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Where politics, government and energy intersect.
Lack of Floodplain Maps Could Leave Rural Texas Unprepared for Next Big Storm
“We know it’s coming, we just don’t know when.”
Latest Posts
September 17, 2013
September 13, 2013
A New Boom for Oil, but a Bust for State’s Rural Roads
From the Texas Tribune: COTULLA — At a convention center in this city 70 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, Dimmit County Judge Francisco Ponce said this week what many of the 200 people in the room were thinking. Texas Department of Transportation officials explained why the agency needed to move forward with plans to […]
A New Boom for Oil, but a Bust for State’s Rural Roads
From the Texas Tribune: COTULLA — At a convention center in this city 70 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, Dimmit County Judge Francisco Ponce said this week what many of the 200 people in the room were thinking. Texas Department of Transportation officials explained why the agency needed to move forward with plans to […]
September 10, 2013
Why Tesla Lost the Fight to Sell Cars in Texas
It’s the shiniest electric car on the block — if your block is accustomed to cars that can cost six figures. The Tesla S, selected as Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, seems to be showing up on more and more Texas roads. The company had its first profitable quarter this year and paid off its federal loans. But […]
Why Tesla Lost the Fight to Sell Cars in Texas
It’s the shiniest electric car on the block — if your block is accustomed to cars that can cost six figures. The Tesla S, selected as Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, seems to be showing up on more and more Texas roads. The company had its first profitable quarter this year and paid off its federal loans. But […]
September 9, 2013
With a Cooler-than-Normal August, Texas Grid Catches a Break
Congratulations! You’ve survived another summer, and Texas has made it to September without any serious strains on its electric grid. That’s thanks in part to last month’s cooler than normal weather, according to a new federal analysis. From the Energy Information Administration (EIA): “August is typically the peak demand month for electricity in Texas, and […]
With a Cooler-than-Normal August, Texas Grid Catches a Break
Congratulations! You’ve survived another summer, and Texas has made it to September without any serious strains on its electric grid. That’s thanks in part to last month’s cooler than normal weather, according to a new federal analysis. From the Energy Information Administration (EIA): “August is typically the peak demand month for electricity in Texas, and […]
September 6, 2013
Third Quake in a Week Hits East Texas Town
This is an update to a story that ran on Tuesday. A third earthquake shook Timpson,Texas early this morning. It measured a 2.4 on the Richter Scale and comes on the heels of two stronger quakes that hit on Labor Day. At least one of those prompted reports of damage. If you visit this site […]
Third Quake in a Week Hits East Texas Town
This is an update to a story that ran on Tuesday. A third earthquake shook Timpson,Texas early this morning. It measured a 2.4 on the Richter Scale and comes on the heels of two stronger quakes that hit on Labor Day. At least one of those prompted reports of damage. If you visit this site […]
September 5, 2013
Texans Use Less Power than Expected, Baffling State Regulators
As the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) considers changing the electricity market so there’s more money to build new power plants, a mystery has popped up: why aren’t Texans using as much electricity as predicted? “There’s something that’s been going on recently with the forecasts, which affects a lot of things,” said PUC commissioner Kenneth […]
Texans Use Less Power than Expected, Baffling State Regulators
As the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) considers changing the electricity market so there’s more money to build new power plants, a mystery has popped up: why aren’t Texans using as much electricity as predicted? “There’s something that’s been going on recently with the forecasts, which affects a lot of things,” said PUC commissioner Kenneth […]
September 4, 2013
New Chemical Safety Guidelines Issued In Wake of West Fertilizer Explosion
VIDEO: The First Festival in West, Texas Since the Explosion After a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in the town of West, Texas this April that killed 15, the federal government issued updated recommendations for the safe storage of ammonium nitrate Friday. The recommendations, known as a chemical advisory, had not been updated since […]
New Chemical Safety Guidelines Issued In Wake of West Fertilizer Explosion
VIDEO: The First Festival in West, Texas Since the Explosion After a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in the town of West, Texas this April that killed 15, the federal government issued updated recommendations for the safe storage of ammonium nitrate Friday. The recommendations, known as a chemical advisory, had not been updated since […]
September 3, 2013
A Labor Day of Earthquakes For Timpson, Texas
If you visit this site often, chances are you’ve read about Timpson. It’s an East Texas community home to just over 1,100 people that seems to get more than its fair share of earthquakes. Last year a magnitude 4.8 struck the area. In January of this year two more quakes hit, one of them causing […]
A Labor Day of Earthquakes For Timpson, Texas
If you visit this site often, chances are you’ve read about Timpson. It’s an East Texas community home to just over 1,100 people that seems to get more than its fair share of earthquakes. Last year a magnitude 4.8 struck the area. In January of this year two more quakes hit, one of them causing […]
More on Texas Cattle Rustling
Audio slideshow by Reporting Intern Ann Choi Cattle rustling, the age-old crime of stealing livestock, might seem like something for the history books. But, as our readers and listeners learned last month, Texas ranchers are seeing an increase in stolen cows, even as the number of cattle dwindles. The report generated a lot of interest. […]
August 26, 2013
In North Texas, a Struggle to Conserve Water and Prepare for Growth
From the Texas Tribune: DALLAS — On the northern edge of the city limits, where residents have been subject to watering restrictions for more than a year, a cozy home on less than half an acre has one of the greenest lawns around. The house is the first in Dallas to receive the Environmental Protection […]
In North Texas, a Struggle to Conserve Water and Prepare for Growth
From the Texas Tribune: DALLAS — On the northern edge of the city limits, where residents have been subject to watering restrictions for more than a year, a cozy home on less than half an acre has one of the greenest lawns around. The house is the first in Dallas to receive the Environmental Protection […]