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The Latest Breaking News from the Railroad Commission

Texas regulators grapple with a growing problem: old oil wells leaking polluted water

Two years after lawmakers created a $10 million program to address leaking wells in rural counties, none of the money has been distributed.

The Texas Tribune

Texas regulators overhaul oilfield waste rule for the first time in four decades

The new rule modernizes some aspects of commercial oilfield waste disposal and recycling. But rules for burying oilfield waste on private property remain limited.

The Texas Tribune

Texas regulators report more than 250 new cases of groundwater contamination

An annual report documents 2,870 active cases of groundwater contamination around the state. Groundwater provides more than half of the state’s water supply.

The Texas Tribune

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Recycled oilfield water could aid drought-stricken West Texas

Oilfield wastewater injected underground is causing earthquakes and blowouts. Now, pilot projects are exploring whether this water could be treated and used to grow crops.

The Texas Tribune

For the Texas Railroad Commission, the Last Train Left Years Ago

Misnamed commission oversees the state's vast oil and gas industry. Critics say it's all a smoke screen.

Capital & Main

Republican Christi Craddick reelected to Railroad Commission, the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency

The three-member board oversees Texas’ oil and gas industry. The agency has faced criticism over safety concerns linked to fracking, well blowouts and groundwater protection.

The Texas Tribune

State oil regulator requests $100 million to tackle West Texas well blowouts

Abandoned wells in the Permian Basin are increasingly erupting with briney, polluted water. The Texas Railroad Commission says it needs emergency money to respond.

The Texas Tribune

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Level of oil and gas regulation at heart of Texas Railroad Commission race

Incumbent Christi Craddick is touting the health of the Texas energy industry and its impact on the economy. Her top opponent says regulation on the commission is too lax.

The Texas Tribune

“Should we be worried?”: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggs

Experts warn that more blowouts should be expected unless oil and gas companies change their methods.

The Texas Tribune

Study finds levels of a dangerous gas “off the scales” in Central Texas oilfield

The smell of oil wells has long permeated Caldwell County, near Austin and San Antonio. Now researchers have documented wells releasing dangerous amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas.

The Texas Tribune

Texas proposes first new rules for oilfield waste in 40 years

While environmentalists say the new rules don’t do enough to protect groundwater, oil and gas operators are contesting stricter requirements for waste pits near wells.

The Texas Tribune

Ranchers reported abandoned oil wells spewing wastewater. A new study blames fracking.

An SMU study is the first scientific proof of a phenomenon local landowners have long warned was occurring.

The Texas Tribune

Unregulated oilfield power lines are suspected of sparking Texas wildfires

No state agency is taking responsibility for making sure the privately built lines that power many oil and gas sites are safe. Such lines have been blamed for sparking two recent Panhandle fires.

The Texas Tribune

Texas opens more coastal waters for carbon storage wells

The Gulf Coast is poised to be a major hub for underground disposal of greenhouse gas to mitigate climate change, but questions remain over who will fund it long-term.

The Texas Tribune

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The Texas Tribune

Water is bursting from another abandoned West Texas oil well, continuing a troubling trend

Pecos County rancher Schuyler Wight says the Railroad Commission continues to plug wells. But each time they do, another one starts flowing.

Capital & Main

Texas Has ‘the Most Aggressive’ Well-Plugging Program in the U.S. So Why Is Its To-Do List So Long?

No state has punched more holes in its bedrock than the Lone Star State. The environmental risks are staggering, and so are the clean up costs

The Texas Tribune

Railroad Commission approves oilfield waste ponds next to Baptist camp in Permian Basin

Martin Water is building an oil and gas waste recycling facility next to the Circle 6 Baptist Camp in the Permian Basin despite concerns about water and air pollution.

The Texas Tribune

Texas regulators limit oil and gas disposal wells in bid to reduce earthquakes in West Texas

Injecting saltwater back into the ground “is likely contributing to recent seismic activity,” the Railroad Commission of Texas has said.

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The Texas Tribune

Midland settles with company to drill wastewater wells near the city’s drinking water supply

The city initially protested Pilot’s applications to drill the wells close to its water supply.

Texas Observer

Oil and Gas Wastewater Spills Pollute the Lone Star State

Pollution from energy sector spills impacts soil, contaminates water resources and kills wildlife while the state resists new regulations.

The Texas Tribune

Midland fights disposal of oilfield wastewater near its drinking supply

As oil and gas companies struggle to dispose of their wastewater in the Permian Basin, the city of Midland is challenging applications for disposal wells near one of its drinking water sources.

Capital & Main

Texas Sees ‘Bonanza’ in Carbon Storage Market

Critics say Railroad Commission and politicians focus on business, not environmental protection.

The Texas Tribune

Oil and gas companies spill millions of gallons of wastewater in Texas

An exclusive Inside Climate News analysis found that companies have spilled nearly 150 million gallons of toxic, highly saline wastewater in Texas over the last decade.

Texas Observer

Texas Still Issues Thousands of Permits for Natural Gas Flaring

Advocates say the Texas Railroad Commission process is more of a "rubber stamp" for oil and gas companies to keep polluting indefinitely.

The Texas Tribune

Oilfield companies helped to craft Texas’ new waste rules for 2 years before the public got to see them

The effort to update the state’s oilfield waste disposal rules was initiated by Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, one of the state’s top oil and gas regulators who has investments in the industry.

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