The latest energy news from The Texas Tribune.
After Denton voters decided to ban fracking in their town, it seemed likely this Legislature will do something to rein in cities that try to regulate oil and gas production. But one likely approach by Rep. Drew Darby is stoking local fears. Full Story
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Ten years after the 2005 Texas City explosion, there is little evidence that the 15 lives lost on that March day brought needed changes to the nation's refining industry, a joint Texas Tribune/Houston Chronicle investigation shows. Full Story
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The Texas Tribune and the Houston Chronicle spent months examining whether the nation’s oil refineries learned the lessons of the deadly explosion at BP’s Texas City refinery in 2005. Ten years later, their investigation shows, the death toll has barely slowed. Full Story
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Georgetown’s municipal utility has unveiled plans to tap wind and solar energy to meet all of its customers’ power needs, making it the first Texas city-owned utility to abandon fossil fuels. Full Story
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Plenty of lawmakers are siding with the oil industry in response to Denton's vote to ban fracking inside city limits. What's surprising this session is how few are weighing in for local control. Full Story
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An infusion of $2 billion into Texas' state water plan — once a little-known wish list of water projects — has highlighted the role of private engineering and consulting firms, which play a big role in writing it. Full Story
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With a four-bill cocktail, state Rep. Jason Isaac hopes to stop, or at last slow, a Houston-based company's plans to pump huge amounts of water from beneath Hays County. Full Story
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In the first episode of Budgetline, an occasional TribCast series on the Texas budget, Ross and Aman start where state officials started — with the revenue estimate. It sounds simple, but it's a complicated stew of economics, politics and risky forecasting. Full Story
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At our 3/10 symposium on water, Neena Satija talked about the politics of groundwater with state Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, Billy Howe of the Texas Farm Bureau, Kyle Frazier of the Texas Desalination Association and Dianne Wassenich of the San Marcos River Foundation. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: A new series on communities lacking clean water, a new study links climate change to drought and an interview with Cameron Turner of the Agricultural Water Conservation Programs at the Texas Water Development Board. Full Story
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At our 3/10 symposium on water, I talked about life after Proposition 6 with Chairman Jim Keffer of the House Natural Resources Committee, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller; and Chairman Carlos Rubinstein of the Texas Water Development Board. Full Story
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A high-profile new employee in the Texas comptroller's office won't focus on revenue estimates or tax collection. Robert Gulley will, however, be looking at monarch butterfly migration patterns and the decline of freshwater mussels. Full Story
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With prices stumbling and crude oil backing up in refineries and tank farms across the state, Texas lawmakers are raising a cry for repeal of the 40-year-old ban on most crude oil exports. Full Story
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Use our Texas Legislative Guide to stay updated on the issues that lawmakers are debating this legislative session. This week, our featured section is Environment. Full Story
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Today we launch Undrinkable — a crucial reporting project that exposes the malfeasance, red tape, environmental woes and cultural barriers that stand in the way of getting clean, safe water to Texans in need. Full Story
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A dry cleaner tucked in one of Houston's most expensive neighborhoods has become the epicenter of a contentious debate over the enforcement of Texas' environmental laws. Full Story
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When they attend the Iowa Ag Summit on Saturday, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and former Gov. Rick Perry will almost certainly be asked about their criticism of the Renewable Fuel Standard, an issue that packs a political punch in the Hawkeye State. Full Story
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In a House committee hearing on Monday, one witness sought to redefine the climate change debate as one with clear implications to national security. Full Story
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Bob Armstrong died Sunday night at age 82. He served as land commissioner for 12 years, and later at the U.S. Department of the Interior. "He was a lover of Texas," says one of his successors. Full Story
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A Democratic state lawmaker on Monday kicked off efforts to force a discussion about climate change in Texas, but he faces an uphill battle in a state where most Republican leaders don't believe it is a problem. Full Story
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