly, the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas in the state, could disappear. Full Story
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Bill Allowing Hotter Waste in Texas Passes House
A bill allowing hotter radioactive waste from other states to be deposited in a dump in Andrews County passed the House on Wednesday, after a brief debate between state Reps. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, and Tryon Lewis, R-Odessa. Full Story
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Birdwell "Disappointed" With Stalled Campus Carry Bill
State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, faces a growing and likely insurmountable challenge in his efforts to pass a bill allowing the concealed carry of firearms in buildings on university and college campuses. Full Story
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![State Sen. Brian Birdwell, Republican of Granbury]()
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Continued Drought Means Another Big Drop for Ogallala Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer suffered its second-worst drop since at least 2000 in a 16-county swath of the Texas Panhandle, new measurements show. With the drought showing little sign of abating, farmers face another tough year. Full Story
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Credit: Texas Water Development Board