Texas

Energy and Environment Reporting for Texas

Latest Posts

New Carbon Rules Could Have Big Impact on Texas

Big changes could be coming for Texas power plants. The Obama administration is announcing new rules today aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants – the chief culprit behind global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power plants in the U.S. by 30 percent (from […]

How Climate Change Is Making Allergies Worse

Thanks to all the pollen in the air, I spent the last few weeks coughing, wheezing and blowing my nose. Austin is infamous for bad allergy seasons. We have three of them: fall, winter, and spring. In the summer, it’s too hot for pollen (but the heat gives me something else to complain about). Other […]

More Drought, Heat and Water Wars: What Climate Change Already Means for Texas

A new federal report out today from offers a stark warning about our changing climate. As carbon dioxide reaches levels never before seen during human history, we’re already feeling the effects of climate change, and it’s likely to get worse. The National Climate Assessment is the product of hundreds of experts and scientists, organized by […]

Meet the Evangelical Scientist Who Believes in Climate Change

Yes, you can believe in both God and climate change. Just ask Katharine Hayhoe, Director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech, who is well known for her work on the impacts of climate change. She’s also an evangelical Christian, and has become a vocal proponent for doing more to bridge the divide between […]

As Oil Glut Moves, Debate Ignites Over Exporting U.S. Crude

The United States has never exported much crude oil. We use so much of the stuff that we’ve always needed to import it from other countries. But even if we wanted to ship it away, there are laws that ban most all overseas crude exports. Now, as domestic drilling continues to surge, some are calling […]

How a Common Fungus Is Protecting the Earth from a Climate Change Nightmare

There is more carbon dioxide stored in the ground than in the air around us. If those all that greenhouse gas escapes, it could be catastrophic for the earth. Now, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin thinks he’s found the key that keeps much of it locked away. It’s research that could […]

To Adapt to Climate Change in Texas, No ‘One Size Fits All’ Solution

Texas is a state so huge that it experiences several different climate conditions, from the subtropical Eastern half (think swamps and hurricanes) to the semiarid West (desert and snow in the winter). As such, the state must wear a variety of hats as it navigates a changing climate. A new study from Arizona State University […]

Why We Could See More Cold Snaps in a Warming World

As Central and South Texas see ice, sleet and freezes for the second time in a week, climate change skeptics have taken to Twitter to express their disbelief: Y’all know how I know #GlobalWarming (aka #ClimateChange) isn’t real!? In Texas, we’re getting snow & ice w/ in hours of 80 degree weather. — Ydur (@YdurZatara) […]

Texas Neighborhoods Where Climate Change Could Hurt

Texas needs to do more as a state to prepare its most vulnerable communities for the impact of climate change according to health researchers. “We may face the ‘perfect storm’ in the State of Texas where the most vulnerable, low income communities, high-diversity communities are very disproportionately impacted and affected,” said Nadia Siddiqui.

About StateImpact

StateImpact seeks to inform and engage local communities with broadcast and online news focused on how state government decisions affect your lives.
Learn More »

Economy
Education