By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – Texas has asked a federal court to block new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency greenhouse gas rules, arguing they threaten jobs and are based on questionable science.
The motions filed Thursday are based on a lawsuit the state filed in February challenging the EPA's finding that greenhouse gases are dangerous to people. Texas wants the court to block rules that would impose new emission limits on cars and possibly factories and refineries.
The court challenges are all part of a bitter battle between Texas and the EPA. Recently, the EPA has disapproved chunks of the Texas industrial permitting program, a move that left some of the nation's largest refineries in operating limbo.
Gov. Rick Perry has accused the federal agency of meddling in state affairs.
Fort Hood shooting suspect's hearing to be open
A military judge today rejected a defense request to keep an Oct. 12 hearing about last year's Fort Hood massacre closed to the public. Col. James L. Pohl says keeping the hearing open would preserve the integrity of the military justice system.
Pohl previously said he planned to call the 32 people injured in the attack to testify during next month's Article 32 hearing -- the military equivalent to grand jury proceedings -- in the case of Maj. Nidal Hasan.
The Army psychiatrist is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the Nov. 5 shootings at the central Texas post.
Pohl also denied a defense request to exclude autopsy reports from being presented at the Oct. 12 hearing. Today's hearing was Hasan's second appearance in a Fort Hood courtroom. He never spoke as he sat in a wheelchair.
Hasan was paralyzed from the chest down after being shot by two Fort Hood police officers to end the massacre.
Oct. 5 auction for convict's Arlington mansion
Bidding starts at $1.5 million in an online auction next month for an Arlington home forfeited by a convicted Internet drug dealer. The seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom and four half-bathroom home formerly was owned by Rakesh Saran.
The 22,000-square-foot property, appraised at $3.7 million, was seized after Saran's 2005 arrest in an investigation of more than 20 illegal Internet pharmacies.
Saran in 2006 pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay $68 million in restitution.
The sprawling residence in 2008 was sold by the federal government to Austin investor HS Panorama, LP for $1.2 million.