The U.S. House of Representatives unexpectedly canceled a vote on a bill that would defang the Endangered Species Act.

By Kiley Price

The Trump administration and congressional Republicans have spent the last year trying to defang the Endangered Species Act, the country’s bedrock conservation law. But one of the most aggressive and far-reaching attempts just faced a major setback—and concerns from within the party were at least part of the reason.

A Bill to Gut Endangered Species Protections Faced a Major Setback This Week

Pressure underneath the West Texas oilfields has caused blowouts and geysers in recent years. Now, salty water is spewing out of the ground in the town of Grandfalls.

By Martha Pskowski

Salty water is gurgling up from underground in the middle of the small Permian Basin town of Grandfalls, Texas.

An Oilfield Leak Springs Under a Permian Basin Baptist Church

City leaders intend to make unprecedented cuts to water use in September but aren’t sure exactly how, as schools and hospitals drill for water.

By Dylan Baddour, Neena Satija of KUT, and Emily Salazar of KEDT

This story was published in partnership with the Texas Newsroom, the state’s network of public radio stations.

Corpus Christi Plans to Declare a ‘Water Emergency.’ What Does That Mean?