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Energy and Environment Reporting for Texas

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Where politics, government and energy intersect.

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Join Us Monday to Talk About the Labor Day Wildfires

If you’re in Austin Monday evening, please join us at our new studios for a special listening session and panel discussion of Forged in Flames: An Oral History of the Labor Day Wildfires, a special project on the 2011 fires by KUT News and StateImpact Texas. We’ll be listening to segments of the Forged in Flames […]

Meet the Texas Salamanders That Could Be Endangered Soon

Four Central Texas Salamanders have recently been proposed to be listed on the endangered species list by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. You can learn more about the salamanders, and where they live in the region, in the slideshow above. These salamanders are local to specific areas within the Edwards Aquifer region and have […]

What Sparked the Spicewood Fire

As the anniversary of the Labor Day fires approaches, we’re beginning to get some answers on what was at fault. As we reported earlier this week, the conditions at the time were the epitome of ‘perfect storm.’ Extreme heat, record drought, high winds and little humidity created a virtual powder keg. Compounding those well-known issues […]

Texas Supreme Court Reinforces Denbury Decision on Eminent Domain. Again.

For the third time, The Texas Supreme Court has ruled against a pipeline company’s use of eminent domain. But the oil and gas industry did not give this one up without a fight. Here’s some background: In a landmark ruling at the Texas Supreme Court last August, a rice farmer in Beaumont (along with a […]

Reax Roundup: Texas Crows Over Victory on EPA Air Pollution Rule

Earlier today, a federal appeals court overturned a new EPA rule, the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), that would have affected coal power plants in several states, including Texas. The rule was defended in a suit from the American Lung Association, several cities and states, and several environmental groups, including the Environmental Defense Fund, […]

How New Water Projects Could Help Both Rice Farmers and the Highland Lakes

It’s a battle that has gotten ugly at times. Residents, businesses and recreational enthusiasts lament low levels in the Highland Lakes of Travis and Buchanan in Central Texas, as each year massive amounts of water are sent downstream to rice farmers in Southeast Texas. When lake levels go down, business on the lake suffers, home […]

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