A Coral Reef Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico Could Triple in Size
The federally protected marine sanctuary has kept three major reefs safe from encroaching offshore oil drilling and commercial fishing.
Since 1954

Amal Ahmed is a freelance environmental reporter. Originally from Dallas, she has a journalism degree from Northwestern University and previously worked at Texas Monthly, the Texas Observer, and Floodlight News.
The federally protected marine sanctuary has kept three major reefs safe from encroaching offshore oil drilling and commercial fishing.
The illegal dump is southern Dallas’ most visible environmental justice crisis. It’s far from the only one.
In the Eagle Ford Shale, a study found that pregnant, Latina women were more likely than white women to give birth prematurely.
A Dallas mosque’s decision to partner with law enforcement during a nation-wide reckoning on the role of policing fits into a broader hesitation from Muslim communities to jeopardize relationships with police departments.
Residents in this historically Black community are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 and woefully unprepared to recover from the next hurricane.
If a city’s population drops below 50,000, it’s no longer considered an urban area. This different designation means it could lose some of the federal dollars directed toward larger metropolitan areas.
“It’s a sign of the times.”
The state has already shown what can be accomplished when renewable energy is prioritized. Now, Texans want to take action. Do lawmakers?
Other states were harder hit by the spill, but Texas is still receiving millions of dollars that can be used for vital restoration and conservation efforts.
Energy expert Jim Krane explains the politics behind the president’s desire to release American oil reserves.