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Citywide compost pickup plan faces resistance

Based on comments that a few City Council members made at Thursday’s budget work session, it appears that a proposed citywide, curbside organics collection rollout could get transformed into an opt-in program – if it remains in the forthcoming city…

Citywide compost pickup may be on the way

The blue recycling bin that many Austinites leave on their curbs may soon have a counterpart – a green organics collection bin. While a citywide compost pickup program boasts obvious environmental benefits, it would come at a cost to taxpayers,…

New ozone standards may be challenge for Austin

The Austin area has a strong track record for meeting federal ground-level ozone standards, but a proposal to tighten regulations means that the region will likely have to work harder to stay in attainment. Failing to do so could make…

Judges propose rollback in water rate case

A pair of administrative law judges appears to have dealt a major blow to the city of Austin in an ongoing water and wastewater rate case brought by a group of wholesale customers in 2013. The judges, Pratibha Shenoy and…

Parks Department sat on Metz Pool repair bid for nearly 6 months

Although the city’s Parks and Recreation Department ordered the repair of an East Austin neighborhood pool in late April, it appears that the department had bids for the work for some time. This, even as department officials initially told residents…

Austin Energy projects $1 residential bill increase

According to current forecasts, the average residential Austin Energy customer will see his or her monthly bill increase this fall by 1 percent, or about $1. However, that number may change once the utility figures in cost data for May…

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AE GM responds to AIBA call for demand charge change

Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis responded on Thursday to Austin Independent Business Alliance Executive Director Rebecca Melançon’s request that the city change the utility’s policies on demand charges. “The policy on demand charges is based on Cost of Service…

Conservation district passes new guidelines

The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District Board of Directors unanimously passed updated rules and bylaws governing 170 square miles of freshly annexed territory primarily in Hays County. The move came over objections from an attorney with Houston-based water supplier Electro…

Communication breaks down between city and community over Sunken Garden tree removal

When the city of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department decided to remove three trees from Sunken Garden, home to one of the three cardinal springs that feed Barton Springs, it did so before seeking community input — and now the feedback…

Local small-business alliance proposes energy policy change

Small-business owners often wrestle with financial uncertainty, and some have complained that Austin Energy policies contribute to that challenge. Rebecca Melançon, executive director of the Austin Independent Business Alliance, wrote a letter to City Council and Austin Energy management Monday…

Should Austin's small parks be held to different standards?

The Parks and Recreation Department says it does not make sense to create a unique policy addressing pocket parks – small urban parks less than 2 acres in size – despite the challenges faced by locals who say it has…

Austin Monitor Radio: Groundwater with BSEACD's John Dupnik

Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District General Manager John Dupnik joins Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk groundwater, groundwater policy, and much more.

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