Screwworm detection prompts disaster declaration
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster declaration late last week after the New World screwworm was found in two calves in South Texas, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Two cases have been identified in newborn calves in Zavala County, about 5.6 miles apart. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said a strike team was on site and that restrictions were in place to prevent the movement of cattle.
“We have, in the past, prevented as well as eradicated this pest, and we can do it again,” Abbott said.
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly that lays eggs in open wounds, nearly always in cattle. In the past, sterile male flies have proven effective in eradicating screwworm infestations. The federal government is building a $750 million facility to produce sterilized flies, but it won’t be complete until November 2027.
In the meantime, the government is purchasing sterile flies from a facility in Panama and using federal funds to revamp another facility in Mexico. However, total fly production from those two plants accounts for only 40% of what is needed, The News reported.
State officials have stressed that the New World screwworm does not pose a food or disease risk to humans. A widespread infestation could further drive up beef prices, already elevated by a ban on importing Mexican cattle and a drop in domestic production.
Record power demand likely this summer
A hot summer and exponential growth in power-hungry data centers could mean Texas uses more power than ever before, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
ERCOT, which operates most of the state’s power grid, is forecasting demand will reach 92 gigawatts this summer, breaking the previous record of 85.5 gigawatts set during the 2023 summer heat wave, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Despite the anticipated demand, Pablo Vegas, ERCOT’s chief executive officer, said there is a low risk of blackouts this summer.
“As we continue to see (power demand) growth coming on, that profile and picture obviously can evolve, and we expect it to evolve,” Vegas said. “But what we have published at this point is still showing fairly adequate capacity and low likelihood of emergency conditions going into the June and July months.”
ERCOT has the legal authority to order large power users, such as data centers and cryptocurrency miners, to reduce their power draw from the grid if necessary. According to ERCOT, the risk of rolling blackouts has dropped because nearly 11 gigawatts of new power capacity has been added since last summer. That’s enough to supply more than 2.7 million households on the hottest summer days, Vegas said.
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. Email: [email protected]