It's ya girl on @texasstandard.bsky.social high-key warning of the water and financial costs of local cryptomine in Corpus Christi. texasstandard.org/stories/toda...

Today on Texas Standard: Corpus Christi’s water fight meets cryptomining

As Corpus Christi edges closer to possible water restrictions, scrutiny is growing over a nearby cryptomining facility that uses large amounts of water each day. The city has declined to release…

texasstandard.org

@bekahbot.bsky.social has done so much. It’s truly inspiring.

Democracy Now!@democracynow.org · 2mo ago

Environmental and conservation groups recently filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block a land swap approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that would give SpaceX more than 700 acres of a national wildlife refuge in South Texas.

Environmental and conservation groups recently filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block a land swap approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that would give SpaceX more than 700 acres of a national wildlife refuge in South Texas.

“Land Grab”: Trillionaire Elon Musk Sued in South Texas to Block SpaceX’s Takeover of Wildlife Refuge

Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire on Friday with the largest initial public offering in stock market history for his rocket and AI company SpaceX. The company is based in South Texas in ...

democracynow.org

"Elon Musk is using our impoverished community as his laboratory to blow up dangerous experimental SpaceX rockets," says Bekah Hinojosa, an environmental justice activist in South Texas, where SpaceX has taken over much of region to build a "company town."

NEW: In 2022, Bitcoin miners promised Corpus Christi millions in tax revenues in exchange for the de-annexation of their water-sucking cryptomine. Four years later, the city is in a water crisis & the mine has yielded only a minute fraction of what was promised. www.texasobserver.org/corpus-chris...

The City of Corpus Christi is Keeping a Cryptomine's Water Usage Secret

The city declined to supply public records on the mine’s water usage, citing a state law that allows nondisclosure of an individual customer’s account.

texasobserver.org

NEW: I went inside one Texas county's data center boom—and backlash—to report on how the state GOP's data center divide will shape the next legislative session. Bonus scooplet: I got into a local meeting with a state senator working to draft a data center bill. www.texasobserver.org/data-center-...

Data Center Boom Exposes GOP Faultlines over Local Control

In rural areas like Caldwell County, local Republican officials and citizens are scrambling to find ways to empower counties and slow AI-fueled development.

texasobserver.org

arrest of a local resident in san ygnacio texas, protesting against sudden bulldozing of riverbank property in sensitive/historic site to build border wall... spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/dallas-fo...

I'll be like "i got a contact there," and it's just someone from the RGV that lives in this other city now Rgv worldwide underground network

Only 2 of 6 Port of Brownsville Commission candidates responded to our questionnaire on desalination, climate change, the fossil fuel industry, and transparency. Responses are here: bit.ly/portquestions We need to demand answers from the candidates before the May 2 election

2026 Port of Brownsville Candidate Questionnaire

The May 2, 2026, election for the Port of Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners is approaching. We, the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, a local Brownsville organization,…

bit.ly

The Humanities Institute is co-sponsoring the Futures Beyond Militarism: Confronting Violence, Restoring the Sacred, a two‑day conference bringing together scholars, artists, and activists to imagine and enact global alternatives to militarism. Learn More and RSVP Here: lifeafterempire.com

US Fish & Wildlife plans to transfer 712 acres of Boca Chica habitat to Elon Musk to expand SpaceX's dangerous and unnecessary rocket launch activities. We submitted over 3,000 public comments opposing this last night before the deadline. Read our press release sotxejn.org/2026/04/01/p...

Press Release: Rio Grande Valley Community and Tribe Oppose US Fish & Wildlife Giving Away Habitat to SpaceX

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2026 Contact: Bekah Hinojosa, bekah@sotxejn.org at 956-975-6634 Rio Grande Valley Community and Tribe Oppose US Fish & Wildlife Giving Away Habitat to SpaceX The…

sotxejn.org

The Trump administration is moving ahead with a new border security project in the Rio Grande — not a wall of steel or concrete, but a floating barrier of linked buoys. Read More👉 ebx.sh/yrWKgX

New today: “The Department of Homeland Security is not being clear intentionally about what their plans are, what they’re deploying in the region, and so it’s up to us in the community to track and document and report on it. This is how we fight back.”

After 20 Years of Resistance, Trump Is Walling Off the Rio Grande Valley

Even sites once protected by Congress, including a butterfly refuge and a historic church, are slated for fencing funded by the “one big beautiful bill”—while the river itself is transformed by a…

texasobserver.org

Trump’s $1 billion offshore wind buyout is legally dubious — but may not be the last deal of its kind to come out of the White House.

