Environment

The E.L. Reed Herbarium at Texas Tech has served as a record of plant life in the region since 1925 and last month, its team finally got to hold its centennial celebration.

Biden-era changes to the Clean Air Act would have tightened regulations for industrial sites, but the Trump administration has given exemptions to hundreds of facilities. People living near the sites are concerned about air quality and their well-being.

While parts of West Texas have seen some refreshing rainfall, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows more than 80% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions. According to a Texas Farm Bureau report, this continues to affect farmers and playa lake levels. Meanwhile, cattle industry groups in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities are affecting agricultural communities. Harvest Public Media’s Anna Pope reports they’re concerned about workforce disruptions and delays.

The elimination of the greenhouse gas emission standards could have sweeping impacts for Texas, which lead the country in carbon emissions from power plants in 2025.

A decade ago, a federal task force announced a plan to help monarch butterflies along their great migration. The six-state effort along Interstate 35 didn't take off as expected, but some roadsides are blooming anyway.

Cities are growing, and wildlife is moving in right alongside people. From bats and raccoons to coyotes and pigeons, animals are adapting to urban life in new ways. Texas Public Radio’s Tim Gutierrez spoke to one author who says cities may be among the most important ecosystems in the country.

Texas Democrats are urging the Trump administration to delay its plans for building border barriers and roads across the West Texas park. Bulldozers and trucks bearing the logo of the contractor awarded $1.7 billion for the project were seen in the national park on Tuesday as local activists warn construction could start at any moment.

August is traditionally a hot, dry month in Texas, which can lead to high fire danger. KTTZ’s Charley Maranville reports the state is finding ways to prepare for the month ahead. You can find wildfire preparedness tips here. A coalition of environmental groups says raising public awareness of prairies could help spur conservation efforts. Harvest Public Media’s Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on how prairies serve the people who live by them.

Lake Meredith, near Amarillo is a municipal water source for eleven cities, including Lubbock. Last month it was designated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as “fully infested” with invasive zebra mussels. Our Samantha Larned reports the mussels are known to impact infrastructure, such as pipes used for water treatment.

Lake Meredith, near Amarillo, was recently designated as “fully infested” with invasive zebra mussels. The mussels have been spreading across Texas for more than 15 years and Lake Meredith is the north-most body of water in the state to be infected. TPWD says the mussels have the potential to damage treatment equipment in what is a municipal water source for the region, but water officials with the lake say they're prepared.