Environment

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it is withdrawing previous plans allowing the expansion of the oldest wildlife refuge in Texas. KTTZ’s Brad Burt reports on the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge and the decision. For the third week in a row, Texas has reported no new measles cases with the West Texas outbreak.

The Home Utility Management System would allow households to collect and utilize energy and water for themselves, rather than relying on a grid. While federal funding is still up in the air, researchers with the project are seeking new opportunities to implement the system in practice.

A group representing High Plains region farmers has launched a campaign to make buyers aware of synthetic fibers’ impact on the environment and health.

After tornadoes on the South Plains and deadly floods in the Hill Country, severe weather has defined much of this Texas summer. KTTZ reporter Bishop Van Buren spoke with a city official about what it looks like to be properly prepared for an emergency.

Severe weather has gripped Texas this year — from tornadoes tearing through the South Plains to wildfires in the Panhandle and, most recently, deadly floods in the Hill Country. In Lubbock, where the city’s outdoor siren system was activated for the first time earlier this summer, emergency officials emphasize that layered alerts and personal preparedness remain essential to staying safe.

Also: San Antonio mourned the victims in a Travis Park vigil; UTSA said one of its teachers died in the Guadalupe River flood; Kerrville officials said a privately owned drone collided with a helicopter conducting search and rescue operations.

Dozens of people have died in the Texas Hill Country. Scores of others are missing or unaccounted for. As rescue crews continue to search for victims, those who survived are coping with the loss.

The justices ruled Friday that the company holding the oil and gas lease also lays claim to the produced water. The ruling comes as more companies are seeking to turn a profit on what has long been considered a vexing waste stream.

While recent research shows the night sky is getting brighter every year across North America, the Big Bend area in Texas has fended off the light glow that washes out starry nights.

A suspect was killed and two officers were injured in an officer-involved shooting on Texas Tech University campus early Tuesday morning. University police addressed the shooting in a conference that afternoon, our reporter Samantha Larned has the details. A recent study from Southern Methodist University highlights how access to green spaces plays a crucial role in mental health. KERA’s Katherine Hobbs reports on the researchers' findings.