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THE TRUTH ABOUT: Railroad commission - The Untold Story

An old well began gushing oilfield wastewater in a West Texas church parking lot, sparking a costly cleanup

By the time the Texas Railroad Commission shut down nearby oilfield injection wells to control the leak, 1.5 million gallons of toxic wastewater had spilled to the surface.

The Texas Tribune

Texas Railroad Commission race pits oil field engineer against energy trader running on culture wars

Republican Bo French is keeping Islam, immigration and LGBTQ+ issues at the fore of his campaign for Texas’ oil regulatory agency. Democratic foe Jon Rosenthal is betting on his technical expertise.

The Texas Tribune

Texas Railroad Commission GOP runoff: Who is running and what to know

The May 26 runoff pits incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, who’s pitching himself as a “proven advocate for Texas energy,” against Bo French, who has cast himself as a “MAGA conservative.”

The Texas Tribune

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Low-producing oil wells linger for years, causing headaches for Texas landowners

Jackie Chesnutt, who lives outside San Angelo, is tired of pollution from nearly inactive wells. Experts say Texas rules allow companies to defer plugging wells for far too long.

The Texas Tribune

Texas oil and gas regulator Wayne Christian peddles oil-backed crypto coin

Government watchdogs raised conflict-of-interests concerns, but Christian said his involvement in the venture is “separate” from his elected position on the Railroad Commission.

The Texas Tribune

A small oil company polluted Midland’s water reserve. The cleanup has dragged on for years.

Cleaning up oilfield pollution in arid West Texas is costly and complicated. The bankruptcy process allows companies to move on while the public pays the price.

The Texas Tribune

Pitted Against Waste

In bucolic areas near the Louisiana line, residents ask, "Why are Texas taxpayers liable for other states’ toxic waste?"

Texas Observer

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Texas has thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells. Who is responsible for cleaning them up?

Across Texas, abandoned wells are erupting with chemical-infused liquid and some have created massive lakes of contaminated water. Regulators say they need more money to address the problem.

The Texas Tribune

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

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

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

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

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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

New Texas Democratic group hopes to pump millions into neglected party infrastructure

The new outfit is hoping that its long-term plan will eventually help Democrats become more competitive in statewide races.

The Texas Tribune

“Nobody really knows what you’re supposed to do”: Leaking, exploding abandoned wells wreak havoc in West Texas

The Texas Railroad Commission is tasked with plugging wells. But the state regulators say their scope is limited.

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.

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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.

The Texas Tribune

Another large earthquake shows seismic activity continues to increase in West Texas, experts say

The 5.2 magnitude earthquake is tied for the fourth strongest in Texas history. It occurred in an area where oilfield companies have long been injecting wastewater from fracking underground.

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.

The Texas Tribune

Sarah Stogner announces second campaign for the Texas Railroad Commission

After losing in a Republican runoff last year, Stogner said she plans to challenge incumbent Chair Christi Craddick as a member of the Forward Party.

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