Is it safe? Plans to reuse fracking water amid growing water shortage move forward
State Rep. Drew Darby's House Bill 49 is now on the way Gov. Greg Abbott's desk for a final signature.
Research & Development Manager at Texas Pacific Water Resources, Adrianne Lopez, guarantees Texans the water is safe for reuse.
'The contaminants things that are like that are biological or heavy metals, those have all been removed,' she said. 'The things that would make a water be considered dangerous have been removed.'
Her team has worked for years on several studies to ensure the water can be used for irrigation and building projects. Her team follows a six-step process, and other partners such as New Mexico University and Texas Tech University have also tested the water's safety.
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Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Greg Abbott Sets Out Vision for Texas THC Regulation
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Chicago Tribune
7 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Texas is talking tax cuts. Illinois? More hikes.
The phrase 'there are two Americas' has many meanings. It can mean that there are two justice systems: one for the rich and one for the poor. It can mean right and left. Rural and urban. Ketchup and … the right way to eat a hot dog. When it comes to taxes and spending, state leaders often split into two camps, too — one that talks about priorities and restraint, and one that talks about hiking and expanding. Call them Texas and Illinois. Exhibit A: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced on the social platform X that state lawmakers this week will be tackling property taxes in a special session. First on the agenda: legislation to cut property taxes. Second on the agenda: legislation to limit spending by government entities that impose property taxes. You don't have to like everything they do in Texas, and we sure don't, but you can't summarily dismiss this kind of thinking, which rarely even enters the discussion in Illinois. While Texas is getting ready to talk about ways to cut taxes and limit spending, our most recent legislative session ended with a handful of new tax hikes and a 'to be continued' on transit that promises to include conversations about other potential tax increases. Importantly, Abbott's message isn't just about people-pleasing tax cuts — it's a call to make relief happen without breaking the bank. Tax cuts and spending cuts have to go hand in hand, otherwise the cycle starts all over again as deficit spending goes up and tax hikes come calling down the road to plug the hole. And to that end, we know it's not all sunshine and roses in Texas. They have fiscal problems, too, namely that local property taxes have grown dramatically in many parts of the state. In Austin, for example, the city's property tax levy increased from $675 million to over $1 billion from 2018 to 2022, representing a 51.4% increase, according to research from the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott and over 80% of Texas voters approved an $18 billion plan aimed at easing the burden on homeowners and businesses. But local governments' overspending has continued to drive up bills, blunting the relief. That's why Abbott is now pushing to rein in local spending as part of the broader fix Texas needs. Still, acknowledging those problems and working to address them is precisely what stands out to us. We like it when leaders are honest about financial problems and willing to tackle them head-on, even when it isn't easy. This isn't a pro-Texas, anti-Illinois commentary. This is an endorsement of good ideas, common sense and getting to work addressing big fiscal problems. We're not saying move to Texas — though Austin and Dallas have their appeal. We like it just fine plunked here in the Midwest next to plenty of fresh water and a climate less prone to life-altering natural disasters. And in the case of the recent loss of young life due to flooding, we're well aware that adequate local government spending on emergency procedures remains vital. We hope Abbott is aware of that, too. But we're seeing Texas leaders bring a refreshingly different mindset to the debate over government and taxpayer dollars. Where Illinois politicians are more likely to stick their heads in the sand, Texas at least appears willing to confront money issues, or at least speak their name out loud. Here in Illinois, the best we've managed to do is form working groups to study our state's property tax problem — which is among the worst in the country — and then move on without real action. That pattern reflects a broader political culture of denial, as if ordinary families aren't struggling to cover mortgages and grocery bills. Not only is tax relief not on the table, but tax hikes are a constant threat here. Illinois is far from alone in this pattern, of course. But as Texas works to tackle taxes and government spending problems, Illinois should at least start talking about them more honestly.
CBS News
19 hours ago
- CBS News
Texas Senate committee advances new THC ban during special legislative session
Just weeks after the governor vetoed a bill banning products containing THC, state senators revived it in the special session, filing nearly identical legislation and passing it unanimously out of committee with a 10-0 vote on Tuesday. Gov. Greg Abbott explicitly asked lawmakers to regulate, not ban, hemp products. Senators argued on Tuesday that it's not going to work. "We'll regulate it," said Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood. "We'll regulate it by banning it. Because we already tried regulating it." Allen Police Chief Steve Dye and Kaufman County District Attorney Leigh Wiley were the first of several invited witnesses to argue that most hemp-derived products on the market today are harmful. "When I went into the largest of the three warehouses, it looked like a giant candy store," said Dye. "So many packages marketed to our young people." Dye, who has led raids of hemp stores and warehouses, argues regulation would be too difficult and costly to be effective. "Regulation would likely be seen by the industry as carte blanche legalization," Dye said. Advocates argue a ban would close hundreds of businesses and hurt Texans who use these products. "Hemp-derived consumables are affordable, accessible and effective," said Mitch Fuller, who represents the Texas VFW. Fuller said many of the VFW's 65,000 veterans see the industry as an alternative to alcohol and opioids. But senators dismissed those claims. "We're taking a stance on this," said Fuller. "Again, no one's using us; we are doing this on our own volition because it helps us. It works great." Abbott was quoted by Impact News on Tuesday, saying he does want to ban intoxicating consumable THC products, which he views as those with more than 3 milligrams of THC. That's still more than what the Senate seems to want to allow, but it may be a sign he's willing to compromise. Senate Bill 5 now heads to the full Senate.
