INSIDER
A West Texas lawmaker wants to redirect millions of tax dollars to plug abandoned wells, curb emissions
Read full article: A West Texas lawmaker wants to redirect millions of tax dollars to plug abandoned wells, curb emissionsThe proposal comes after the stateās oil and gas regulatory agency said it needs more money to plug wells that are in some instances erupting.
Republican Christi Craddick reelected to Railroad Commission, the stateās oil and gas regulatory agency
Read full article: Republican Christi Craddick reelected to Railroad Commission, the stateās oil and gas regulatory agencyThe three-member board oversees Texasā oil and gas industry. The agency has faced criticism over safety concerns linked to fracking, well blowouts and groundwater protection.
State oil regulator requests $100 million to tackle West Texas well blowouts
Read full article: State oil regulator requests $100 million to tackle West Texas well blowoutsAbandoned wells in the Permian Basin are increasingly erupting with briney, polluted water. The Texas Railroad Commission says it needs emergency money to respond.
Bexar County to use nearly $470,000 DOE grant to track greenhouse gas emissions
Read full article: Bexar County to use nearly $470,000 DOE grant to track greenhouse gas emissionsBexar County is expected to use a Department of Energy grant to better track greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) across the region, developing a county-wide GHG emissions inventory assessment in response to high local ozone levels.
Let your voice be heard at CPS Energyās public input session
Read full article: Let your voice be heard at CPS Energyās public input sessionCPS Energy will hold a public input session on Monday in downtown San Antonio to offer community members and stakeholders the opportunity to engage with board members directly.
Level of oil and gas regulation at heart of Texas Railroad Commission race
Read full article: Level of oil and gas regulation at heart of Texas Railroad Commission raceIncumbent Christi Craddick is touting the health of the Texas energy industry and its impact on the economy. Her top opponent says regulation on the commission is too lax.
āShould we be worried?ā: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggs
Read full article: āShould we be worried?ā: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggsExperts warn that more blowouts should be expected unless oil and gas companies change their methods.
Fight over West Texas nuclear waste plan to hit U.S. Supreme Court
Read full article: Fight over West Texas nuclear waste plan to hit U.S. Supreme CourtA company has long pursued the plan to move āhigh-levelā nuclear waste from power plants across the nation to a storage facility in Andrews County.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Legislature will review Deloitteās contracts after public loan project scandal
Read full article: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Legislature will review Deloitteās contracts after public loan project scandalThe examination of Deloitteās existing contracts comes after it failed to catch red flags in a companyās application for a loan to build or upgrade power plants in the state.
How Texasā environmental agency weakened a once-rigorous air pollution monitoring team
Read full article: How Texasā environmental agency weakened a once-rigorous air pollution monitoring teamFormer employees say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality gutted the unit soon after the fracking boom swept the state oil industry. The operation never returned to what it was before.
West Texans split on proposed direct air capture project that could be largest in U.S.
Read full article: West Texans split on proposed direct air capture project that could be largest in U.S.Residents were worried about the impact on their drinking water while business leaders were excited for the new jobs.
San Antonio-area coal plant named one of top 50 worst polluters in US, study shows
Read full article: San Antonio-area coal plant named one of top 50 worst polluters in US, study showsCPS Energyās J.K. Spruce coal power plant released "seven million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, making it the 42nd-worst climate polluter in the country," according to a study published by the Frontier Group.
Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over listing Texas lizard as endangered
Read full article: Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over listing Texas lizard as endangeredThe lawsuit claims federal regulators have undermined the Texas oil and gas industry by misusing environmental law, negatively impacting drilling and production.
Study finds levels of a dangerous gas āoff the scalesā in Central Texas oilfield
Read full article: Study finds levels of a dangerous gas āoff the scalesā in Central Texas oilfieldThe smell of oil wells has long permeated Caldwell County, near Austin and San Antonio. Now researchers have documented wells releasing dangerous amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas.
Texas lawmakers question agency's ability to oversee $5 billion energy loan program after initial glitch
Read full article: Texas lawmakers question agency's ability to oversee $5 billion energy loan program after initial glitchLawmakers tasked the Public Utility Commission with overseeing the Texas Energy Fund, though the agency has no experience running a loan program.
