Texas Landowners Call to Overhaul Outdated Oilfield Waste Disposal Practices
Texas Landowners Call to Overhaul Outdated Oilfield Waste Disposal Practices
PR Newswire
SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 20, 2024
SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Don't Waste Texas and Texas landowners and landowner organizations are urging the Railroad Commission of Texas to improve the outdated regulations (known as "Statewide Rule 8") for oilfield waste disposal. As the state's robust oil and gas industry has grown, so have the risks posed by current disposal methods, which threaten the health and safety of communities, livestock, wildlife and groundwater resources.
Currently, oil and gas operators can legally dispose of hazardous materials in open reserve pits on private property without the landowner's consent, putting both the environment and property rights at risk. Reserve pits handle 70-80% of all drilling waste in Texas but lack even the most basic restrictions.
Dumping used motor oil of any quantity on the ground in Texas is a felony offense, punishable by up to two years in jail and/or a $10,000 fine. And yet, reserve pits holding thousands of barrels of toxic chemicals, often multiple acres in size, are legal and unregulated.
Reserve pits are often unlined and unmonitored. They are filled with toxic drilling fluids, oil and produced water, diesel, mineral oil, and various chemicals like barium sulfate, benzene and lignosulfonates. Reserve pits also contain high chloride levels, inhibiting grass and vegetation regrowth. These pits are left open for up to a year or longer after drilling operations end, allowing hazardous chemicals to seep into the ground and volatize into the atmosphere and the air we breathe.
Texas has not updated its oilfield waste disposal rules in over 40 years, despite massive advancements in drilling technology and a drastic increase in the amount of waste generated by the industry.
Don't Waste Texas believes changes to Statewide Rule 8 should include:
- Requiring Landowner Consent: Ensure landowners are notified in advance and given the opportunity to grant permission or consent before any waste disposal occurs on their property to protect their rights and prevent unexpected environmental damage.
- Enhancing Groundwater Protection: Mandate that reserve pits be double lined and equipped with leak detection and groundwater monitoring systems, similar to the standards used for commercial operations, to prevent toxic chemicals from contaminating our drinking water.
- Implementing Better Waste Management Practices: Adopt safer practices, such as those already required by other states, to minimize the environmental risks associated with oilfield waste disposal and protect our land and water.
The Railroad Commission is currently accepting public comments on the proposed changes to Statewide Rule 8. The comment period began on August 15 and will close on October 15, 2024. To learn more and to take action, visit DontWasteTexas.org.
About Don't Waste Texas
Don't Waste Texas aims to educate Texans about the risks of outdated oilfield waste disposal practices. Don't Waste Texas believes the state's robust oil and gas industry can continue to flourish without ignoring property rights and compromising the livelihoods of Texans their land and water resources. To learn more visit, DontWasteTexas.org.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/texas-landowners-call-to-overhaul-outdated-oilfield-waste-disposal-practices-302254202.html
SOURCE Don't Waste Texas
-
What’s the Difference Between the CPI and PCE Indexes?
-
Micron Earnings: Great Guidance but Stock Now Looks Fairly Valued
-
August PCE Report Forecasts Show More Good News on Inflation
-
AI Stocks May Be Down, but Don’t Count Them Out
-
4 Stocks to Buy as the Fed Cuts Interest Rates
-
Markets Brief: The Uncertain Path to Neutral Interest Rates
-
What’s Happening in the Markets This Week
-
Where Top Stock Fund Managers Are Looking Next After the Fed Rate Cut
-
Our Top Pick for Investing in US Renewable Energy
-
Undervalued by 25% and Yielding 5%, This Stock Is a Buy
-
Can AI Predict Future Stock Returns?
-
The Best Energy Stocks to Buy Now
-
10 Undervalued Wide-Moat Stocks
-
Obesity Drugs: Can New Firms Take Market Share From Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk?
-
New 4-Star Stocks
-
Intel Fair Value Left Unchanged Despite Qualcomm Takeover Talk