Trump’s $1B offshore wind payout to TotalEnergies sparks legal…

Offshore wind and legal experts question whether Interior has the authority to reimburse the oil giant for canceled leases, especially if it taps taxpayer…

canarymedia.com

Trump touted a "first new U.S. refinery in 50 years" at Port of Brownsville. The air permit was approved under Biden; the project dates to 2017. Local residents and environmental groups are already protesting over pollution and health risks. Read the Full Story🦂🔗:

Trump Announces “First New U.S. Refinery in 50 Years” at Port of Brownsville, Reviving Local Resistance

Environmental advocates and residents say the long-proposed refinery threatens air quality and public health in a region already ringed by heavy industry.

theborderchronicle.com

A construction contract was awarded March 18, using money from the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” to build wall through the National Butterfly Center and the Santa Ana refuge, among other once-protected sites. New from Michael Gonzalez, copublished with @theborderchronicle.bsky.social:

After 20 Years of Resistance, Trump Is Walling Off the Rio Grande Valley

Even sites once protected by Congress, including a butterfly refuge and a historic church, are slated for fencing funded by the “one big beautiful bill”—while the river itself is transformed by a…

texasobserver.org

I'll be speaking on a panel at the UT Austin conference on April 24, discussing climate change issues in the Rio Grande Valley. There are many other great panels as well. RSVP & info: lifeafterempire.com

A ton of attention has been paid to the $75 billion that ICE got for mass deportations. Less attention has been paid to the $46.6 billion that CBP got for border barriers, which will now apparently include these hideous orange things running along 500+ miles of the Rio Grande.

Martha Pskowski@psskow.bsky.social · 5mo ago

The federal government plans to install 536 miles of massive, cylindrical buoys in the Rio Grande to prevent unauthorized crossings. The buoys could cost upwards of $3 billion, at a moment when crossings are at record lows. (photo by Michael Gonzalez)

Story out now in @insideclimatenews.org insideclimatenews.org/news/2303202...

Border Communities Remain in the Dark About Federal Government’s Billion-Dollar Buoy Project - Inside Climate News

The industrial-grade buoys, already being installed in Brownsville, Texas, are meant to prevent unauthorized crossings. But experts warn the buoys could intensify flooding and change the river’s cours...

insideclimatenews.org

There is little transparency b/c the feds waived contracting & enviro. laws. “They are creating a law-free zone along the border,” a Laredo lawyer told me. “The problem for the country is that if people become comfortable with that then it’s coming your way.”

The federal government plans to install 536 miles of massive, cylindrical buoys in the Rio Grande to prevent unauthorized crossings. The buoys could cost upwards of $3 billion, at a moment when crossings are at record lows. (photo by Michael Gonzalez)

Experts say the outcome of the Prairieland "Antifa" case will give the Trump administration the green light to take a more aggressive stance against left-wing activity and further politicize the use of domestic terrorism laws. www.texasobserver.org/prairieland-...

How the Prairieland 'Antifa' Verdict Threatens the Anti-Trump Resistance

Last week's convictions related to a July 4 ICE detention center demonstration raise red flags about the right to protest. “This can happen to you, and if they can do it to you, they will.”

texasobserver.org

The Brownsville community has been fighting this proposed oil refinery for many years now & we won't give up. Community members legally challenged the air pollution permit with TCEQ for this proposed oil facility years ago with the Environmental Integrity Project

lynda williams@lyndalovon.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Absolutely tragic news today about Brownsville, Texas. Already dealing with SpaceX’s Starbase at Boca Chica and LNG export terminals at the Port of Brownsville—now a massive new oil refinery too? This is what a forced sacrifice zone looks like. I’m so sorry @bekahbot.bsky.social! What can we do?

Border communities urged officials to condemn deadly buoys in the Rio Grande. Most officials haven't responded to our letter. We will protest against these murder buoys in Brownsville on Feb 26. Press release -> sotxejn.org/2026/02/19/p...

"The Brownsville area suffers from crumbling infrastructure due to inadequate funding, mishandling of city resources, and various forms of exploitation. ... Climate change impacts, such as flooding and extreme heat, make it worse." From @bekahbot.bsky.social deceleration.news/disaster-kit...

We Built Disaster Kits for Our Rio Grande Valley Neighbors—They Use Them for Daily Survival

As climate 'shocks' increasingly puncture wealthier parts of the U.S., they lengthen like a shadow across this borderlands region.

deceleration.news

Member of neo-Nazi group tied to acts of violence and hate crimes across the US (in 2017, a member murdered Heather Heyer in Charlottesville at a white supremacist rally) is unmasked as a federal security contractor.

Jeff Tischauser@jtischauser.bsky.social · 6mo ago

“How a prominent white supremacist leader came to work for a federal security contractor is unclear.” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

This is 18-mo-old Amalia waving to me when she was detained. She was hospitalized with a respiratory infection while at ICE’s Dilley facility for immigrant families. She’s one of dozens of detainees who I spoke to via video and phone calls, letters and an in-person visit. 🧵1/

9-year-old Maria Antonia Guerra from Colombia was detained on her way to Disney World. She told me when I met her that what was supposed to be a 10-day dream vacation to the park’s Halloween celebration turned into a 100+ day nightmare at Dilley. 6/

NEW: ProPublica went inside the detention center for immigrant families in Dilley, Texas. Children held there told us about the anguish of being ripped from their lives in the United States and the fear of what comes next.

The Kids Trump Sent to ICE’s Dilley Detention Center

ProPublica went inside the immigrant detention center for families in Dilley, Texas. Children held there told us about the anguish of being ripped from their lives in the United States and the fear of...

propublica.org

“It is absolutely disgusting for our public officials to consider signing non-disclosure agreements with corporations, especially the Eneus Data Center, which the community clearly opposes,” - South Texas Environmental Justice Network Stop Data Centers!! myrgv.com/local-news/2...