Environment

Palm Park improvements are among the next steps for Waterloo Greenway project

A recent city memo and presentation to the Downtown Commission last week offer some up-close looks at the progress and next steps for the Waterloo Greenway project that is making major improvements along Waller Creek’s route through downtown. The memo…

Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 23, 2025

Public health commissioners eye heat resistance steps for city budget requests

Public health proponents for the city and Travis County appear ready to push for more heat mitigation resources in the next city budget, with a recent playbook from the Office of Resilience likely to help prioritize those financial requests. At…

Environment • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 13, 2025

Austin Resource Recovery gets ready for the new year

Austin Resource Recovery plans to collect a total of 260,375 tons of waste from curbside and drop-off center operations during Fiscal Year 2025, with an estimated 40 percent of curbside collected materials to be diverted from landfills, according to a…

Resources • By Hunter Simmons • Jan 13, 2025

Golden-cheeked warbler may be downlisted to ‘threatened’ status

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken the initial step to downlist the Hill Country’s golden-cheeked warbler from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. According to a news release from USFWS, there will be a lengthy process…

Environment • By Jo Clifton • Jan 9, 2025

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City Council passes new energy plan through 2035. Here’s what it does.

After nearly two years of study, revision, public outreach and intense debate, the city of Austin finally has a new plan for how it will meet its energy needs over the next 10 years. Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation and Climate…

Energy • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Dec 16, 2024

Kirk Watson, Ryan Alter propose competing amendments to Austin Energy plan

Gearing up for a vote Thursday on Austin Energy’s Resource Generation Plan, Mayor Kirk Watson and Council Member Ryan Alter have each proposed amendments to a plan that has gone through a variety of iterations and gained the endorsement of…

Energy • By Jo Clifton • Dec 10, 2024

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Austin drinking water testing shows 'forever chemical' levels safer than EPA standards

Austin Water has reported that the city’s public drinking water contains little to no traces of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly called “forever chemicals” because of their persistence. The Water and Wastewater Commission received a briefing from water quality…

Environment • By Hunter Simmons • Dec 6, 2024

Former PARD Director McNeeley resigns from top post at The Trail Conservancy

In a surprising turn of events, Kimberly McNeeley has resigned from her position as CEO of The Trail Conservancy after less than six months on the job. McNeeley had previously served as director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department…

Parks • By Amy Smith • Dec 5, 2024

Audit finds golf course employees violated city rules

Employees in the Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s golf division misused city resources in providing golf lessons to people for pay while on city time, according to an investigation conducted by the Office of the City Auditor. One employee also…

Parks • By Jo Clifton • Dec 3, 2024

City to seek new bids for compost processing

The question of which contractor or contractors will process compostable items is up in the air for now. Currently, those organic items are collected from customers’ green bins under a contract with Austin Resource Recovery. At last week’s Council meeting,…

Resources • By Jo Clifton • Nov 27, 2024

Electric Utility Commission sounds alarm on Austin Energy peaker plant plan, hoping for alternatives

Pivoting from its now-scrapped draft, Austin Energy is putting the finishing touches on its long-awaited Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan proposal, just in time for a vote at the very last City Council meeting of 2024. But first, the…

Energy • By Kali Bramble • Nov 27, 2024

Council approves updated Water Forward, Conservation and Drought Contingency plans

On Thursday, City Council approved updates to Austin’s Water Forward Plan and to the related Conservation and Drought Contingency plans. Water Forward, Austin’s 100-year integrated water resource plan, was first adopted by the city in 2018, after the record-breaking, nearly…

Water • By Mina Shekarchi • Nov 22, 2024