The Winds of Willacy: Inside Texas’ Largest Wind Farm
The coastal gales of the Rio Grande Valley have helped rejuvenate this small farming community.
Environment
Texas Is Taking Back the State Highway 288 Tollway—at a Steep Price
The private firms who have operated the tollway will be paid $1.7 billion by TxDOT, adding to the profit they’ve already made in toll revenues, construction contracts, and sales of shares.
How Texas Diminished a Once-Rigorous Air Pollution Monitoring Team
Former employees say the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality weakened the unit in the years following the onset of the fracking boom. The operation never returned to what it was before.
A Texas Pipeline Giant Is Backing a Regulatory Disaster
Energy Transfer owns the pipeline that caught fire recently near Houston, and it’s setting another fire at the National Labor Relations Board with the help of right-wing jurists.
Pipeline Explosion in Deer Park Reveals Hidden Hazards Texans Face
The pipeline’s owner is “the same company that got $2.4 billion richer when Texans froze to death during Uri,” one activist points out.
Rice Farmers on the Brink
Limited water, changing weather, skyrocketing costs, and land losses are causing Texas’ rice farms to slowly disappear.
The Woman Who Died in the Heat on a San Antonio Sidewalk Was My Friend
After many months of fruitless efforts to get Jessica help, our case was finally moving, and for a couple days we were hopeful. Then the heat dome hit.
After Hurricane Beryl, Cooling Centers Were Few and Slow to Arrive for Houstonians of Color—Some Died of Heat Exposure
During the power outage following the storm, a shocking lack of support in vulnerable communities reflected a larger breakdown in coordination between the state, CenterPoint Energy, and local governments.
How Can You Tell If Soil Is Healthy? Just Listen to It.
First-of-its-kind research shows how "ecoacoustics" can help scientists monitor the health of soils—using underground critter concerts.
When Summer Heat Hits My Texas Prison
High temperatures and scarce air conditioning cause tempers to flare for prisoners and guards alike.