Stories by Mose Buchele, KUT
Austin area has dangerously high levels of air pollution, according to new EPA standards
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced long-awaited updates to air quality standards for fine particulate matter, also known as “soot,” pollution. The new, tighter limits mean some places that previously had acceptable levels of pollution are no longer meeting health…
Environment • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Feb 20, 2024
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar files bill to connect Texas grid to rest of the country
Of the numerous vulnerabilities exposed by the deadly 2021 Texas blackouts, one caught people’s attention more than the rest: Texas exists as an energy island. Unlike any other power grid in the continental U.S., the energy system that serves 90 percent of…
Energy • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Feb 14, 2024
ERCOT asks Texans to conserve electricity again Tuesday morning amid freezing temperatures
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is asking people to conserve electricity Tuesday morning, the second such request issued by the grid operator this week as freezing weather continues to grip the state. In a media release Monday, ERCOT asked…
Energy • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Jan 16, 2024
Worried about the Texas power grid? Here's what to expect from the incoming arctic blast.
It’s almost mid-January, and there are tomatoes growing in my backyard in Austin. That might seem like a strange way to start an article on the Texas power grid. But as the state faces its first big freeze this winter,…
Energy • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Jan 12, 2024
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Energy officials warn of winter blackout risk in Texas and beyond
Outside of the Sand Hill natural gas power plant, near Austin, workers have installed a windbreak in case a big winter storm hits again. The sturdy plastic shrink wrap is stretched tight across scaffolding at the bottom of the plant,…
Energy • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Dec 18, 2023
Bald eagle sightings appear to be on the rise in Austin
A slew of bald eagle sightings in Austin has excited birders and nonbirders alike. The iconic raptors are not particularly common in the area, but, according to reports by citizen scientists, their numbers appear to be on the rise. The…
Environment • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Dec 13, 2023
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Austin declared new drought restrictions in August. Water use stayed the same.
Lee esta historia en español On Aug. 15, Austin was 39 days into its longest triple-digit heat wave ever recorded. The extreme heat had created a “climate feedback loop,” locking in the worst drought the city has seen in 113…
Water • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Dec 12, 2023
Austin announces new water restrictions on everything from lawns to dining out
With water levels continuing to drop in the Highland Lakes reservoirs that supply Austin, the city announced Stage 2 water restrictions to take effect Tuesday. Even if you don’t have a lawn or don’t bother watering the lawn you have,…
Water • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Aug 15, 2023
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A ‘climate feedback loop’: Why Austin is locked in one of its hottest summers ever
This summer has been among the hottest and hardest in memory. Austin broke an all-time heat index record in June when the “feels like” temperature topped off at 118 degrees. Then, we had our hottest July ever recorded. This week, only halfway through…
Environment • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Aug 14, 2023
Austin just had its hottest July ever. Could this summer break an all-time record?
It’s now official: This July was the hottest ever recorded for the Austin area – and the city’s second-hottest month ever, behind August 2011. And this heat is probably not done breaking records. With August still ahead, there’s a chance…
Environment • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Aug 2, 2023
A lot of that green sludge in Lady Bird Lake is actually a sign of a healthy waterway
If you’ve been near Austin’s Lady Bird Lake lately, you might have noticed a little less water is visible. Parts of the lake, especially along the shores and inlets, are covered in mats of green vegetation. It can look goopy,…
Environment • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Jul 26, 2023
Far fewer monarch butterflies are migrating through Texas this spring
Lee esta historia en español It’s the time of year when monarch butterflies pass through Texas on their annual migration. But you might not see as many as last spring. One reason? The number of monarchs that spent the winter…
Environment • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Apr 12, 2023
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