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Environment
Travis County approves its first climate action plan
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a comprehensive climate action plan that outlines how to reduce the county’s environmental footprint through 82 recommendations. Commissioner Brigid Shea, who called the plan a “big deal,” told the Austin Monitor…
Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • Jun 3, 2020
Cities, Texas Gas Service agree to settlement
Attorneys for Central Texas cities including Austin and Gulf Coast cities including Beaumont and Port Arthur, along with attorneys representing the staff of the Texas Railroad Commission, have reached a settlement agreement with Texas Gas Service for a rate increase…
Energy • By Jo Clifton • Jun 2, 2020
Travis County to fund Las Lomitas pipeline
Las Lomitas, a subdivision of 30 homes in southeastern Travis County, has functioned for decades without access to water or wastewater service. Now Travis County, in partnership with Creedmoor-Maha Water Supply Company, a private water utility, is working to change…
Resources • By Jessi Devenyns • May 28, 2020
With businesses shut, Austin Water's revenues fall
Austin Water, which contributed an extra $5 million to the city’s utility customer assistance program and cut rates by 10 percent in an effort to help those affected by the coronavirus, has itself felt the impact of business closures on…
Water • By Jo Clifton • May 14, 2020
Austin Energy expects only small revenue reduction from Covid-19 bill relief
Although Austin Energy expects to provide both residential and commercial customers with $35 million in bill relief between now and Sept. 30, the utility does not expect the rate reduction to greatly affect its balance sheet. Austin Energy’s Chief Financial…
Energy • By Jessi Devenyns • May 14, 2020
Council rejects Texas Gas Service rate hike
City Council voted unanimously Thursday to reject new rates proposed by Texas Gas Service. The vote came as no surprise. The decision had strong support from a group of environmental and consumer advocates who wrote a letter to Council last…
Resources • By Jo Clifton • May 8, 2020
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Environmental, consumer groups oppose gas rate hike
Nine leaders of environmental and consumer organizations have sent a letter to the mayor and City Council urging them to reject the rate increase proposed by Texas Gas Service and restructure its rates in a manner designed to help low-income…
Energy • By Jo Clifton • May 1, 2020
City utilities offering more help with bills
Austin Energy and Austin Water, two enterprise departments that help fund the city’s operations, are giving back to the community in the form of reduced electric and water and wastewater bills during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each utility is also contributing…
Energy • By Jo Clifton • Apr 23, 2020
Hays County revokes permits for Kinder Morgan pipeline
The Hays County Commissioners Court has revoked permits it issued allowing Kinder Morgan’s Permian Highway pipeline project to bore under county roads. The move is the most recent flare-up in a long-standing battle between Hill Country landowners, local governments and…
Energy • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Apr 23, 2020
Amid historic oil bust, Texas regulators consider the once unthinkable: Keeping it in the ground
In a move that would have been unimaginable just a couple of months ago, Texas is considering limiting oil production in the state. Capping the amount of crude that can be pumped is a power the state has not used…
Resources • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Apr 15, 2020
City of Austin releases update on climate resilience plan
Resilience is a word that seems particularly relevant as Austin closes public spaces and dining institutions and limits gatherings in response to the spread of Covid-19. Although the city has yet to develop a holistic resilience plan that prepares the…
Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 13, 2020
More parks close, more parks to close
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department continued its recent pattern of issuing increasingly strict rules for city-controlled parks on Tuesday, with an announcement that all city parks and trails will close over Easter weekend in an effort to prevent the…
