With the EPA's proposed Clean Energy Rule on pause in the Supreme Court, the Dallas News takes a deep dive into the state's preparation for a new era of regulation.
Tom Benning provides feature length coverage of the complicated role of Texas "in the ongoing debate over President Barack Obama’s signature proposal to cut power plants’ carbon dioxide emissions."
After the Supreme Court tabled the Clean Power Rule in February, the world "awaits the legal fate of the Clean Power Plan." On one side of the debate in Texas: the state's traditional strength in the oil industry. And on the other: the state's potential to become a leader in the burgeoning wind energy market.
"With both sides digging in," writes Benning, "Texas could help answer a key question raised recently in oral arguments before a federal appeals court: Just how transformational is the Clean Power Plan?"
Already, Texas has transitioned away from coal in its energy portfolio. Wind energy has gone from zero percent of the state's energy portfolio in 1994 to nine percent in 2014. Some also project the state s more than ready for the regulatory changes the Clean Power Plan. The Environmental Defense Fund "recently updated its analysis to show that Texas would actually exceed the plan’s goals under 'business-as-usual conditions.'"
But as Benning notes in detail, there are many in Texas who think the Obama Administration's designs for a clean energy future will have a negative impact on the Texas economy.
FULL STORY: If Obama's climate change plan is upheld in court, what would it mean for Texas?
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service