Abbott says potential power outages from Tropical Storm Francine will be restored within hours
Read full article: Abbott says potential power outages from Tropical Storm Francine will be restored within hoursTexas isnāt expected to take a direct hit when the storm makes landfall as a hurricane. But storm surge and dangerous winds are possible.
Texas proposes first new rules for oilfield waste in 40 years
Read full article: Texas proposes first new rules for oilfield waste in 40 yearsWhile environmentalists say the new rules donāt do enough to protect groundwater, oil and gas operators are contesting stricter requirements for waste pits near wells.
City officially commissions largest municipal solar project in Texas
Read full article: City officially commissions largest municipal solar project in TexasThe $30 million initiative advances the cityās goal of attaining a net zero capacity for all municipal buildings by 2040, a step outlined in the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
CPS Energy highlights resilience, curbing emissions in 2023 community impact report
Read full article: CPS Energy highlights resilience, curbing emissions in 2023 community impact reportThe 23-page document highlights measures to address energy equity, increase sustainability and curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The oil industry is booming. This West Texas small business worries itās been left behind.
Read full article: The oil industry is booming. This West Texas small business worries itās been left behind.Before the pandemic, Ben Bilbrey worked with some of the largest oil companies. Now heās waiting for the phone to ring.
Donald Trumpās promise to ādrill, baby, drillā probably wonāt change much ā least of all in Texas
Read full article: Donald Trumpās promise to ādrill, baby, drillā probably wonāt change much ā least of all in TexasTexas is producing so much natural gas right now companies are losing money.
Federal court orders regulators to fix process, reconsider gas export projects in South Texas
Read full article: Federal court orders regulators to fix process, reconsider gas export projects in South TexasThis weekās ruling was the latest twist since cities and groups in Texasā Rio Grande Valley sued to block the projects.
Unregulated oilfield power lines are suspected of sparking Texas wildfires
Read full article: Unregulated oilfield power lines are suspected of sparking Texas wildfiresNo state agency is taking responsibility for making sure the privately built lines that power many oil and gas sites are safe. Such lines have been blamed for sparking two recent Panhandle fires.
CenterPoint CEO promises improvements as Texas scrutinizes companyās Beryl response
Read full article: CenterPoint CEO promises improvements as Texas scrutinizes companyās Beryl responseJason Wells told regulators the company will launch a new outage tracker by Aug. 1. It will also trim more tree limbs near power lines and hire an executive to focus on emergency response.
Public Utility Commission releases investigative report on CenterPoint Energyās Hurricane Beryl response
Read full article: Public Utility Commission releases investigative report on CenterPoint Energyās Hurricane Beryl responseThe companyās power outages in July have drawn the ire of state leaders. Hereās what you need to know.
A federal utility assistance program favors cold-weather states, giving less money to hot places like Texas
Read full article: A federal utility assistance program favors cold-weather states, giving less money to hot places like TexasThe program helps low-income people with heating and cooling bills, but advocates say it disadvantages Texas and other warm-weather states, even though extreme heat is a key cause of weather-related deaths.
Residential solar is growing in Texas amid worries about reliable power during events like Hurricane Beryl
Read full article: Residential solar is growing in Texas amid worries about reliable power during events like Hurricane BerylIn Harris County, more federal money is available to help low- and moderate-income residents install rooftop solar.
Texans heading into a second week without electricity are battling heat, frustration and boredom
Read full article: Texans heading into a second week without electricity are battling heat, frustration and boredomMore than 200,000 CenterPoint Energy customers without power struggle with the heat one week after Hurricane Beryl swept through southeast Texas.
Abbott reprimands CenterPoint and calls for an investigation into the utilityās response to Beryl blackouts
Read full article: Abbott reprimands CenterPoint and calls for an investigation into the utilityās response to Beryl blackoutsAbbott demanded that the utility company produce a plan by the end of July outlining how it will improve power reliability ahead of future storms.
āGet back up and goā: CenterPoint linemen take on a broken grid as Houstonians seethe
Read full article: āGet back up and goā: CenterPoint linemen take on a broken grid as Houstonians seetheBeryl exposed how vulnerable the electric infrastructure is to failure, leaving residents angry and at risk.
