The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Environment
Region failing to keep up with expectations of clean air
The city of Austin may soon lose its standing as the largest city in the nation that is in conformity with federal air quality standards. If air quality doesn’t improve from last year, Austin and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning…
Environment • By Ryan Thornton • Apr 11, 2019
Project Catalyst and Country Club Creek Trail: An 'inopportune' overlap
At the same meeting of the Environmental Commission where citizens aired their concerns about the Northern Walnut Creek Trail, commissioners had questions about the Country Club Creek Trail off of Riverside Drive. Commissioners wanted to know how plans for the…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 10, 2019
Public expresses concern about Urban Trails causing erosion
In 2014, the city of Austin approved an Urban Trails Master Plan that laid out the path forward to construct 300 miles of non-motorized trails throughout the city. Five years later, construction is well underway, but community members have raised…
Parks • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 8, 2019
Contractors cry foul over changes to Austin Energy's weatherization program
Why is Austin Energy spending so much less on its weatherization program than in the past? The answer depends on whom you ask. In the 2017 fiscal year, the utility spent $1.6 million on a long-standing program that offers free…
Energy • By Jack Craver • Mar 25, 2019
City electric water heating restrictions not plugged in to affordability, climate reality
The Joint Sustainability Committee is asking the city to reconsider an outdated prohibition on electric water heating as part of the upcoming code rewrite process. The committee passed a resolution Feb. 27 claiming the prohibition is a barrier to affordability…
Energy • By Ryan Thornton • Mar 4, 2019
TCEQ OKs Dripping Springs discharge permit
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a wastewater discharge permit to Dripping Springs on Wednesday, giving the city authority to expand its existing wastewater plant and discharge up to 822,500 gallons of effluent per day into Onion Creek. However,…
Environment • By Jo Clifton • Mar 1, 2019
Subscribe to our newsletter
Austin Water touts water conservation efforts
Despite Austin’s consistent growth and the city demographer’s prediction that city utilities will need to serve 4 million residents in the next 100 years, Austin Water feels confident that its facilities are up to the challenge. In terms of today’s…
Water • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 25, 2019
Permanent zebra mussel solution still 18 months out
Following the odorous indication that a zebra mussel infestation had arrived in Austin waterways earlier this month, Austin Water has been working to come up with a solution to prevent a similar instance from recurring. Austin Water is already working to…
Water • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 22, 2019
Affordability may mean dealing honestly with trash
Austin’s growth is putting a strain on the city’s waste collection service provider, Austin Resource Recovery, as it struggles to keep costs down for customers. Results of the Residential Solid Waste Affordability Study, presented to the Zero Waste Advisory Committee…
Resources • By Ryan Thornton • Feb 15, 2019
Buda seeks passage of aquifer storage bill
Buda’s explosive growth, from about 7,300 people in 2010 to nearly 17,000 today, coupled with a changing climate that brings both floods and drought, means that the city has to carefully manage its water resources. The city is hoping to…
Water • By Jo Clifton • Feb 14, 2019
Odd smell in Austin's tap water likely caused by zebra mussels, city says
If you think your tap water smells strange today, you’re not alone. South and Central Austin residents began noticing the unusual smell Thursday morning. Austin Water initially said work on a waterline was to blame, but in an afternoon update,…
Water • By Andy Jechow, KUT • Feb 8, 2019
In light of urgent United Nations report, Austin updates climate plan
When Austin developed its Community Climate Plan in 2015, declaring its ambition to become a carbon neutral community by 2050, the plan was heralded as a landmark decision by Council. However, that was before leading United Nations scientists alerted the…
