texas
Exxon must pay $14.25 million over Baytown air pollution as Supreme Court declines appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a $14.25 million penalty against ExxonMobil for more than 16,000 Clean Air Act violations at its Baytown, Texas, petrochemical plant.
In short:
- The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear ExxonMobil’s appeal leaves intact a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld the $14.25 million civil penalty for pollution at the Baytown facility from 2005 to 2013.
- The lawsuit was filed in 2010 by Environment Texas and the Sierra Club, representing local residents exposed to over 10 million pounds of air pollutants, including carcinogens and ozone-forming chemicals.
- Plaintiffs say this is the largest penalty ever awarded in a citizen-led Clean Air Act case and argue it reinforces the public's right to hold polluters accountable in federal court.
Key quote:
"It's been a hard-fought battle for 16 years, and the citizens stuck it out all the way, and justice has prevailed."
— David Nicholas, attorney for the plaintiffs
Why this matters:
Petrochemical plants like Exxon’s Baytown complex emit volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and other hazardous air pollutants that can harm human health and the environment. These emissions contribute to smog formation, respiratory illnesses, and long-term cancer risks for nearby communities. Baytown sits in a heavily industrial corridor east of Houston, where residents — often lower-income and people of color — live in close proximity to refineries and chemical facilities. Chronic exposure to air pollution in these areas has been linked to higher rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. When enforcement of environmental laws fails or is delayed, the burden of pollution falls on those least able to avoid or address it, deepening environmental injustice.
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Texas expands funding for plugging oil and gas wells as costs and risks rise
Texas lawmakers approved $100 million in new funding to seal abandoned oil and gas wells, but advocates warn that weak policies will keep adding to the problem.
In short:
- Texas will spend an additional $100 million over two years to plug orphaned oil and gas wells, aiming to seal 1,700 wells annually, or about 20% of the state’s known total.
- The average cost of plugging each well rose over 50% from 2019 to 2023, driven by blowouts and complex emergencies, especially in the Permian Basin.
- A new law, SB 1150, requires plugging of wells inactive for 15 years, but loopholes and lenient extensions could limit its impact without further rule changes.
Key quote:
“We’re going to get another two years down the road in the next budget cycle and there are going to be more orphans. The Legislature has not really seen the picture of how extensive this problem is.”
— Schuyler Wight, Permian Basin landowner
Why this matters:
Orphaned and inactive oil and gas wells leak methane and can contaminate groundwater, posing a growing threat to public health and the environment. These wells often go unmonitored after companies abandon them, leaving taxpayers on the hook for cleanup. In Texas alone, nearly 9,000 orphan wells and over 150,000 inactive wells remain at risk of turning into long-term liabilities. Some have already blown out, shooting saltwater and gases into the air and soil. As plugging costs soar and aging infrastructure fails, the risk of environmental harm grows. Without stronger regulation and enforcement, the number of dangerous, abandoned wells will likely continue to outpace efforts to close them, even as federal policy pivots to increased fossil fuel production.
Read more: Orphan oil wells threaten U.S. aquifers with rising contamination risks
Federal cuts end funding for heat resilience research in vulnerable U.S. cities
A federal grant program designed to help cities respond to extreme urban heat was abruptly canceled, halting vital climate work in places like Laredo, Texas.
In short:
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) abruptly ended funding for the Center for Heat Resilient Communities, scrapping plans to assist 15 cities with tailored strategies to mitigate extreme heat.
- The cuts follow broader federal rollbacks under President Trump, including the elimination of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants and a NOAA disaster-tracking tool.
- Community leaders and researchers say they’ll continue their work independently, though at a smaller scale and with fewer resources.
Key quote:
“The funding just stopped... I’m stuck with this valuable data that not a lot of people have.”
— Edgar Villaseñor, advocacy campaign manager, Rio Grande International Study Center
Why this matters:
Urban heat is a lethal threat that worsens as cities grow and the climate changes. Without trees, green space, or access to cooling infrastructure, residents may be forced to endure prolonged periods of dangerous heat. And as federal agencies back away from funding local resilience efforts, many municipalities — especially in the South and Southwest — are left without the tools to measure risks or plan for safer futures. The loss of centralized data and support also undermines national efforts to prepare for climate-related health threats. Heat already kills more Americans annually than floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes, and that toll is likely to rise. Without sustained federal investment, the patchwork of community responses may fall far short of what’s needed to keep people safe and healthy.
Read more: Trump administration moves to dismantle environmental justice efforts
Texas lawmakers quietly kill bills that would have stifled wind and solar power
A set of bills that aimed to restrict renewable energy development in Texas has stalled after House leaders declined to bring them to a vote before the legislative session deadline.
In short:
- Three Texas Senate-passed bills sought to limit renewable energy by restricting wind and solar development locations, mandating one-to-one gas offsets for new renewables, and requiring backup gas generation for existing projects.
- These measures, backed by far-right groups but opposed by much of the Texas business lobby, were subsequently not scheduled for House votes, effectively killing them this session.
- Despite the bills’ failure, advocates warn that local opposition and political pressure may continue to threaten renewable energy expansion in Texas.
