The Launch of The Texas Timeline Project
Wow! Time flies! We’re finally approaching the long-awaited launch of The Texas Timeline Project, a resource that aggregates information about environmental policy in Texas and the direct impacts that it has on the lives of Texans and the world that they live in.
During the creation of this project, the US was hit by a winter storm that dropped Texas weather to below what the state’s infrastructure could handle. In the time since then, the conversation about legislative decisions about energy usage within the state has grown, as people search for the factors that led to this outcome. Highlighted within The Texas Timeline Project, a story explaining not just The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)’s role in the power outages of 2021, but the role that the Texan government’s policies had in facilitating the circumstances that left so many Texans in the dark. In addition to the story on ERCOT, The Texas Timeline Project will feature original stories about hurricanes, air pollution contamination impacting food supply in the state, and the way that legislation shaped the events, as well as how this directly shapes the lives of people within the state.
However, this project isn’t just a space for original works that explain the Texas political landscapes and the consequences surrounding it. It will also house a myriad of pieces that will provide users with a comprehensive overview of the local legislation and the environmental events that have occurred in Texas since 2016. The Texas Timeline Project serves as an educational tool, in-depth survey of Texan news, and a resource that can be utilized to receive a comprehensive overview of the state of Texan environmental policy.
Over the past four months, our team — Grace Dickens, Evan L’Roy and Alyssa Hiarker — have worked on ensuring that the website is as easily accessible as possible and adequately meets the needs of every person that uses it. In order to ensure user satisfaction, we have released surveys to assess the needs and viewpoints of those that are going to be using the resource in the future. We also hosted a focus group to house a conversation regarding what features users would find helpful and what aspects they would want the website to highlight. If you’re interested in participating in our next survey and focus group, please email thetexastimelineproject@gmail.com to get involved.
We are so excited to introduce you to The Texas Timeline Project and contextualize the impact that legislation has on the Texas environment and the lives of Texans.