CenterPoint exudes chaos, but also appears to be restoring power faster than it previously has
Read full article: CenterPoint exudes chaos, but also appears to be restoring power faster than it previously hasAccording to state filings, the utility is restoring power at a relatively quicker pace than after prior storms. Texans are still fed up.
How to make your Texas home more energy efficient and get money from the government
Read full article: How to make your Texas home more energy efficient and get money from the governmentFederal tax incentives are available to weatherize your house and switch to more energy efficient appliances. Rebates are coming.
City secures $1.2 million in federal funding to improve energy efficiency, reduce transportation pollution
Read full article: City secures $1.2 million in federal funding to improve energy efficiency, reduce transportation pollutionThe $1.2 million will enhance energy efficiency, mitigate climate pollution associated with transportation-related emissions and reduce energy consumption.
Truckers hope protest over unpaid hours and lack of restrooms will spark a Permian Basin labor movement
Read full article: Truckers hope protest over unpaid hours and lack of restrooms will spark a Permian Basin labor movementTruckers say they can wait up to 18 hours without pay to load or unload fracking sand. The drilling sites often lack restrooms.
Experimental power plant using CO2 in San Antonio could be future of energy production
Read full article: Experimental power plant using CO2 in San Antonio could be future of energy productionSouthwest Research Institute built a power plant from the ground up, and its energy production is attracting attention.
Texas electricity demand could nearly double in six years, grid operator predicts
Read full article: Texas electricity demand could nearly double in six years, grid operator predictsThe prediction by ERCOT reflects a new way of counting future demand and a spike in requests to connect to the grid from large power users.
Three months after the Texasā largest wildfire, Panhandle residents are preparing for the next one
Read full article: Three months after the Texasā largest wildfire, Panhandle residents are preparing for the next oneShort of an immediate statewide response, Texans who lost homes and livestock are taking matters into their own hands to better prepare their property for a wildfire.
Texas lizard added to endangered species list over the oil and gas industryās objections
Read full article: Texas lizard added to endangered species list over the oil and gas industryās objectionsThe dunes sagebrush lizard lives in the same West Texas land that supports the stateās biggest oil and gas fields, and industry leaders say the new designation will hurt drilling and production.
U.S. oil and gas production is booming. So are the industryās donations to its GOP allies
Read full article: U.S. oil and gas production is booming. So are the industryās donations to its GOP alliesThe biggest recipient of campaign donations from the industry isnāt Donald Trump or President Joe Biden, itās a Texas House member who represents part of the Permian Basin.
āWe lost everythingā: East Texas residents confront their future after flooding
Read full article: āWe lost everythingā: East Texas residents confront their future after floodingDozens of evacuees, including the elderly and barefoot children, crowded in an old school building Friday, praying for clear skies on Monday.
Decayed power pole sparked the largest wildfire in state history, Texas House committee confirms
Read full article: Decayed power pole sparked the largest wildfire in state history, Texas House committee confirmsA lack of air support and ineffective coordination hurt efforts to contain this year's Panhandle fires, the committee said.
Companies aim to release more treated oilfield wastewater into rivers and streams
Read full article: Companies aim to release more treated oilfield wastewater into rivers and streamsTexas regulators are issuing permits to discharge large volumes of treated āproduced waterā into some waterways. Questions remain about the toxic pollutants found in the wastewater.
Coal power plants must reduce pollution under new federal rules
Read full article: Coal power plants must reduce pollution under new federal rulesThe rules will require coal-fueled plants, including Texas plants that produced about 12% of power on the stateās grid this year, to reduce carbon emissions and mercury pollution and handle disposed coal ash more safely.
CPS Energy receives $2.45 million federal grant for gas infrastructure upgrades
Read full article: CPS Energy receives $2.45 million federal grant for gas infrastructure upgradesThe infrastructure set to be replaced is located in a low-income community on the West Side, a CPS Energy news release said. The project, which will improve safety and performance measures, is expected to conclude by the end of the year.
