Port Arthur’s 30-Year Fight for Environmental Justice
A report from the fencelines in the booming Southeast Texas petrochemical corridor.
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Texas’ Largest Corporate Welfare Program Is Leaving Companies Flush and School Districts Broke
The state’s Chapter 313 program offers steep discounts on property taxes to attract big industrial projects that are supposed to pay off over the long term. But by the time these projects return to the tax rolls, much of that value has disappeared.
Running from the Storm
Hurricane Laura underscores the threat and disruption of storm seasons super-charged by climate change.
The Disappeared
Genetic genealogy is helping to crack cold cases and identify victims left nameless for decades. The process is surprisingly effective—and controversial.
The Next Census Could Determine the Future of Port Arthur
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.
Off the Texas Gulf Coast, Tugboat Crews Are Stuck on Their Boats Without Pay
Bouchard Transportation, a massive shipping firm, hasn’t paid docking fees or worker salaries, leading to a rare quandary in U.S. waters.
Six Texas Oil Refineries Are Among the Nation’s Worst Benzene Polluters, Data Shows
Benzene was detected at the facilities’ fencelines, and nearby communities could be exposed to the cancer-causing pollutant.
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As Fossil Fuel Industry Invests Billions in New Texas Facilities, it Could Unleash a Huge Emissions Bomb
A new report finds that a pipeline of new and proposed oil and gas projects—many of them in Texas—could produce half a billion tons of additional greenhouse gas emissions a year.
Janis Joplin’s Inimitable Voice
An authoritative new biography explores what drove the iconic Texan singer.
Two Years After Hurricane Harvey, Port Arthur Remains in Disaster Recovery Limbo
The storm-ravaged coastal city is trying to move some people out of harm’s way while begging others to return.