The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
State officials voted today to allow low-level nuclear waste from around the country to be brought to the Texas-New Mexico border for storage. As Mose Buchele of KUT News reports for StateImpact Texas, the vote put the final touches on a controversial plan approved by the Legislature last year. Full Story
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Recent rains have helped fill lakes, but the drought is far from over. Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples talked with StateImpact Texas about the very real possibility that the drought could linger for several years — and what's being done to help farmers and ranchers deal with that possibility. Full Story
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The process of desalination needs to be explored as an option for the future, experts testified Thursday in Austin before the House Natural Resources Committee. Full Story
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It's a unique field of research, but underwater noise pollution — the kind caused by tanker ships and oil rigs — can damage ecosystems and fisheries. But as Mose Buchele of KUT News reports for StateImpact Texas, Texas researchers may have a solution. Full Story
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The Texas redistricting case is closed, but Texas still has 17 lawsuits pending against the federal government. This updated interactive includes the latest lawsuit filed regarding the Women's Health Program. Full Story
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has suspended the killing of wild burros in Big Bend Ranch State Park. Full Story
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UPDATED: CNN has reported that when President Obama speaks Thursday in Cushing, Okla., he will "fast-track" the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline. What this means remains unclear, but the pipeline needs federal permits. Full Story
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Drilling for oil and gas has surged in Texas, benefiting the state's economy. But as Dave Fehling of KUHF News reports for StateImpact Texas, it’s also costing local governments and the state as trucks transporting drilling materials take a toll on roads and highways. Full Story
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Opponents of a coal company's plan to mine land in Eagle Pass are also fighting a plan to build a rail line to transport the coal to Mexico. Full Story
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Some farmers in West Texas oppose new regulations that cap the amount of water they can pump from wells that tap the Ogallala Aquifer. A two-year moratorium on enforcement has not appeased them. Full Story
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As the Ogallala Aquifer slowly declines, some West Texas farmers are facing a new type of regulation: a limit on the amount of water they would pump from wells on their own land. And many aren't happy about it. Full Story
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In this episode of the Texas Tribune Weekend Insider, we look at growing elementary class sizes and limits on groundwater use in West Texas. Full Story
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In Texas, the natural gas boom has created jobs and reinvigorated the state's energy industry. But as Mose Buchele of KUT News reports for StateImpact Texas, some experts say the industry could slow dramatically in the coming years. Full Story
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In 2011, residents of some large Texas cities increased their water usage — despite the widespread adoption of restrictions on lawn-watering. Full Story
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The director of SpOILed, which has been described as a "love song to Big Oil," on who funded his film and why he gives short shrift to climate change. Full Story
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Tar sands from Canada may provide the U.S. with a new source of oil. But as Dave Fehling of KUHF News reports for StateImpact Texas, what critics call the world's dirtiest oil could pose a risk to communities on the Gulf Coast, where the oil would be processed. Full Story
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A federal auditor is recommending that Texas repay or find supporting documentation for $8 million in inflated labor costs related to the Ike-Dolly disaster recovery program. Full Story
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Nearly four years after Hurricanes Ike and Dolly ravaged the Texas coast, thousands are still waiting for housing assistance. Full Story
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John Tintera, executive director of the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry, is leaving less than one week after the election of a new chairman, Barry Smitherman, to lead the agency. Full Story
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Texas' drilling boom has increased demand for skilled workers and blue-collar training. But as Dave Fehling of KUHF News reports for StateImpact Texas, the rising demand comes as community colleges face funding cuts, forcing companies to cope with fewer workers. Full Story
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