After Texasā largest wildfire is contained, a rancher moves on with a single calf
Read full article: After Texasā largest wildfire is contained, a rancher moves on with a single calfIn testimony to state lawmakers, Dale Jenkins and his Panhandle peers shared the āhidden costā of the wildfires.
Public blasts Texas agencies, regulators for poor communication and oversight at wildfire hearings
Read full article: Public blasts Texas agencies, regulators for poor communication and oversight at wildfire hearingsThursdayās hearing marked the end of the Legislatureās three-day marathon of public hearings.
Texas wind energy firms need more technicians. Can they drum up student interest without state support?
Read full article: Texas wind energy firms need more technicians. Can they drum up student interest without state support?The wind industry promises attractive salaries. But a lack of training programs and waning political support make it difficult to find new recruits.
Department of Energy collaborates with city partners to develop sustainable aviation energy technologies
Read full article: Department of Energy collaborates with city partners to develop sustainable aviation energy technologiesA city-wide collaboration advancing sustainable technology in the aviation industry is expected to dampen San Antonio International Airportās energy footprint.
Utility pole inspection company declines to testify at Texas Panhandle wildfire investigation hearing
Read full article: Utility pole inspection company declines to testify at Texas Panhandle wildfire investigation hearingThe Texas A&M Forest Service concluded that a fallen decayed utility pole caused the Smokehouse Creek fire.
Small nuclear reactors may be coming to Texas, boosted by interest from Gov. Abbott
Read full article: Small nuclear reactors may be coming to Texas, boosted by interest from Gov. AbbottA nuclear power plant hasnāt been built in Texas in decades because of cost and public fears of a major accident. Now the governor wants to find out if smaller reactors could meet the stateās growing need for on-demand power.
In Texas, ex-oil and gas workers champion geothermal energy as a replacement for fossil-fueled power plants
Read full article: In Texas, ex-oil and gas workers champion geothermal energy as a replacement for fossil-fueled power plantsTexas has become an early hot spot for geothermal energy exploration as scores of former oil industry workers and executives are taking their knowledge to a new energy source.
Texas energy companies are betting hydrogen can become a cleaner fuel for transportation
Read full article: Texas energy companies are betting hydrogen can become a cleaner fuel for transportationSupporters say developing hydrogen as a fuel is critical to slowing climate change. Critics are concerned that producing it with fossil fuels will prop up the oil and gas industry.
Texas firefighters completely contain Panhandle inferno that burned more than 1 million acres
Read full article: Texas firefighters completely contain Panhandle inferno that burned more than 1 million acresA series of deadly wildfires have burned for nearly three weeks, destroying farms and ranches in several counties.
Gulf Coast petrochemical growth draws billions in tax breaks despite pollution violations
Read full article: Gulf Coast petrochemical growth draws billions in tax breaks despite pollution violationsA new report by the Environmental Integrity Project compiled data on every U.S. plastics plant built, expanded or proposed since 2012, revealing massive growth in Texas.
Expuestos y en el olvido: El aire tĆ³xico en una comunidad latina de Texas revela los fallos del sistema estatal de control de calidad del aire
Read full article: Expuestos y en el olvido: El aire tĆ³xico en una comunidad latina de Texas revela los fallos del sistema estatal de control de calidad del aireLos datos pĆŗblicos de una red de monitores de la calidad del aire alrededor del Canal de NavegaciĆ³n de Houston son difĆciles de interpretar y a menudo son insuficientes, dejando a vecindarios de mayorĆa latina, como Cloverleaf, sin saber si el aire que respiran es seguro.
Neglected and exposed: Toxic air lingers in a Texas Latino community, revealing failures in stateās air monitoring system
Read full article: Neglected and exposed: Toxic air lingers in a Texas Latino community, revealing failures in stateās air monitoring systemPublic data from a network of state air monitors around the Houston Ship Channel is hard to interpret and is often inadequate, leaving Latino-majority neighborhoods like Cloverleaf unaware of whether the air they breathe is safe.
Texas Panhandle wildfires: What you need to know about the blazes, damage and recovery
Read full article: Texas Panhandle wildfires: What you need to know about the blazes, damage and recoveryThe full scope of damage still isnāt known, but some Panhandle residents have returned home. Firefighters continue battling the infernos.
