All Eyes on Land Office if George P. Bush Wins
The once-obscure General Land Office has gained national attention now that George P. Bush, nephew of former president George W. Bush, wants to run it.
Full StoryNeena Satija covers the environment for the Tribune. A native of the Washington, D.C. area, she graduated from Yale University in 2011, and then worked for a number of area news outlets, including the New Haven Independent, the Connecticut Mirror, and WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio. She has also been a regular contributor to National Public Radio. She previously worked for the Toledo Blade, the Dallas Morning News, and the Boston Globe. In her spare time, she enjoys singing (especially in group settings), running, and playing the addictive board game Settlers of Catan. As an East Coast transplant she is particularly thrilled with Austin tacos and warm weather.
The once-obscure General Land Office has gained national attention now that George P. Bush, nephew of former president George W. Bush, wants to run it.
Full StoryMost scientists believe less ozone pollution in the air Americans breathe would make people healthier. Texas' environmental regulators disagree.
Full StoryThe Austin City Council has called for a dramatic expansion in solar power generation, earning accolades from environmental advocates. But the city-owned utility, Austin Energy, has balked at the proposal.
Full StoryHouston officials say state regulators did little about dioxin pollution, so they're suing three companies themselves and asking for billions of dollars in fines.
Full StoryTexas is losing more farm, ranch and forest land than any other state, according to recent data. That has implications for water resources, which scientists say are better retained by undeveloped land. Use these maps to see the changes for individual counties.
Full StoryWater and sewer bills are going up substantially across Texas and in many other places around the country as utilities struggle to maintain aging infrastructure, deal with drought or come to grips with the rising costs of a scarce resource while searching for new supplies.
Full StoryAs the first known Ebola patient in the U.S. continued to fight for his life at a Dallas hospital, public health officials and doctors told Texas lawmakers in the state Capitol on Tuesday that an outbreak of the virus is extremely unlikely.
Full Story
In the wake of what some have called a botched response to the first known case of Ebola in the United States, Texas lawmakers will meet Tuesday afternoon in Austin to examine the state's public health infrastructure.
Full Story
Fifty Dallas-area people now require close monitoring for possible contraction of the Ebola virus, state officials said Friday afternoon — up from the initial number of 18 that they had given Wednesday.
Full Story
San Antonio is one step closer to buying some of the most expensive water ever sold in Texas. The city's water utility says the $3.4 billion deal is right for the growing region, but critics say it is risky and premature.
Full Story
Texas has long prided itself on providing public access to its beaches, but some fear that a recent court decision — supported by the front-runner to be land commissioner — could endanger that guarantee.
Full StoryGov. Rick Perry on Thursday called on the federal government to pass a comprehensive energy plan with a focus on natural gas drilling and exports — and to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.
State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, pledged on Wednesday to stop using money intended for transportation for other programs.
Full StoryUPDATED: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality voted Wednesday to refer protests over the proposed Lower Bois d'Arc Reservoir in northeast Texas to the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
Full StoryIn a wide-ranging interview Friday night at The Texas Tribune Festival, Republican land commissioner candidate George P. Bush discussed a state law granting in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants and a controversial court case on the Texas Open Beaches Act.
Full Story