ExxonMobil Expands Baytown Advanced Recycling Facility as part of a major step toward addressing plastic waste and supporting a more circular economy. With the launch of its third advanced recycling unit at the Baytown, Texas complex, ExxonMobil is significantly increasing the site’s capacity to process plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. The…
Austin Energy Sets Record in 2025 Demand Response Program as the utility marked a record year for its demand response efforts, reinforcing its commitment to grid reliability and sustainability. The achievement was driven by a targeted rollout plan implemented last summer, designed to ensure dependable electric service during periods of peak demand. Through these efforts,…
Commissioner Miller Announces $78 Million in Community Development Grants for Rural Texas, marking a significant investment in infrastructure, economic growth, and quality of life across the state’s rural communities. Through the Community Development and Block Grant (CDBG) program, 98 rural cities and counties will receive funding for essential upgrades, including 11 cities awarded $1 million…
How Permitting Delays Are Driving the Housing Affordability Crisis is becoming a central question in today’s housing debate. When you turn on the business news channels, the steady drumbeat is clear: America faces a housing shortage. Yet a closer look reveals a more nuanced reality. While overall single-family and multifamily inventory exists in many markets,…
City of Manvel Launches AI-Powered Permit Review System marks a transformative milestone for one of Texas’s fastest-growing communities, as the city becomes the first jurisdiction in the state to deploy artificial intelligence to support and streamline its permitting process. By integrating advanced AI technology into its Building and Planning operations, Manvel is accelerating review timelines,…
Governor Greg Abbott Awards Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund grant funding to support semiconductor research and workforce development in Texas. A $12 million award from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) will help Texas Tech University build a nanotechnology laboratory cleanroom facility at its Semiconductor Nanofabrication Center in Lubbock. The investment strengthens Texas’ leadership in semiconductor…
Port Houston Opens New Administration Building in Houston, marking a new chapter in its storied maritime legacy. Located in Houston’s Historic Fifth Ward, the modern 93,000-square-foot facility celebrates the region’s spirit of industry, collaboration, and community while bringing Port Houston closer to the waterway it serves and providing a state-of-the-art space for employees, partners, and…
Port Houston Reports Record-Breaking Year as the nation’s leading waterborne tonnage gateway closes 2025 with historic cargo volumes and continued infrastructure expansion. Handling 54,491,066 short tons across its public terminals and achieving a record 4.3 million TEUs, Port Houston’s strong performance reflects resilient global trade activity, growing petrochemical and manufacturing demand, and sustained investment in…
TxDOT asphalt testing adopted as national standard marks a major milestone in pavement innovation, as a groundbreaking method developed in Texas is now set to improve road durability and performance across the United States. The new testing approach, created by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the University of Texas at Austin Center for…
DFW Airport Starts Next Phase of Terminal C construction as Dallas Fort Worth International Airport implements new roadway closures and detours to support the buildout of a new bridge providing right-hand access into Terminal C. The next phase of the International Parkway Project is scheduled to minimize disruption following the busy holiday travel period and…
TxDOT Progress Across the State continued in December as the Texas Department of Transportation advanced major infrastructure, safety, and flood recovery projects benefiting communities throughout Texas. From transformative urban highway redesigns in Austin and San Antonio to safety and capacity improvements in North Texas and critical flood repair work in West Texas, TxDOT made significant…
Texas Instruments Launches 300mm Semiconductor Manufacturing in Sherman, Texas, marking a major milestone in the company’s expansion of advanced semiconductor production. The state-of-the-art SM1 facility will produce tens of millions of chips daily for applications ranging from smartphones and automotive systems to medical devices, industrial robots, and data centers. This new wafer fab reflects TI’s…
2026 Construction Outlook: Permitting Strategies and Timeline Management highlights the increasing importance of disciplined project execution as the construction market enters a more selective phase. Capital is being scrutinized more carefully, and speed-to-market matters more than ever. Projects moving forward in 2026 will face higher expectations for timelines and far less tolerance for delay, making…
The Railroad Commission of Texas is pleased to announce that Mark Evarts has been named the new director of the Commission’s Oversight and Safety Division. The division’s core responsibilities are over the RRC’s Alternative Fuels, Gas Services and Pipeline Safety departments, including oversight of more than 400,000 miles of pipelines in Texas, the largest system…
Turner Construction Launches First Equipment Company, Expanding Equipment Rental and Site Services as Turner Construction Company recently announced the launch of First Equipment Company (FEC), a centralized equipment rental and site services company. This move represents a strategic expansion of the services Turner offers its clients while strengthening support for the trade contractors working on…
The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority recently met for its annual Budget Workshop and approved Port Houston’s $726 million operating budget and $569 million capital plan to guide staff in operating and managing facilities and activities for Port Houston Fiscal Year 2026. Port Houston, a strategic leader for the Houston Ship Channel…
Did you see the Dallas Fed’s Latest Texas Employment Forecast: Permitting report dated December 11, 2025? I found it particularly insightful because it combines the Federal Reserve’s perspective on unemployment and leading economic indicators with a focus on how permitting may be impacted in Texas throughout 2026. Here’s a quick snapshot of what the Dallas…
Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Shell plc, has taken a final investment decision as Shell invests in Kaikias waterflood development in the US Gulf of America. The Shell Kaikias waterflood project will inject water to displace additional oil in the Kaikias reservoir, supporting production that flows to Shell’s Ursa platform in the Mars Corridor….
MR. D-MARS shares a purpose-driven leadership blueprint focused on growth, resilience, and adaptability, offering insights on how intentional leadership fuels long-term success. January is a month synonymous with fresh starts and new horizons—but it also comes with a hard truth: the fuel that carried you last year is gone. Whether you’re a seasoned executive, a…
Texas oil and natural gas industry, Texas oil and gas taxes, TXOGA Energy & Economic Impact Report 2025 — The Texas oil and natural gas industry paid a record $27.0 billion in state and local taxes and state royalties in fiscal year 2025, according to newly released data from the Texas Oil & Gas Association…
