Texas grapples with environmental fallout from frequent oil and gas wastewater spills
Produced water spills in Texas are causing significant environmental damage, but in a fossil-fuel friendly state known for lax environmental regulations, remedies are few.
Martha Pskowski reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- Texas faces widespread environmental damage from fracking wastewater.
- The regulatory body, Texas Railroad Commission, resists implementing stricter spill management rules.
- The spills pose threats to wildlife, groundwater safety and land integrity.
Key quote:
"They didn’t line the pit, and they didn’t pay attention to the leak detection of their tank.”
— Carl Craigo, Midland, Texas, Utility Director
Why this matters:
Oil and gas wastewater spills in Texas are an environmental crisis affecting water quality, wildlife and land health. With few regulations and scant reporting requirements, harmful practices mostly go unchecked and unpunished.
The fracking industry is notoriously tightlipped regarding chemical disclosures, but recently proposed changes to Pennsylvania fracking regulations offers some future hope.
