The latest energy news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his Alabama counterpart have dropped their legal bid to squelch a U.S. Virgin Islands investigation of Exxon Mobil after the U.S. territory agreed to with draw a subpoena for company documents. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: New opportunities for water utilities to promote conservation, a new water quality study of the Pedernales River and an interview with Chelsea A.J. Hawkins of the Alliance for Water Efficiency. Full Story
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On Tuesday, lawyers for Laredo merchants argued the city's plastic bag ban conflicts with state law. The case has become a flashpoint in a roiling debate over the limits of local control, and the ruling could strike bag bans across Texas. Full Story
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Volkswagen has agreed to pay Texas $50 million as part of what is being described as the largest auto-related class-action settlement in U.S. history. Full Story
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is trying to intervene in an effort to thwart an investigation into whether Exxon Mobil misled investors about the risks of climate change. Here’s a guide to Paxton’s effort and how it fits into the much broader climate change battle in the United States. Full Story
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A Texas Supreme Court ruling has spared the state from having to issue billions of dollars in tax refunds to oil and gas drillers — a prospect that had threatened to shake up the next legislative session. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Ranchers have a new problem in frack ponds, water utilities find possible vulnerability to cyberattack and an interview with Tim Loftus of Texas State University and the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. Full Story
Rep. Jason Villalba, a Dallas Republican, is helping launch LightSwitch Solutions, an Austin-based public relations and consulting firm with plans to shape opinion about local policy. Full Story
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Since leaving office in 2007, former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller has been championing "clean coal" technology, but these days plans for a West Texas gasification plant appear to be on life support. Full Story
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Texans who shopped for electricity in 2014 paid more on average than folks who only had one power option — but the difference was smaller than in years past. Full Story
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A recent Texas Supreme Court ruling favoring a South Plains ranch was described by some as a major win for private property rights, but others painted it as more of a win for developers. Full Story
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If there’s any silver lining for those royalty owners in these cloudy times, it’s this: Their property tax bills should also plummet. But some advocates are wondering whether many local governments are assigning values that are too high. Full Story
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Amid the worst oil bust in decades, the energy capital of West Texas hasn’t slowed down much. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: Development has increased flooding dangers in Flash Flood Alley, amazing video of a recharging aquifer and an interview with Samuel Brody of the Texas A&M University at Galveston. Full Story
Texas environmental groups have scored a major victory in a six-year legal battle with the world’s largest oil company. Full Story
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The Texas Supreme Court has strengthened protections for landowners who don’t have rights to the water underneath their property. Full Story
Texas is no stranger to drought and flooding, but at least it isn’t as bad off as California. Or is it, Ponderosa Advisors' Samantha Fox asks? Full Story
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Former state Rep. Wayne Christian won the Republican nomination late Tuesday in the race for Texas railroad commissioner, edging out Houston-area real estate mogul Gary Gates in a race that turned heated in its final stages. Full Story
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Nearly three decades ago, Perryton's town-wide celebration for $20-per-barrel oil made news across the country, delivering a hopeful message to those mired in an oil bust. The Panhandle town faces a modern day oil bust, but residents are sure they'll stay on the map. Full Story
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Most of the water utilities in Texas need to "substantially increase" efforts to conserve water, according to a recent review of more than 300 city utilities by the Texas Living Waters Project. Full Story
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