Why this matters:
Texas leads the nation in wind power and is rapidly expanding its solar footprint, yet it remains a political battleground over the future of energy. The quiet defeat of these bills reflects a growing tension within the Republican party, where local economic gains from clean energy are clashing with ideological opposition to climate-friendly policy. Rural landowners, utilities, and developers stand to gain financially from renewables, while national and state conservative groups push to protect fossil fuels. This internal rift complicates efforts to modernize the grid amid rising electricity demand and climate-related stress. The failure of these bills offers a temporary reprieve, but with organized opposition mobilizing around local discontent and future legislation already in draft form, the fight over Texas’s energy future is far from over.
Learn more: Texas Republicans clash over future of renewable energy in battle for party’s soul
How farmers are becoming unexpected heroes in the bird migration crisis
Across the Americas, rice and crawfish farmers are helping keep migrating birds alive by transforming their land into makeshift wetlands.
In short:
- Bird populations like ducks, cranes, and sandpipers are plummeting as wetlands vanish due to climate change and development, prompting farmers and conservationists to team up.
- Traditional rice-and-crawfish farms in Texas and Louisiana offer critical wetland-like habitat during key migration seasons, drawing dozens of bird species.
- Programs like Ducks Unlimited and Manomet support farmers financially to maintain bird-friendly practices and restore critical migratory routes across the Americas.
Key quote:
“You can see 30, 40, 50 species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, everything.”
— Elijah Wojohn, shorebird conservation biologist, Manomet Conservation Sciences
Why this matters:
For decades, cranes, sandpipers, and ducks have flown ancient highways across the skies of the Americas — paths etched into their biology by millennia of migrations. As climate chaos scrambles both agriculture and biodiversity, farmer-conservationist alliances could be a blueprint for survival on a hotter, drier planet. With support from groups like Ducks Unlimited and Manomet, farmers are getting paid to do right by birds — proving to be both good conservation and good business.
Read more: Wetland protections remain bogged down in mystery
EHN reporters win four Golden Quill Awards
Cami Ferrell and Kristina Marusic received recognition for their investigative reporting on hydrogen energy and chemical recycling.
PITTSBURGH — EHN reporters Cami Ferrell and Kristina Marusic won four 2025 Golden Quill awards for their reporting on hydrogen energy and chemical recycling.
The Golden Quills competition, held by the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, honors excellence in print, broadcast, photography, videography and digital journalism in Western Pennsylvania and nearby counties in Ohio and West Virginia. This was the 61st year for the annual contest, and winners were announced at an awards dinner in Pittsburgh on May 28th.
Ferrell and Marusic won in the science/environment category for excellence in written journalism for their co-reported series on federally-funded hydrogen hub projects across the country, which uncovered a lack of transparency in the planning process and documented widespread frustration in communities anticipating hydrogen energy development, including those in Texas and western Pennsylvania. Videographer Jimmy Evans also received recognition for his work on the video feature for that reporting.
"It's an honor to be recognized among so many talented journalists," said Ferrell, who visited Pittsburgh for the first time to receive her award. "I hope our reporting continues to have a positive impact."
Marusic also won in both the enterprise/investigative and news feature categories for her series on chemical recycling in Appalachia, which documented community fights against proposed waste processing facilities in Youngstown, Ohio; Point Township, Pennsylvania; and Follansbee, West Virginia. That investigation also won one of four best-of-show Ray Sprigle Memorial Awards.
"I'm really proud to receive an award named for such an important journalist," said Marusic, who also won Golden Quill awards for her reporting on environmental health in western Pennsylvania in 2023, 2022 and 2020.
Kristina Marusic (left) and Cami Ferrell at the 2025 Golden Quill Awards in Pittsburgh
Texas Republicans clash over future of renewable energy in battle for party’s soul
A growing rift among Texas Republicans over wind and solar energy has ignited a political and economic fight with national implications, as conservative lawmakers seek to roll back renewable energy programs that their own party once championed.
In short:
- Texas Republicans are divided over legislation that would restrict renewable energy, with rural lawmakers backing solar and wind while suburban conservatives push to prioritize natural gas.
- Bills advancing in the state senate would limit where wind and solar can be built and mandate new electric sources rely heavily on natural gas, despite the economic gains renewables bring to many local districts.
- The ideological shift stems partly from donor-driven opposition to green energy and reflects a broader movement to dismantle federal and state support for renewables once supported by Republican leaders like George W. Bush and Rick Perry.
Key quote:
“Wind turbines, I don’t have to mark them or castrate them or give them shots or medicine… I used to cuss at the wind. Now I say, ‘turn baby turn.’”
— John Davis, former Texas state representative
Why this matters:
Texas produces more wind power than any other in the U.S., and many rural communities depend on renewable energy revenues to fund schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. As the climate crisis deepens and energy demand surges in a growing state, how Texas decides to balance its energy mix has national consequences. Renewable sources are among the cheapest and fastest-growing forms of electricity, but they now face political headwinds from factions within the Republican Party seeking to dismantle the bipartisan legacy that built them. If these efforts succeed, they could derail billions in investments, undermine grid reliability, and drive up energy prices.
Learn more: Texas coal plant to transition to solar and battery with federal aid