The Brief: April 24, 2014
The chairman of the state agency in charge of treatment and housing of violent sex offenders who can't be reinserted into society resigned on Tuesday. Full Story
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LCRA Draws Criticism Over Proposed Rate Hikes
The Lower Colorado River Authority is proposing significant rate increases for Central Texas cities and Gulf Coast-area rice farmers, saying its operating costs aren't being covered. But critics say the agency should focus more on cutting costs. Full Story
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New in Trib+Water: A Water Summit and a Pulse Flow
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: a water summit, pulse flows and an interview with Stacey Steinbach of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts. Full Story
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The Brief: April 23, 2014
Gov. Rick Perry continued to work to get Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg to resign even after following through on the threat to veto money for the Public Integrity Unit. Full Story
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As Rice Farmers in Texas Turn to Groundwater, Can They Stay Afloat?
Facing the third straight year of cutoffs for irrigation water from the Lower Colorado River Authority, some Gulf Coast-area rice farmers are spending millions of dollars drilling wells to pump groundwater instead. Full Story
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![A rice field near Bay City, Texas.]()
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AG Seeks Details on Federal Plans for Land by Red River
Texas officials are seeking more information on the federal government's plans to potentially take control of 90,000 acres of land long managed by North Texans. Full Story
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![A view of the Red River looking east, north of Bonham, Texas. Texas is to the right, and Oklahoma is on the left. The border between the two states runs along the south (right) bank of the river.]()
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Pollution in Texas Worsens as Budget Shrinks for Regulators
Budget cuts at the federal Environmental Protection Agency have led to fewer inspections of polluting industries. States could pick up the slack, but many of them, including Texas, are grappling with cuts of their own. Full Story
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Appointment of Brazos Watermaster Hotly Contested in East Texas
The Brazos river's hotly contested lower basin will soon be subject to much more regulation than its users have experienced in the past. Will that help solve disputes or deepen divisions? Full Story
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![The Brazos River as it flows past Glen Rose on Aug. 2, 2013. Drought conditions have led to a significant decrease in water levels in the river. Use of the river by cattle farmers along its route is another factor leading to a decrease in water quality and shore erosion is.]()
Credit: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez -
In Power Line Dispute, Rancher Questions Utilities' Wiggle Room
After landowners sign off on power line routes, can transmission companies install them somewhere else? The Public Utility Commission is set to consider a rancher’s complaint. Full Story
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![Johnny Vinson stands on the part of his Wise County, Texas ranch where Oncor built a power line through his property. Vinson says the power company didn't build the line where it was approved.]()
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Court Thwarts Sierra Club's Challenge to Hazardous Waste
UPDATED: A state appeals court has thwarted the second of two challenges to a hazardous and low-level radioactive waste disposal site in West Texas in rulings that signal growing difficulties for those trying to scrutinize the decisions of Texas' environmental regulators. Full Story
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![John Ward, operations project task manager at Waste Control Specialists' facility near Andrews, Texas, walks over to inspect concrete canisters that will house drums of nuclear waste.]()
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Oil Glut Moves South, Fueling Debate Over Crude Exports
As a major crude oil bottleneck moves from Oklahoma to the Texas gulf coast, many domestic drillers are ramping up their calls for the repeal of U.S. laws banning most overseas crude exports. Full Story
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Criticism of Water Policy Flows From Conservatives
Many conservative activists in Texas worry that when it comes to state water policy, Republican leaders have not focused on principles like small government, private property rights and local control. Full Story
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![Granbury resident Joe Williams (left) stands with City Council Member Rose Myers and Hood County Commissioner Steve Berry under a Lake Granbury resident's dock in the Waters Edge neighborhood on Lake Granbury's north shore. The lake is 53 percent full.]()
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Railroads Filling Void as Oil Pipeline Falls Short
As drillers produce millions of barrels of crude oil in shale plays in Texas and the Midwest, railroad companies are finding booming business in transporting the oil to Gulf Coast refineries. Full Story
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![The Jefferson Rail Transload Terminal at the Port of Beaumont on April 8, 2014. The terminal offloads oil from rail cars onto barges bound for refineries on the Gulf Coast. (Photo by Michael Stravato)]()
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Report: Air Quality to Worsen in Eagle Ford Shale
A newly released but largely unnoticed study commissioned by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality makes some dire predictions about what will happen to air quality in South Texas as the Eagle Ford Shale boom continues. 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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Report: San Antonio, Austin Among Solar Power Leaders
San Antonio ranks sixth among U.S. cities in installed solar power capacity, and Austin ranks 16th, according to a new report. Full Story
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Digging Up Drilling Logs, Hoping to Strike Water
As drought grips most of Texas, researchers are combing the state's 1.5 million drilling records to map brackish water in the state's 30 aquifers — hidden resources that could help quench the state’s long-term thirst. Full Story
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![Daniel Ortuño, who manages the 1.5 million drilling records stored at the University of Texas at Austin's Bureau of Economic Geology, examines well data in what he calls the "spooky room," home to thousands of records that he has not yet organized. State water researchers are using information from some logs to map potential water sources.]()
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New in Trib+Water: Stressed Supplies, Water Consultant
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: water woes out west and an interview with water consultant Robert Cullick. Full Story
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Volunteers Playing Pivotal Role in Galveston Bay Cleanup
Volunteers complained they were turned away from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup in 2010. Four years later, after another spill in Galveston Bay last month, volunteers have been helping officials determine where to send cleanup crews. Full Story
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GOP Railroad Commission Hopefuls Trade Ethics Barbs
A former Texas Railroad Commission chairman is helping Ryan Sitton fight back against conflict-of-interest allegations in the Republican primary runoff for an open seat on the commission. Full Story
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![Candidates for Texas Railroad Commissioner, Ryan Sitton, left, and Wayne Christian.]()
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Galveston Bay Oil Spill Leaves Hundreds of Oiled Shorebirds Dead, Dying
Wildlife officials have reported hundreds of dead and dying birds covered in oil as cleanup efforts continue in the aftermath of a fuel oil spill late last month in Galveston Bay. Full Story
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![Galveston Bay near the Texas City Dike and the Valero Refinery in Texas City, Wednesday March 26, 2014.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato
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