Texas Progressives talk clean air, Rod Dreher, semi-legal pot

Prodded by Sharon Wilson, the EPA promises to take a closer look at emissions in the Barnett Shale, not just from individual wells, but compression plants and more. ABSOLUTELY needed. But? Drew Springer wants to cut people like her off at the state-level pass. He's authored a Texas Senate bill that would have a "loser pays" fee assessment against people who file three or more complaints against the TCEQ in one calendar year that have no action taken by it. The problem No. 1, as critics note, is that TCEQ may believe that issues cited by a complainant aren't a violation of either TCEQ regs or the federal Clean Air Act. And, if Drew thinks there's real abuses, up the cutoff to 10 a year, or 3 a month, or something like that. 

Socratic Gadfly, on hearing the latest, like Antony with Caesar, but, really, comes to bury Rod Dreher, not to praise him.

A wall all the way along the Rio Grande would cut ranchers off from water. Read about the horse rancher fighting the issue in Webb County, where the wall in general is not popular.

The Observer is the latest to talk about the pink-slime "news" site Dallas Express; reporter Steven Monacelli links it to "zombie astroturf" wingnut groups, which he covers in detail in a second piece. He quotes one person noting that their apparent failure, then resurrection as new groups, "is a feature, not a bug." Since they are 501(c)4, groups, and a Trump rule in 2020 not reversed by Biden allows such groups to hide their donors, the zombie angle is bad. The "recycling" also lets these groups act as incubators of new wingnuttery.

Shock me that, at the Monthly, Russell Gold is stanning for the genius of Elon Musk. Worse yet? It's their cover story.

Could the Lege decriminalize marijuana? I'll believe it when Danny Goeb and the Senate act.

As we've seen the garbage ChatGPT spews, and also how it games search engines, the Nation explains how big a battle is in court in a lawsuit between publishers and The Internet Archive. From the lawsuit itself, the piece goes into other issues with digital-only libraries and more. More from Inside Higher Ed. (Update, March 24: The four publishers were granted summary judgment. TIA says it will appeal. And, the Internet already has lies about the issue.)

Biden is deporting refugees back to Russia. Wonder what the warmongers of BlueAnon think of that? 

New York's Libertarian and Greeen parties are hoping the Supremes ovrturn onerous new ballot acess restrictions and beyond that, bring new review to this in general for all states. Reason has more.

Sylvia Poggioli is retiring from NPR.

What Would Jane Austen Do has a few words for Florida.  

Reform Austin reports on the State Senate giving the finger to green energy. 

The Austin Chronicle writes about a musicians' rally for increased pay at South By Southwest.  

El Paso Matters documents the link between climate change and your allergies. 

 Texas 2036 supports legislation to extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers to one year.