The latest environment news from The Texas Tribune.
The pipeline would have been a disaster for our climate, the quality of the air we breathe, and critical water resources across our country. It would have deepened our dependence on dirty oil from Canada’s tar sands, producing catastrophic levels of global warming pollution. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Keystone_Map.png)
Not only would Keystone XL have brought jobs to the United States, it would have bolstered our national security by bringing us almost one million barrels each day of secure, North American oil. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/keystonepipeline.jpg)
As more of the Gulf is opened to drilling after the lifting of a moratorium, the government has been holding hearings on industry regulations. But as Dave Fehling of StateImpact Texas reports, there’s been one thing missing from those hearings: the public. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/oilspill-close001.jpg)
The long-lasting Texas drought has sparked an unprecedented tug of war for surface water, between those whose rights date back centuries and those who only secured water rights in the 20th century. The system may sound weird, but it is slowly changing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/DroughtWalkers.jpg)
An unlikely sight descended on the Capitol on Wednesday: a contingent of donkeys circling the building in the midday sun. As Mose Buchele of KUT News reports, the animals were led there as part of a protest aimed at stopping state officials from killing wild burros in West Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Burro-Protest-1-18-12-by-Jeff-Heimsath-580x400-580x399.jpg)
Starting Feb. 1, drillers will have to report many of the chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing. But a less-publicized part of the regulation is what some water experts are most interested in: the mandatory disclosure of the amount of water needed to “frack” each well. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-WaterTankFracking002.JPG)
Texas' greenhouse gas battles are about to heat up again. Next month, a federal court hears oral arguments in lawsuits that Texas has filed against the EPA, which began regulating heat-trapping emissions a year ago. But the agency is hardly backing down. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-MartinLake-CoalPlant001.jpg)
At a committee hearing Tuesday about the impact of drought on power generation, state senators voiced concerns that a lack of adequate water could harm Texas' long-term growth. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/drought2.jpg)
The first week of 2012 started with the first presidential voting of the cycle, and our coverage included Dehn's videos of Rick Perry's "reassessment" and "next leg of the marathon" speeches, Ramshaw's reporting on the rationale behind his decision and Root's analysis of just what happened in the hours after the Iowa results came in, plus Galbraith on the Texas critters that might be added to the endangered list, Tan's look at new laws regulating payday lenders, Hamilton on an impending battle over tuition increases at UT, and Murphy with a new data map using the latest Census numbers for Texas: The best of our best content from January 2 to 6, 2012. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/tribweek-1-7-12.jpg)
The recent kerfuffle over the sand dunes lizard in the West Texas oilfields may be nothing compared to what's coming. Across Texas, dozens of species are under consideration for a possible endangered species listing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20120103_HoustonToad_01_1.JPG)
Natural gas drilling is booming across the country. But when a well blows out or catches fire, who gets called to fix it? Dave Fehling and Scott Detrow of StateImpact Texas report on the Texas wranglers busy capping wells in states like Pennsylvania. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Natural-Gas-Rig.jpg)
The solar-energy industry faced several setbacks in 2011. But as Mose Buchele of KUT News and StateImpact Texas reports, one UT professor thinks he's found a way to exponentially increase the amount of energy harvested from solar technology. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Solar_1.jpg)
A federal court ordered Friday that the Environmental Protection Agency's controversial cross-state air pollution rule be stayed — to the delight of Texas officials and the chagrin of environmentalists. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9599a5f3951cff94f2e26260418170d4/DONT%20USE%20Abbott%20EPA%202010)
The statewide drought, and the accompanying extreme heat and severe wildfires, made 2011 a historic year for Texas. But as Mose Buchele of KUT News and StateImpact Texas reports, some effects of this year's weather will likely be felt for years to come. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/DryRiver.jpg)
Will the lights stay on in 2012? Even Texas grid operators, who are coming off a tumultuous year, cannot say for certain. A lot will depend on the weather — namely, whether the state suffers through another piping-hot summer. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-BlackoutsErcot028.JPG)
In this episode of Weekend Insider, reporter Kate Galbraith talks about whether Texas will have enough electricity to make it through another hot summer. And reporter Jay Root tries to track down just how much Gov. Rick Perry's run for the White House is costing Texas taxpayers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/dec22.jpg)
In a curious development amid the year's record-setting drought, the Trinity River — which runs south from Dallas and empties into the Gulf just east of Houston — has kept on flowing. Dave Fehling of KUHF News reports on where all the water is coming from. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TrinityRiver.jpg)
The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new rule on Wednesday aimed at reducing the amount of mercury and other toxic emissions from power plants. It is unlikely to improve Texas officials' low opinion of the federal agency. Full Story
A new study of tree rings indicates droughts are typically a once-a-decade phenomon in Texas and that the state has had several "mega-droughts" lasting 15 to 30 years over the centuries. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/SanGabrielRiver_Dry.jpg)
In January, Texas will adopt a statewide building code that should cut the energy consumption of new single-family homes by more than 15 percent — and big cities like Houston are jumping even further ahead. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-BuildingInspection007.JPG)