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Energy & Environment

Israeli company awarded contract for Texas Gulf Coast desalination plant

IDE Technologies, an Israeli water treatment company, was awarded a contract by the Nueces River Authority for the Harbor Island seawater desalination project on Corpus Christi Bay. The facility would produce up to 100 million gallons of freshwater per day and sell water to the city of Corpus Christi.

Where
Corpus Christi, Nueces County
When
Summer 2026 for contract award; September 2026 for NRA board presentation; Sept. 23, 2026 for TCEQ permit approval
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets

Counties: Nueces

Taxes and money

The sources don't state an effect on taxes. They do state these figures.

  • Combined project cost estimate$6.4 billion1 2 Who pays or receives it: IDE Technologies to finance and build plant; Nueces River Authority to develop pipelines

Does this affect you?

Who's involved

  • IDE TechnologiesIsraeli water company awarded Harbor Island project contract
  • Nueces River AuthorityState water agency that awarded the contract
  • Mark EllisonIDE regional sales director
  • Texas Commission on Environmental QualityApproved final permit for project on Sept. 23
  • City of Corpus ChristiPlanned buyer of freshwater

The facts

  • IDE Technologies awarded Harbor Island project contract by Nueces River Authority this summer.1 2 Stated by 2 sources
  • Harbor Island would be largest seawater desalination plant in Western Hemisphere, producing up to 100 million gallons per day.1 2 Stated by 2 sources
  • Project includes nearly seven miles of two-story underwater tunnels and pipelines extending more than 200 miles inland.1 2 Stated by 2 sources
  • IDE plans to finance and build plant; Nueces River Authority would develop pipelines.1 2 Stated by 2 sources
  • IDE would sell freshwater to city of Corpus Christi.2
  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved final permit for project on Sept. 23.2
  • IDE is largest of five seawater desalination plants planned in Texas.1 2 Stated by 2 sources

Who said what

These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.

  • Mark Ellison, IDE regional sales director Project One is our company's top priority globally.1 2
  • IDE Technologies Harbor Island would be largest desalination plant in Western Hemisphere.1 2
  • Drew Molly, former American Waterworks Association chair and Houston chief water officer It would be one of the more ambitious projects in U.S. history.2

How they headlined it

The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.

Sources

Outlets: 2 not rated Who's covering Texas →

These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.

  1. How Texas Could End Up Paying an Israeli Company Billions for Water Inside Climate News Not rated, October 28, 2026
  2. Texas could end up paying an Israeli company billions of dollars for water San Antonio Express-News Not rated, October 28, 2026

This sheet was written by AI from the sources above and adds nothing they don't state. Read the originals for full context.

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All corrections and updates

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Trump announces rollback of EPA methane emissions rules for oil and gas

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a rollback of EPA rules that restrict methane emissions from oil and gas producers. The announcement occurred at a rally supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Senate campaign. The EPA projects $45 billion in cost savings from undoing regulations established by the Biden administration.

$45 billion for projected cost savings from undoing methane regulations

Donald Trump, President; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, Senate candidate; Lee Zeldin, EPA administrator and 1 more

Reported by 9 outletsFound via Google News

7x24 Exchange conference in San Antonio discusses AI data center challenges

The 7x24 Exchange Fall 2026 Conference opened in San Antonio on October 26, with speakers addressing how artificial intelligence workloads are changing data center infrastructure, power delivery, grid operations and community relations. The organization announced a $40,000 donation to American Red Cross disaster relief.

$40,000 for contribution to American Red Cross disaster relief

7x24 Exchange, host of conference; Bob Cassiliano, 7x24 Exchange Chairman; Steve Brown, keynote speaker, AI futurist and former Google DeepMind executive

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Deep East Texas coalition launches broadband workforce development initiative

The Deep East Texas Council of Governments launched the Pineywoods Broadband Coalition to promote technology education and workforce development as the region receives federal broadband grants. The coalition will focus on digital navigation training and coordinating infrastructure impacts.

roughly a billion dollars for federal broadband grants

Deep East Texas Council of Governments, launched the Pineywoods Broadband Coalition; Connor Sadro, broadband director for the council

One outletOnly left-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

Texas begins requiring vehicle emissions inspections in Bexar County on November 1

Texas will begin requiring emissions inspections for certain vehicles in Bexar County starting November 1, 2026, under a federal Clean Air Act mandate. Gasoline-powered vehicles between 2 and 24 years old must pass the test before renewing registration, with some exemptions for electric, diesel, and motorcycles.

$18.50 for emissions inspection fee

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), state environmental agency implementing requirement; Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), state agency overseeing inspection program; Charissa Barnes, CEO of Texas Tag & Title and Official Inspection Station

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Pasture mealybugs found in 114 Texas counties since 2022

Pasture mealybugs, tiny white pests that weaken grass by injecting toxins and sucking sap, first appeared in South Texas in 2022 and have since spread across the state. Farmers have experimented with various pesticides and soap to control infestations.

$2 billion per year for estimated annual cost to farmers and ranchers

Danielle Sekula, Texas A&M AgriLife pest specialist; David Kerns, Associate head of entomology department with Texas A&M University; Stephen Biles, Senior extension program specialist with Texas A&M entomology department and 2 more

One outletFound via Google News

Samsung SDI signs contract to supply energy storage batteries to Texas power project

Samsung SDI America signed a contract with Alpha Omega Power (AOP) to supply 1 gigawatt-hour of energy storage system batteries. Combined with an earlier 0.5 GWh contract, total Samsung SDI supply to AOP reaches 1.5 GWh. AOP plans to deploy the batteries in a large-scale power project in Texas beginning next year.

in the hundreds of billions of won for energy storage battery contract value

Samsung SDI, battery supplier; Samsung SDI America (SDIA), subsidiary signing contract; Alpha Omega Power (AOP), energy company receiving batteries and 2 more

Reported by 3 outletsFound via Google News

Students from US and Mexico test water quality at Día del Río

Students from the United States and Mexico participated in Día del Río, an annual environmental initiative organized by the Rio Grande International Study Center. Participants tested water quality, collected trash, and conducted water monitoring along the Rio Grande and its tributaries.

Rio Grande International Study Center, organizer of Día del Río; Abraham De Leon, M.B. Lamar Middle School student participant; Sharone Muñoz, coordinator of the initiative through Rio Grande International Study Center

One outletFound via Google News

Trump says U.S. oil companies making hundreds of billions from high prices

President Donald Trump said at a Georgia rally that U.S. oil and gas companies are profiting from higher oil prices tied to Middle East disruptions, dismissing concerns about rising gasoline costs for consumers.

hundreds of billions of dollars for U.S. oil and gas revenues from high oil prices

President Donald Trump, Speaker at rally

Reported by 2 outletsOnly left-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

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