Abbott appointee resigns as chair of power grid regulator
Public Utility Commission chair Peter Lake had spearheaded a plan to help the state’s power grid withstand weather disasters, but the plan lacked support in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
![Public Utility Commission of Texas Chairman Peter Lake speaks at a press conference at the PUCT Headquarters in Austin, on Nov. 29, 2022. The conference spotlighted grid reliability and readiness as Texas approaches winter.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/8wYSxd1UvXCxQRKglq27T90KgcI=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e87e13e69213ff04cf976219b1f39e0b/1129%20PUC%20Presser%20AS%20TT%2005.jpeg)
Erin Douglas was the climate reporter for The Texas Tribune from 2020 through 2023 where she covered the impacts of climate change, including extreme heat, drought and hurricanes. She reported on the toll flooding takes on mental health, investigated a chemical fire at an industrial facility, and covered the collapse of Texas’ power grid that led to widespread blackouts across the state. Her coverage of the Texas blackouts in 2021 was recognized by the Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Erin was previously a business and economy reporter at the Houston Chronicle where she covered labor, energy and the environment. She studied journalism and economics at Colorado State University, and her first newsroom job was interning at The Denver Post, her hometown newspaper.
Public Utility Commission chair Peter Lake had spearheaded a plan to help the state’s power grid withstand weather disasters, but the plan lacked support in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
Proposals to improve energy efficiency failed. Bills that sought to limit greenhouse gas emissions in Texas were ignored, and legislation to block cities from taking action on climate change passed. Full Story
Texans across the state are affected by declining water supplies, water infrastructure disruptions and flooding in their communities. Full Story
Following one of the hottest summers on record, lawmakers have set an ambitious target: By 2033, they want to bump up the state’s water supply by an amount equal to three of the largest reservoirs in the state. Full Story
The long list of accusations were outlined as part of 20 charges of impeachment adopted by the Texas House. Full Story
The bill would direct Texas agencies to not enforce federal regulations on the oil industry if there’s not a similar state regulation. But it likely wouldn’t apply to most federal environmental rules, experts and lawmakers said. Full Story
The coastal barrier project may get $550 million from the state this year, and another half a billion could be on the table for flood-control projects. But that’s a fraction of the estimated need for flood mitigation. Full Story
The bill marks the Legislature’s turn toward supporting natural gas-fueled electricity after the deadly winter storm in 2021. Full Story
Groundwater levels rapidly declined in rural Lee County after San Antonio began pumping the water and moving it 100 miles southwest. A Senate bill would help affected well owners. Full Story
The bill aims to create a water supply four times the size of Lake Livingston, one of the state’s largest reservoirs. But it may still be a “drop in the bucket” compared to the state’s needs. Full Story