As greenhouse gasses heat the atmosphere, we can expect more severe floods and droughts. That could be trouble for critical infrastructure like bridges and roads in many cities, including here in Central Texas. Take Southeast Austin, where a creek runs under Hoeke Lane and floods happen even during moderate rainfall. “This is the only way […]
Mose Buchele, KUT
Posted inEnvironment
Tree protection programs may not have the impact on property owners many believe
When lawmakers meet in Austin later this summer for a special legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott wants them to curb Texas towns’ ability to protect local trees. He’s framed his directive as part of a larger effort to end “micro-managing” from liberal Texas cities like Austin, but lost in that rhetoric is the relative popularity […]
Posted inParks
For many Austinites, city parks remain out of reach
From the hike and bike trail on Lady Bird Lake to Mount Bonnell, Austin is proud of its parks. But a new study ranking city parks around the country suggests that pride might not be fully justified. Austin ranked just 46 out of the 100 largest U.S. cities. Why? Jenny Hernandez can tell you. For […]
Posted inDevelopment
Austin’s solar-ready woes
Imagine a house. Now imagine the roof. What do you see? Some shingles. Maybe a chimney? But really there’s so much more. District 7 City Council Member Leslie Pool has sponsored a resolution to make more Austin homes solar-ready. Part of that means leaving roof space on new construction without the pipes and vents that […]
Posted inEnvironment
Austin and Dripping Springs at odds over plan to dump wastewater in Onion Creek
Tonight, the public is invited to give its input at a hearing held by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) over a permit to allow Dripping Springs to dump almost a million gallons of treated wastewater into Onion Creek, about a day upstream of Austin. That idea has many people in Austin very worried. […]
Posted inEnvironment
Plan to reduce grass carp in Lake Austin sparks new concerns for anglers
Standing next to Lake Austin, watching the wake of passing motorboats lick the shoreline, you likely wouldn’t think there was anything amiss. But just below the water’s surface, many of the creatures that call the reservoir home are struggling for survival. “It’s loss of habitat, it’s loss of food, it’s loss of a lot of […]
Posted inResources
What’s up with Austin’s recycling?
“Would you like to have a little Coke?” asks Kathy Bell Hargrave, cracking open a can of soda in her daughter’s kitchen. Some things we do in life without giving them a second thought, but when we stop to think about them we realize they raise a lot of questions. This is one of those […]