On Thursday, City Council is slated to approve a resolution from Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool that directs the city manager to explore new parks funding strategies; to consider a regional approach to parks funding, acquisition and maintenance; and to provide an annual report on the city’s Parkland Dedication Fund. The draft resolution lists potential […]
Environment
Posted inDevelopment
SOS sues utility to protect Barton Creek Habitat Preserve
The Save Our Springs Alliance has filed suit against the West Travis County Public Utility Agency and its board of directors, challenging the utility’s decision to condemn 2.685 acres of the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve in Southwest Travis County. SOS describes the preserve as “one of the most significant, untouched natural areas in Central Texas, […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy proposes gas peaker units, not larger combined cycle plant
Austin Energy has been working for more than a year – collaborating with stakeholders and looking at a variety of technologies, “including energy efficiency, demand response, batteries, rooftop solar expansion and natural gas peaker units or combined-cycle generation and more” – in order to deliver the Austin Energy 2035 plan, according to Austin Energy Chief […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy looking forward to using geothermal energy
While some environmentalists continue to argue against a new gas plant that would serve Austin Energy’s customers when the prices of electricity are at their peak, Mike Enger, the utility’s vice president for energy markets and resource planning, is looking forward to a new technology set to become part of Austin Energy’s carbon-free portfolio. Enhanced […]
Posted inEnvironment
Tree ordinances continue to take root in Austin
Since 2020, Austin’s tree regulations and protections have preserved a total of 1,397,678 inches of trees within city limits. Thus far in Fiscal Year 2025, 4,670 inches of trees have been surveyed and 4,250 inches have been preserved, with 91 percent of inches surveyed being preserved. That’s what the Environmental Commission learned during a presentation […]
Posted inEnergy
Updated: Austin Energy still considering options to answer to grid growing pains
As its end-of-year deadline approaches, Austin Energy is busy crunching numbers, hoping to finally nail down a much-anticipated update to its Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan. Update: Following publication of this story, Austin Energy reached out to the Monitor to let us know that the utility is no longer proposing hydrogen as part of the plan. […]
Posted inWater
Council slated to approve updates to Water Forward Plan and to Austin Water’s Conservation and Drought Contingency plans
This month, City Council will vote on proposed updates to Austin’s Water Forward Plan and to the related Water Conservation and Drought Contingency plans. During a briefing on Oct. 22, Austin Water Director Shay Ralls Roalson presented an overview of the changes to the plans, which Council will consider on Nov. 21. Water Forward, Austin’s […]
Posted inParks
Parks and Recreation Board recommends audit of contracts governing city sports fields
The Austin Parks and Recreation Board unanimously voted to recommend that City Council conduct a comprehensive audit of all contracts related to dozens of city-owned baseball and soccer fields. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department frequently contracts with outside organizations to manage, maintain and use some of the city-owned baseball and soccer fields. The recommended […]
Posted inParks
City shares update on parks-nonprofit relationships
During a special called meeting of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee on Oct. 9, three speakers stated their concerns about the relationship between the Parks Department and its nonprofit partners, specifically regarding special events and the Trail of Lights. This public testimony was the latest chapter in a recent ongoing dialogue about the relationship […]
Posted inEnvironment
EPA’s Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials Program funds research at UT-Austin
The Joint Sustainability Committee heard a presentation on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials Program at its most recent meeting on Oct. 23. The briefing was an opportunity for committee members to learn about the program, which focuses on reducing embodied carbon in the market by focusing on construction materials and is […]
Posted inEnvironment
Benefits of urban trees justify projected price tag for city’s tree inventory plan
Funding to conduct an inventory of Austin’s public trees did not make it into this year’s budget as a City Council-approved resolution called for, but city officials say cost recommendations should be ready for the next budget cycle. An Oct. 11 memo from Development Services Director José G. Roig and Parks and Recreation interim Director […]
Posted inEnvironment
Commission brands glue traps ‘ineffective and gruesome,’ votes to recommend a ban
The Austin Animal Advisory Commission unanimously voted Monday to recommend that the city of Austin ban the purchase and use of glue traps in all city-owned and city-managed facilities. The commission’s recommendation was rooted in concerns about the inhumane and unsanitary nature of the traps. They noted that the traps indiscriminately and inhumanely target wildlife, […]