The Texas Railroad Commission on Wednesday maintained state regulatory exemptions for oil and gas companies over objections by environmental groups concerned about pollution.
The three-member commission, which oversees the oil and gas industry in Texas, voted unanimously to confirm their May vote, which waived some fees and environmental rules for oil and gas companies squeezed financially by the worst oil crash in decades caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The commission’s action Wednesday was prompted by a Public Citizen lawsuit arguing the May vote was not properly noticed under Texas’ open meeting laws, and further extends regulatory exemptions that allow oil and gas companies to delay plugging in abandoned wells, pay lower fees and not pay some penalties.
REPORT: Cleanup of abandoned oil and gas wells could cost Texans $117 billion
Environmental and consumer advocacy groups such as the Sierra Club and Public Citizen pushed back against the commission’s move, arguing these temporary regulatory exemptions were no longer needed since crude prices have rebounded to near $50 a barrel, a price at which many oil and gas companies can break even.
Cyrus Reed, the interim director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, said he was concerned about the loosening of state oversight and penalties, particularly around plugging abandoned wells. There are more than 109,000 unplugged wells in Texas that have not produced any oil or gas in more than two years, according to Carbon Tracker, a financial think tank. Abandoned wells can explode, leak greenhouse and poisonous gases and contaminate groundwater.
“Delaying things by year, if things go wrong, can lead to methane emissions, blowouts and accidents at the site,” Reed said. “We do view it as a pollution issue.”
"oil" - Google News
January 06, 2021 at 11:41PM
https://ift.tt/2JVE0HK
RRC extends regulatory exemptions for oil companies over environmental groups’ objections - Houston Chronicle
"oil" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2PqPpxF
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "RRC extends regulatory exemptions for oil companies over environmental groups’ objections - Houston Chronicle"
Post a Comment