1 00:00:02,799 --> 00:00:06,200 I'm just in Dane with a brief look of the latest news in Texas politics 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:11,960 and policy from the Texas Tribute. Governor Greg Abbott has issued a wildfire disaster 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:17,039 declaration for about seventy five percent of Texas counties, allowing them to use all 4 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:22,239 available state resources to respond to any new fires as the state continues to bake 5 00:00:22,399 --> 00:00:27,679 under triple digit temperatures. The declaration was issued on Friday as wildfires continued to 6 00:00:27,719 --> 00:00:31,839 spark across the state. The Texas A and M Forest Service, which monitors 7 00:00:31,839 --> 00:00:36,560 wildfire conditions, reports that at least eighty five hundred acres of Texas land have 8 00:00:36,679 --> 00:00:42,000 burned since August first. The governor's declaration covers one hundred and ninety one of 9 00:00:42,039 --> 00:00:46,640 the state's two hundred and fifty four counties, including Bear, Dallas, Elpaso, 10 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,119 Midland, and Travis. Many counties across the state have already issued their 11 00:00:51,119 --> 00:00:55,960 own burn bands. Wildfires have destroyed homes, buildings, and forests statewide. 12 00:00:56,359 --> 00:00:59,840 Last week, a brush fire and cedar Park about twenty miles north of a 13 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:06,359 tore through apartment complexes and town homes, forcing evacuations in Williamson County and surrounding 14 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:11,799 areas. Earlier this year, an Eastland County sheriff's deputy was killed trying to 15 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:17,079 rescue others when a massive wind whipped wildfire swept into Eastland, about one hundred 16 00:01:17,079 --> 00:01:21,799 and twenty miles west of Dallas. Hundreds of families evacuated their homes. On 17 00:01:21,879 --> 00:01:26,519 Monday, the Forest Service issued an alert about an unusual August cold front expected 18 00:01:26,519 --> 00:01:30,719 to sweep south as far as Interstate ten that could possibly create scattered thunderstorms in 19 00:01:30,799 --> 00:01:36,959 north and central Texas through Tuesday morning. Lightning could start new fires, while 20 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:42,879 winds from many storms could help fire spread quickly. Texas has filed a civil 21 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:48,560 lawsuit against oil giant Shell, claiming the chemical fire that burned for close to 22 00:01:48,599 --> 00:01:53,640 three days at its facility near Houston in May caused environmental damage from airborne contaminants 23 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:59,239 and waste that flowed into nearby waterways. The lawsuit, which seeks a million 24 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,319 dollars in damage from the oil company, was filed last week in Travis County 25 00:02:02,519 --> 00:02:07,719 by the Texas Attorney General's Office on behalf of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. 26 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:14,199 It alleges that Shell violated state environmental laws protecting air and water from pollution. 27 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,240 The May fifth fire was at Shell's Deer Park chemical facility north of State 28 00:02:19,319 --> 00:02:23,439 Highway to twenty five. The lawsuit states that when the facility caught fire, 29 00:02:23,759 --> 00:02:28,479 it began unlawfully emitting mass quantities of air contaminants into the environment, and that 30 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,800 the vast quantities of water used to put out the fire resulted in nearly seventy 31 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:38,960 million gallons of wastewater unlawfully discharged into the Houston Ship Channel. The lawsuit comes 32 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:45,560 amid ongoing debates over the regulatory oversight of industries contributing to such incidents and their 33 00:02:45,599 --> 00:02:53,639 consequences on local environments and public health. Horrified by the skyrocketing number of fentyl 34 00:02:53,719 --> 00:02:58,280 related deaths and motivated by families who lost a child to the dangerous drug, 35 00:02:58,759 --> 00:03:02,960 US Senator John corn has made addressing the crisis a priority. Cornan has introduced 36 00:03:04,039 --> 00:03:08,240 legislation to decriminalize fetinel test strips and address drug trafficking at the US border with 37 00:03:08,319 --> 00:03:14,199 Mexico, where criminal cartels are blamed for producing the vast majority of fetnyl. 38 00:03:14,719 --> 00:03:17,840 He's also led public gatherings to raise awareness about the dangers of fetanyl, which 39 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:23,039 is commonly mixed with other drugs and is up to fifty times more powerful than 40 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,120 heroin. He introduced a bill that would allow the Department of Defense to train 41 00:03:27,199 --> 00:03:32,879 Mexican military forces to combat cartels and fetinyl tracking in Mexico. Additionally, Cornan 42 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:38,759 has pushed for a study on how drug trafficking organizations are financed with the intent 43 00:03:38,879 --> 00:03:44,039 of disrupting their operations. While critics argue that supply side approaches might not be 44 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:50,039 effective, Cornyan says policymakers must take a comprehensive approach to the fetinal crisis. 45 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,639 From twenty nineteen to twenty twenty two, fetinel deaths in Texas rose from three 46 00:03:54,719 --> 00:04:00,159 hundred and seventeen to two thousand, one hundred and sixty one to Texas Department 47 00:04:00,199 --> 00:04:04,960 of State Health Services. We have a favor to ask, if you have 48 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:10,599 a moment, would you go to Texas Tribune dot org slash brief survey to 49 00:04:10,599 --> 00:04:14,199 take a five minute listener survey. This is the best way for us to 50 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,759 know what works and what doesn't for our podcasts. The link again as Texas 51 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:23,360 Tribune dot org slash brief survey. There's also a link in the show notes. 52 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:30,319 We appreciate your feedback. Check for updates on any of the stories you 53 00:04:30,399 --> 00:04:33,879 heard in today's episode at Texas Tribune dot org, and follow the Brief podcast 54 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:41,399 for daily news updates wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Justin Dane for the 55 00:04:41,439 --> 00:04:48,000 Texas Tribune. You've been briefed. Today's Brief is brought to you by Educate 56 00:04:48,079 --> 00:04:54,839 Texas. Educate Texas stimulates creative solutions to key educational challenges throughout the state. 57 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,480 Learn more at eedtx dot org.