Aug. 12, 2015

In the wake of State House Bill 40, Texas cities in the Barnett Shale region, including Denton and Fort Worth, find themselves stripped of rights to develop health and safety ordinances for subsurface oil and gas operations and subjected to a vague standard for regulations governing surface operations. 

The bill was enacted in reaction to Denton’s fracking ban and other cities’ strict drilling ordinances. 

Frack Free Denton lobbyied representativies in Austin earlier this year to save the fracking ban. The group continues to build coalitions to fight fracking. Courtesy of Frack Free Denton.

July 28, 2015

Since Denton’s fracking ban was given the boot in May, those keeping up with environmental news may be wondering – is the fight over?

Recipients of the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter Awards gather for a group photo.

​In June, Texas joined California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and other states in banning the shark fin trade.

Texas Climate News, overseen by former Houston Chronicle environmental reporter Bill Dawson, features a newly expanded format with more original coverage by staff and contributors. Above, photo of the People's Climate March in New York City in September. Courtesy of Earth Justice.

June 30, 2015 

June 23, 2015 

Last week, Pope Francis delivered a blunt message to the world regarding the environment in a 184-page encyclical, entitled "Laudato Si," an Italian phrase meaning "Praised Be To You" taken from a song penned by St. Francis, the patron saint of ecology.

Above, Members of the DFW Citizens' Climate Lobby coaltion Shawn Reeder,  left, and Swetha Kannen and Jim Moffitt (behind to his right), head to meetings with members of Congress and their aides in Washington, DC, at last year's lobbying day. Photos courtesy of CCL.

June 22, 2015

Sen. Troy Fraser led an attempt to gut a key wind program from the state’s renewable standards. Courtesy of Texas Tribune/Bob Daemmrich.   

June 3, 2015

Above, Wini Cannon, District 3 anti-tollroad candidate eliminated in City Council general election,  Mark Clayton, District 9 councilman-elect, Carol Donovan, candidate for Dallas County Democratic Party Chair, Lon Burnam, former Texas House Representative (D), Tarrant County District 90,  Lenna Webb, Chair North Dallas Democratic Women, David Griggs, Dallas County Democratic Party Executive Committee. Photo by Linda Cooke.

May 31, 2015