State calls for investigation into cause of Texas Panhandle wildfires
Read full article: State calls for investigation into cause of Texas Panhandle wildfiresAs officials try to determine a cause for the wildfires, a Canadian homeowner filed a lawsuit blaming an energy company for the destruction. And more are expected.
āNobody really knows what youāre supposed to doā: Leaking, exploding abandoned wells wreak havoc in West Texas
Read full article: āNobody really knows what youāre supposed to doā: Leaking, exploding abandoned wells wreak havoc in West TexasThe Texas Railroad Commission is tasked with plugging wells. But the state regulators say their scope is limited.
Railroad Commission approves oilfield waste ponds next to Baptist camp in Permian Basin
Read full article: Railroad Commission approves oilfield waste ponds next to Baptist camp in Permian BasinMartin Water is building an oil and gas waste recycling facility next to the Circle 6 Baptist Camp in the Permian Basin despite concerns about water and air pollution.
āWe need to do more, fasterā: Sustainability report celebrates wins, sets expectations for SA in 2024
Read full article: āWe need to do more, fasterā: Sustainability report celebrates wins, sets expectations for SA in 2024The report, which charts metrics related to climate and sustainability issues affecting the Alamo City, comes with several scannable QR codes and links.
Lubbock residents have long dreamed of cheaper electricity. Will Texasā open market deliver?
Read full article: Lubbock residents have long dreamed of cheaper electricity. Will Texasā open market deliver?Years in the making, the transition from a municipal electric company to an open market has left some residents unsure.
Texas ranks third in residential rooftop solar generation, report says
Read full article: Texas ranks third in residential rooftop solar generation, report saysA new report out Tuesday ranks Texas third in residential solar power generation as San Antonio continues to spearhead clean energy in the state.
Texasā oil and gas production surges even as federal government clamps down on environmental regulations
Read full article: Texasā oil and gas production surges even as federal government clamps down on environmental regulationsCrude oil and natural gas extraction in Texas reached record levels in 2023, according to the industryās annual report.
Texas could swap land in Boca Chica State Park with SpaceX
Read full article: Texas could swap land in Boca Chica State Park with SpaceXThe Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to vote in March on a deal that environmental advocates, the Esto'k Gna Tribal Nation of Texas and local officials oppose.
NuStar Energy and Sunoco agree to $7.3B merger, eyeing significant synergies
Read full article: NuStar Energy and Sunoco agree to $7.3B merger, eyeing significant synergiesSan Antonio-based pipeline and terminal operator NuStar Energy LP has agreed to be acquired by Dallas-based fuel distributor Sunoco LP for $7.3 billion, NuStar announced.
Texas regulators limit oil and gas disposal wells in bid to reduce earthquakes in West Texas
Read full article: Texas regulators limit oil and gas disposal wells in bid to reduce earthquakes in West TexasInjecting saltwater back into the ground āis likely contributing to recent seismic activity,ā the Railroad Commission of Texas has said.
How Texas polluters classify big facilities as smaller ones to avoid stricter environmental rules and public input
Read full article: How Texas polluters classify big facilities as smaller ones to avoid stricter environmental rules and public inputIndustrial developers describe large facilities as āminorā polluters to avoid federal permitting requirements, and environmental lawyers say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality lets it happen.
This West Texas town has a lot of money in the bank. Why can't it pick up its trash?
Read full article: This West Texas town has a lot of money in the bank. Why can't it pick up its trash?Like local leaders in many other towns in West Texas, the Kermit City Council spent years saving its tax revenue fearing the energy economy would crash. Now it is struggling to keep up with essential services like trash and road repair.
Texan Bitcoin miners profit by using less electricity; advocates say all Texans should get the same chance
Read full article: Texan Bitcoin miners profit by using less electricity; advocates say all Texans should get the same chanceBitcoin miner Riot Platforms made headlines over the summer for making millions by selling pre-purchased power back to the grid. The news highlighted how the grid can benefit businesses more than consumers.
