Legislative Wrap-Up: Out with the Old, in with the New

by Gary Rasp, posted in Compliance and Enforcement, Emergency Response, Power grid, Water

State lawmakers increase incentives to improve air quality, regulate petroleum storage tanks, and prepare for lead testing in schools’ drinking water.   Efforts to improve air quality in Texas got a boost during the recent legislative session when state lawmakers approved changes that will hasten the retirement of older, dirtier vehicles. Among the changes is … Continue reading Legislative Wrap-Up: Out with the Old, in with the New

Remember the people: Lessons from Hurricane Harvey on preparedness and compassion

by Brian McGovern, posted in Emergency Response, Hurricane Preparedness Series, Our People

Texans living and working on the Gulf Coast understand that hurricanes are part of life. Though major storms don’t pose a threat every year, residents know that the key to survival is preparedness. Many of our own colleagues here at TCEQ have intimate experience with the storms, including Corpus Christi region director Susan Clewis. As … Continue reading Remember the people: Lessons from Hurricane Harvey on preparedness and compassion

Alison Wenzel

Environmental education isn’t always elementary

by Tiffany Young, posted in Our People

How former MLEIP intern turned TCEQ staffer Alison Wenzel developed her love for the environment into a full-time career Growing up in Texas, Alison Wenzel learned to love the environment from a young age from her parents. Because her mom was an environmental educator and her dad is a lifelong outdoorsman, they often went camping, … Continue reading Environmental education isn’t always elementary

This smells … fishy

by Tiffany Young, posted in conservation, Emergency Response, Hurricane Preparedness Series, Water

Why dead fish follow a hurricane If you live near the Texas coast, you may have seen dead fish following a hurricane. Lots and lots of dead, smelly fish lining the coast. Or maybe you saw them gulping for air at the surface of the water. Perhaps you wondered if it was pollution that caused … Continue reading This smells … fishy

Air Monitor

Measuring Air Quality in the Lone Star State

by Tiffany Young, posted in Air, Our People

If you live in a city in Texas, you’ve likely driven by an air monitoring station without knowing it was there. TCEQ is responsible for protecting the state’s resources and ensuring clean air for the residents of Texas. Air quality is impacted by both man-made sources such as industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust, and naturally … Continue reading Measuring Air Quality in the Lone Star State