I led most of my TX colleagues in opposition to Trump's recent effort to deny and unravel basic climate science. Preventing EPA from acknowledging that greenhouse gas emissions harm our health will prevent us from maintaining modest climate action or taking necessary steps to cut emissions further.

“On Sept. 20, with hidden cameras recording the scene, Homan accepted $50,000 in bills, according to an internal summary of the case.” Homan was being investigated for allegedly “soliciting payments in exchange for awarding contracts should Trump win the election” www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...

“Hendricks said his top priorities will be to push for expanding Texas' clean-energy portfolio” ❤️ I serve with Jeremy on the Bond Election Advisory Task Force and know he’ll be a terrific state rep. www.statesman.com/news/politic...

These are terrible people.

I’ve been in Denver all week helping train new staff for Environment America, PIRG and The Public Interest Network. These talented folks will spread out across the country tomorrow to work for the environment, consumers, democracy and more!

Thousands of Texans live near major methane leaks.

“Polystyrene can break down and can both litter and create an eyesore in our parks and rivers, but ... when they're small [the particles] can be mistaken by wildlife for food, and that can cause, serious harm to an animal, a bird a fish, or a turtle,” said Luke Metzger, ED of Environment Texas

I was so pleased with the name I came up with for a newsletter - Wild About Texas. Turns out it’s copyrighted. ☹️ Suggestions for alternative names?

Sam Houston National Forest offers “Texans a chance to hike, camp, fish and simply experience the quiet beauty of nature just an hour from the city. It’s far more important to keep these areas intact than to carve new roads or squeeze out a little more timber” t.co/EEkQzofwVj

"This forest provides a habitat for... over 100 birds, such as the endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. Allowing logging & developing on 4,000 acres that are currently protected would damage their habitat." - Read more by @lukemetzger.bsky.social & Drew Francis: environmentamerica.org/texas/center...

The climate revolving fund is eliminated entirely in Mayor Watson’s tax increase proposal. :( #atxcouncil

We need more housing. Every single Senator on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee voted to advance a landmark package to help get more homes built and make the federal government a better partner to local communities. Let's get this done.

If we’re going to raise taxes, I sure hope more than 0.5% of the money goes to tackle climate change, the most profound challenge of our times! 550k for a climate revolving fund is hardly inspiring @mikesiegeltx.bsky.social @zoforaustin.bsky.social assets.austintexas.gov/austincounci...

Heavenly power

My 18 year old son wants an e bike - any recommendations for a solid budget bike? We’d love to use the Austin Energy rebate, but it only applies to local shops where prices are a lot higher. I have a Radpower I love, but he’s looking for something in the $500-600 range.

A sad day for America. www.latimes.com/entertainmen... via @megjames.bsky.social

Texas just passed a law to cut red tape on solar permitting. One study projects it could reduce the cost of rooftop solar systems in the state by $2100 in 2030 and $4900 by 2040, and save families over $3,500 a year on their utility bills.

The science office “is the heart and brain of the E.P.A.,” said Justin Chen, president of A.F.G.E. Council 238. “Without it, we don’t have the means to assess impacts upon human health and the environment. Its destruction will devastate public health in our country.” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/c...

We joined with 55 Rice University students today to pick up plastic pellets and other plastic waste from Sylvan Beach in La Porte. We need TCEQ to stop plastics factories from spilling these pellets in the first place.

"Texans should be disgusted with politicians who keep asking, “How could we have known?” when scientists and activists have been warning them. For too long, our Republican leaders have been putting their hands over their ears and shouting, “la-la-la, I can’t hear you!”"

It's finally over. After 15 years, and many wins at the district and circuit level, today SCOTUS rejected Exxon's appeal and the company will finally be held accountable for thousands of air pollution violations at its Baytown complex. san.com/cc/supreme-c...

Texas will no longer have a three-day gap between the end of early voting and Election Day under a bill that is heading to Gov. Greg Abbott.

ack

My write-up on how the environment made out in the 89th legislature (pretty well, considering!) environmentamerica.org/texas/articl...

