Naveena Sadasivam
As Speaker of the House, Will Dennis Bonnen be a Menace to the Environment?
Despite his earlier reputation as a hatchet man for environmental regulation bills, activists are cautiously optimistic that they can find common ground with Bonnen as speaker.
As chair of the Texas House Committee on Environmental Regulation from 2003 to 2008, Representative Dennis Bonnen was labeled a “tyrant,” a “Clean Air Villain” and consistently rated among the worst lawmakers in the Legislature by environmental activists. The Gulf … Read More
Audit Says State Windstorm Insurance Program is Failing… Again
After Hurricane Harvey, the windstorm insurer of last resort for the Texas coast is “broke, in debt and facing a shrinking revenue pool.”
In 2008, after hurricanes Ike and Dolly ravaged the Texas coast and caused more than $30 billion in property damage, the state’s quasi-governmental windstorm insurance agency struggled to process the wave of claims that followed. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association … Read More
Trump Administration Report: Climate Change Is Hurting Texas
If greenhouse gasses aren’t curbed, the Texas economy will likely face devastating consequences from climate change.
Sea levels along the Texas coast could rise by as much as 8 feet by 2100, submerging parts of the Galveston and Corpus Christi shoreline. Temperatures may increase by as much as 8.4 degrees by the end of the century, … Read More
Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia Make History as First Texas Latinas Elected to Congress
Escobar said she hopes to be a check on Trump’s worst tendencies and “push back against the politics of hatred” in Congress.
In the nearly 175 years since Texas joined the union, the state has sent more 300 representatives to Congress, but none have been Latina — until now. As of 8:30 p.m., campaigns for El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar and … Read More
House District 105 is Gerrymandered but Diversifying. Will Republicans Eke Out Another Win?
In the last decade, Democrats have come within a few percentage points of winning House District 105 in the Dallas suburbs three times. In 2008, the year of the last blue wave in Texas fueled by Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, … Read More
Why Environmental Groups Are Salty on Corpus Christi’s Pricey Desalination Plan
Despite the cost, logistical challenges and environmental side effects, city officials are moving forward on their plan to bolster Corpus Christi's water supply.
Having tried little else to save its water supply, Corpus Christi is considering an option that no other Texas city has embraced: seawater desalination. The strategy has long been considered a far-in-the-future option because of its cost, logistical challenges and … Read More
Exxon Appears to Mislead State to Secure Tax Break
In an application for a tax break from the Texas comptroller’s office, Exxon inaccurately claimed it hadn’t applied for any other permits for the facility.
In an effort to secure about $65 million in tax breaks, Exxon appears to have misled the state about how far along it was in deciding where to build a $1.9 billion plastics plant. In July, Exxon applied for a … Read More
Jury Finds TCEQ Did Not Discriminate Against Former Employee
State employees testified that Shiyan Jiang, the plaintiff, was argumentative, dismissive and insulting to other staff.
On Thursday, an eight-member jury sided with the state and found that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Kim Wilson, one of the agency’s directors, did not discriminate against a former employee on the basis of race, age or … Read More
Government Asks Court for More Time To Fix Houston’s Decades-Long Sewage Problem
A lawsuit by state and federal authorities could ultimately delay a fix to Houston’s widespread sewage leaks, which disproportionately affect minority and poor communities, advocates say.
Houston has a sewage problem. In the last five years, the city has self-reported more than 9,300 instances of untreated sewage overflowing from its sewer systems. The foul, bacteria-laden mixture often ends up in the city’s bayous and other waterways, … Read More