Environment

Republican state Rep. Brooks Landgraf proposed the ban after a fire at an Odessa area chemical storage facility that allegedly filled a nearby neighborhood with "black sludge." House Bill 3866 is now on Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

The Dust Bowl led to the creation of what is now called the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Just as it celebrates a major milestone, the agency is dealing with job losses, massive proposed budget cuts and talk of consolidation.

McDonald Observatory astronomers worked with energy companies to dim their lights.

Republican politicians and an interest group have sown fear over a voluntary process.

Environmental groups worry direct carbon capture is not the silver bullet to curb climate change many energy companies purport it to be.

Republican state Rep. Brooks Landgraf has filed a bill that would ban the outdoor storage of hazardous chemicals within 2,000 feet of homes. The proposal is a response to a large chemical fire at an Odessa-area facility last summer.

The plant, formally known as Ovicula biradiata, is especially notable for being the simultaneous discovery of a new species and genus. It was found with help from the community science app iNaturalist.

Two years after lawmakers created a $10 million program to address leaking wells in rural counties, none of the money has been distributed.

“It is only by going out and documenting these new species can we have a better and more comprehensive understanding of how nature works to sustain all the life that we know on Earth.”

Yesterday, Lubbock Compact announced an update to its Lubbock Environmental Action Plan project, with a new interactive air quality map on its website. Meanwhile, KERA’s Pablo Arauz Peña reports North Texas businesses that contribute to poor air quality could be subject to fines. And Texas' Health and Human Services Commission has asked the state for funding to improve systems and expand staff.