Environment

In Landmark Criminal Case, Citgo Could Get Off Easy

Without the fear of enormous fines, a polluter could see violations simply as the cost of doing business.

Lawmaker Wants to Limit Challenges to Harold Simmons’ Radioactive Waste Dump

Citizen challenges to a West Texas radioactive waste dump owned by Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons would be limited under legislation filed by Rep. Drew Darby.

Everyone Supports the State Water Plan, So Now What?

Support for funding the $53 billion water plan appeared to be unanimous. Everyone pledged fealty to water conservation. The question now, as Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) suggested this morning, is *how* the financing is structured. Will the consensus hold, or will interests fracture along regional and economic lines?

State Government Hoarding, Not Spending Clean-Air Money

Budget-writers at the Capitol leave the vast majority of the money unspent in special accounts while the underfunded air quality programs languish.

Coal, An Obituary

nce, not long ago, it seemed that coal would conquer Texas. Just a few years ago, out-of-state developers and home-grown utilities, including TXU and NRG Energy, were clawing over each other to build new coal-fired power plants. Thanks to high natural gas prices and Texas’ deregulated power market, some of these companies were going to make a mint and turn Texas into the Coal Star State.

Now, many of the proposed plants have been unceremoniously scrapped.