Meter Reading: Drought Strains Oil Production, Heat and Texas Prisons, and More

Photo by David McNew/Getty Images

A Navajo tribe wants to build a new tourist attraction in the Grand Canyon, but environmental groups and others are skeptical of the plan.

Drought strains U.S. oil production – “One of the worst droughts in U.S. history is hampering oil production, pitting farmers against oilmen and highlighting just how dependent on water modern U.S. energy development has become.” — CNN Money

A Development Dispute in the Grand Canyon – “Proponents bill the venture as a job-generating undertaking that could bring much-needed tourist dollars to a long-neglected 1.5-million acre area of Navajo Nation known as the Bennett Freeze. Critics say it would pose risks to a unique environment, intrude on sites sacred to various tribes and end up delivering more profits to outside investors than to locals in need.” — New York Times

Appeals Court Rules Heat Can Violate Prisoner Rights – “The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled in a Texas case that extreme heat can violate prisoners’ rights. ” — Texas Tribune