Vouchers, border security, abortion: The issues you heard about in 2023 will continue to be hotly debated in 2024
Read full article: Vouchers, border security, abortion: The issues you heard about in 2023 will continue to be hotly debated in 2024After nearly a yearās worth of legislative sessions, several issues are poised to dominate Texas politics this year. Hereās a look at how things ended on several fronts last year ā and where theyāre headed next.
Texans grapple with numerous challenges, yet many are actively seeking solutions
Read full article: Texans grapple with numerous challenges, yet many are actively seeking solutionsAcross the state, people are looking for ways to make Texas a better place to live as they tackle hunger, rural ābrain drain,ā health care obstacles and other impediments.
Worried about safety, a small West Texas town challenges planned cross-border pipeline
Read full article: Worried about safety, a small West Texas town challenges planned cross-border pipelineCritics are calling on federal regulators to increase their scrutiny and oversight of the proposed pipeline, which would send gas from Texas to the Mexican coast for export to other countries.
Texas Supreme Court declines to revive billionaireās defamation lawsuit against Beto OāRourke
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court declines to revive billionaireās defamation lawsuit against Beto OāRourkeKelcy Warren, a Dallas pipeline billionaire, sued OāRourke in early 2022, saying the Democrat defamed him with critical comments about his companyās windfall profits after the Texas energy-grid collapse in February 2021.
In this East Texas town, a 45-foot tall oil pump is a holiday symbol and connection to the past
Read full article: In this East Texas town, a 45-foot tall oil pump is a holiday symbol and connection to the pastRudolph the Red-Nose Pumping Unit has long been a holiday tradition in Lufkin. The machinery, now used worldwide to extract oil from the ground, was invented by a local businessman.
Texas will have to cut methane emissions from oil fields under new federal climate rule
Read full article: Texas will have to cut methane emissions from oil fields under new federal climate ruleThe Biden Administration announced a crackdown on methane emissions, a major driver of climate change. Major oil and gas companies also signed on to a voluntary net-zero commitment.
Texas grid faces winter after failed attempt to get more power online
Read full article: Texas grid faces winter after failed attempt to get more power onlineIndustry experts continue to argue over whether the electricity market in Texas needs to change to make the grid more reliable in winter and summer.
SA community sounds off during CPS Energy tele town hall on proposed rate increase
Read full article: SA community sounds off during CPS Energy tele town hall on proposed rate increaseThe city-owned utility proposed to increase its gas and electric base rates by 4.25% in a pair of meetings earlier this month before the CPS Energy Board of Trustees and San Antonio City Council. Customers during a meeting on Thursday night asked why.
An effort to prepare West Texas students to work in the oil and gas industry is expanding
Read full article: An effort to prepare West Texas students to work in the oil and gas industry is expandingThe expansion, which will start with a smaller pilot in four high schools between Texas and New Mexico, is being paid for by the Permian Strategic Partnership, a group funded by major energy producers.
Federal court overturns Texas agencyās pollution permit for Gulf Coast natural gas export terminal
Read full article: Federal court overturns Texas agencyās pollution permit for Gulf Coast natural gas export terminalJudges overturned a state air pollution permit that was issued last year, arguing that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality illegally enabled Port Arthur LNG to avoid emissions control requirements.
Seeking lower electricity rates, residents in two East Texas towns hope the state will intervene
Read full article: Seeking lower electricity rates, residents in two East Texas towns hope the state will interveneLivingston and Jasper residents hope a lawsuit will force their municipality-operated utility company to offer lower rates and create more transparency in setting rates. Theyāre among the 5 million Texans living outside the stateās deregulated market and cannot choose their energy provider.
Midland fights disposal of oilfield wastewater near its drinking supply
Read full article: Midland fights disposal of oilfield wastewater near its drinking supplyAs oil and gas companies struggle to dispose of their wastewater in the Permian Basin, the city of Midland is challenging applications for disposal wells near one of its drinking water sources.
Some SA businesses find their own solutions as winter nears, worries arise of energy grid
Read full article: Some SA businesses find their own solutions as winter nears, worries arise of energy gridAngela Cordoba at Freshest Ice Creams said she's trying to keep her thermostat off, and switching to use a more winter-friendly menu.