Wow “while the LGBT community had found it less than ideal colluding with crime lords, in some ways the mob provided them with a much-needed haven at a time when the rest of the country was still hostile and unwelcoming” www.history.com/articles/how...

Get ready for several years of even more record-breaking heat that pushes Earth to more deadly, fiery and uncomfortable extremes, two of the world’s top weather agencies forecast. “So higher global mean temperatures translates to more lives lost," said climate scientist Natalie Mahowald.

Ahead of the vote on SB 15, reupping my oped highlighting how smaller lots save energy and water. www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outl...

A lone Texas Democrat tried (and failed) to kill SB 15, a bill to legalize single-family homes on smaller lots, a tried and true affordability strategy that has been most successful in Houston. The bill otherwise had wide Democratic support. www.texastribune.org/2025/05/25/t...

According to the EIA, “U.S. CO2 emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels totaled 4,772 million metric tons (MMmt) in 2024, a decrease of less than 1% (23 MMmt) from 2023.”

A new EV charger is now operating at South Llano River State Park! I’ve heard a lot of people say they’re hesitant to buy an EV because they like to go camping in state parks and are worried about charging.

In testimony before Congress last week, Lee Zeldin sorta admitted the EPA was planning to stop regulating greenhouse pollution, but he also pretended he wasn't pre-judging the outcome. On May 2, he sent a plan to stop regulating greenhouse pollution to the White House.

A fourth grade teacher assigned her students to do research on “influential Texans, past and present” and assigned this guy (who is passionate about the environment) me! I’m so honored.

This EO is a lot of words for a rule that basically says, political appointees will overrule scientists in deciding what the government considers factual information.

What does the GOP Megabill passed by the House this morning mean for the US energy transition, energy prices, emissions and the economy? REPEAT Project's new analysis has you covered. Read the new report or listen to our recent SHIFT KEY episode diving into the details. 🔗 ⤵️ 🔌💡

“Solar stocks are plunging as the House Republican tax bill terminates key clean energy credits. The legislation is “disastrous” for the rooftop solar industry, according to Guggenheim.” www.cnbc.com/2025/05/22/s...

This is a great @zeitlin.bsky.social story on *the* dynamic so far shaping the House GOP megabill: the House Freedom Caucus and the SALT caucus will each vote to kill the reconciliation bill, so they get their way; while fans of the IRA won’t — so they don’t: heatmap.news/politics/sal...

We’ve organized all our legislative updates into one place. Check them out! environmentamerica.org/texas/articl...

Under Trump's economic plan, people making between $17K and $51K could lose an average $700 in after-tax income, taking into account tax and social spending changes, according to a new study. Those make $4.3M or more would gain an average $389K. @tonyromm.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/u...

another great day of saving the bees (at the Texas state capitol)

Today the TX House will take up HB 3556 (Vasut), which would allow the state to ban wind farms in counties that have national wildlife refuges. Don't be fooled, this bill is bad for wildlife and most conservation groups oppose it. #txlege

It's tough to overstate just how shockingly unusual an article like this is. Despite the fact that this is the response of the vast, vast majority of neighbours for both wind and solar farms, they are mostly erased from existence in coverage of attitudes of neighbours to utility-scale renewables

Austin's Camp Mabry has now accumulated more than 8" of rain so far this year, but that's more than 2" below average.

I testified in support of a bill to create a wildlife corridor action plan yesterday. TX is #1 for animal-vehicle collisions, with thousands of crashes each year. Bridges, tunnels, fencing and connected habitats can help animals cross safely, saving the lives of people and animals alike!

The TX Senate voted 22-9 for anti renewable energy bill. Democrats Chuy Hinojosa and Borris Miles joined w all Republicans in voting for it. environmentamerica.org/texas/media-...

What’s the #txlege doing to our air, water, wildlife and climate? environmentamerica.org/texas/articl...

Tomorrow, I'm talking with @douglewin.bsky.social about Texas. On one hand, it's an energy powerhouse, absolutely booming, handily beating every other state in solar, wind, & batteries. On the other hand, its conservative legislators love fossil fuels & are trying to sabotage all of it. Got Qs?