News Release | Environment Texas

Obama Administration to Protect Americans’ Health by Setting Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

AUSTIN—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed historic new limits on carbon pollution from new power plants. Carbon pollution fuels global warming, which leads to poor air quality that triggers asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. Scientists also predict that global warming will lead to more devastating floods, more deadly heat waves and the spread of infectious diseases. Coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of carbon pollution in the U.S., yet there are currently no federal limits on this pollution from power plants. The proposed Carbon Pollution Standard will correct that for new power plants by limiting emissions to more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution for each megawatt of electricity produced. Texas currently leads the nation in emissions of carbon pollution from power plants.

Report | Environment Texas

In the Path of the Storm

Weather disasters kill or injure hundreds of Americans each year and cause billions of dollars in economic damage. The risks posed by some types of weather-related disasters will likely increase in a warming world. Scientists have already detected increases in extreme precipitation events and heat waves in the United States, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently concluded that global warming will likely lead to further changes in weather extremes.

News Release | Environment Texas

84 Percent of Texans Live in Areas Hit by Recent Weather Disasters; New Report Says Global Warming to Bring More Extreme Weather

AUSTIN - After a year that saw Texas hit by scorching heat, devastating wildfires, and extreme drought, a new Environment Texas report documents how global warming could lead to certain extreme weather events becoming even more common or more severe in the future.  The report found that, already, 84% of Texans live in counties affected by federally declared weather-related disasters since 2006, including last year’s wildfires. 

News Release | Environment Texas

House Transportation Bill Drives Us to Deeper Oil Dependence

AUSTIN— This afternoon, Representative John Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, officially introduced a major transportation reauthorization bill. The bill cuts all funding for biking and walking safety and cripples environmental review for transportation projects.  It also includes proposals to open the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as well as the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, and to open landscapes in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming to oil shale extraction. At the same time, On top of this, Speaker of the House John Boehner has said that he would attach approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline to this bill if it were not otherwise immediately approved.

Headline

Politicians, groups react harshly to Keystone news

Politicians and energy and environmental groups reacted quickly to the news that the Obama administration may formally reject the Keystone XL pipeline.

Headline

Obama rejects Canada-Texas oil pipeline for now

WASHINGTON — In a politically explosive decision, President Barack Obama on Wednesday rejected plans for a massive oil pipeline from Canada to Texas, ruling there wasn't enough time for a fair review before a looming deadline forced on him by congressional Republicans. His move didn't kill the project but could delay a tough choice for him until after the November elections.

Headline

Texas leads U.S. in greenhouse gas emissions

As the nation's light switch and gas pump, Texas releases far more greenhouse gases into the air than any other state, according to federal data released Wednesday.

Headline

Obama Got It Right on Keystone XL

Texans have never been afraid of a challenge, especially when it comes to energy. Since discovering oil at Spindletop early last century, Texans have used ingenuity and hard work to make the Lone Star state the energy capital of the world.

Global warming's impact on the drought and wildfires

Tuesday, January 24, 2012
By | Luke Metzger
Director

This afternoon, I testified before the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism on their Interim Charge to "Study the effects the drought and wildfires have had on tourism and recreation in Texas. Make recommendations for ways to prevent future losses." Here is my written testimony:

News Release | Environment Texas Research & Policy Center

Nuclear Power Plants Threaten Drinking Water for 1.2 Million Texans

AUSTIN – The drinking water for 1.2 million people in Texas could be at risk of radioactive contamination from a leak or accident at a local nuclear power plant, says a new study released today by Environment Texas Research and Policy Center and the Texas Public Interest Research Group (TexPIRG). See map here, key below. 

Pages