Energy & Environment
EPA Grant Set To Help Redevelop Contaminated Sites In Underserved Houston Neighborhoods
Posted on · The sites include a former incinerator, thermal processing facility and two abandoned commercial high rises.
Energy & Environment
The ITC Chemical Fire
2 Years After Disastrous Deer Park Chemical Fire, Texas Close To Creating New Safety Rules For Industry
Posted on · Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, spent years negotiating with industry groups to get new regulations placed on the chemical industry after the ITC fire in 2019. The bill has passed both chambers, but small changes need to be ironed out before it is sent to Gov. Greg Abbott.
Environment
Endangered Whooping Cranes Nest In Texas For The First Time In More Than A Century
Posted on · Two pairs of whooping cranes nested on private land in Jefferson and Chambers counties this year. It’s believed to be the first time the endangered birds have nested in Texas since the 1800s.
Energy & Environment
AAA Advises Texans Against Panic-Buying Gasoline
Posted on · There is ample gas supply in the United States, officials said, but it's a matter of getting deliveries to states to meet demand.
Energy & Environment
What We Know About The Ransomware Attack On A Critical U.S. Pipeline
Posted on · The massive pipeline, which supplies 45% of the East Coast's gasoline and jet fuel, was forced to shut down over the weekend. The company says it has one line operating under manual control.
Health & Science
A Key Tool In Houston’s Research On COVID-19 Variants? Your Poop
Posted on · Last year, health officials in Houston started using the city’s sewage system to help detect where the coronavirus was spreading. Now, they've fine-tuned the process, zeroing-in on specific buildings and monitoring for the emergence of new variants.
Winter Storm Aftermath
It’s Becoming Clearer Who Profited From The Blackouts, And That’s Raising Questions Of Price Gouging
Posted on · Natural gas was in short supply during the blackouts and could be sold at a premium. With no market controls, gas increased hundreds of times its normal value.
Energy & Environment
Houston’s ‘New Normal’: A Hotter And Wetter Climate
Posted on · Houston’s average monthly temperatures have gotten warmer year-round, according to the latest data from NOAA.
Energy & Environment
Bill To Prevent Texas Cities From Banning Natural Gas Heads To Governor’s Desk
Posted on · With the support of the natural gas industry, Oklahoma and Louisiana have already preemptively passed laws to ban local natural gas bans.
Energy & Environment
Texas City Lifts Shelter-In-Place Order After Marathon Oil Chemical Leak
Posted on · The city specifically called for a shelter in place for Fifth Avenue South to Texas Avenue, between 14th and 34th streets.
Energy & Environment
ERCOT Hires Interim CEO And President As Major Grid Reforms Stall In Legislature
Posted on · ERCOT doesn’t have the power to mandate major changes. That’s the job of the Public Utility Commission (PUC), which oversees ERCOT and regulates the grid, as well as the Railroad Commission, which regulates the natural gas sector. The Texas legislature oversees all of the organizations, and its efforts to mandate weatherization have stalled.
Energy & Environment
3 Texas Refineries Continue To Emit Cancer-Causing Benzene Above Federal Limits
Posted on · When benzene emissions exceed a certain level, refineries are supposed to come up with a plan to reduce them. But a new report from an environmental nonprofit found some Texas refineries continue to exceed the federal threshold.
Energy & Environment
Houston’s ‘Father of Environmental Justice’ On Where He Sees The Movement Headed
Posted on · TSU professor Dr. Robert Bullard is often referred to as the “father of environmental justice.” We spoke with him about the origins of the movement and what he hopes to see accomplished during the Biden administration.
Energy & Environment
Texas To Make Environmental Proceedings More Accessible To Non-English Speakers, Following Civil Rights Complaint
Posted on · Air and water permits for industrial facilities are often granted in predominantly Latino communities, but environmental justice advocates say language barriers often make it hard for community members to participate in the public process.
Energy & Environment
Biden Makes New Pledge For U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A 50% Cut
Posted on · The president will begin a climate summit by announcing that the United States will aim to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half, based on 2005 levels, by the end of the decade.