This past month, the Railroad Commission, our state oil and gas agency, opened a comment period for their Draft 2025 Monitoring and Enforcement Plan. “The Plan” is a guiding document for how the RRC addresses and records safety violations and well clean up. It is also one of the few opportunities during the year when the RRC invites public input on their monitoring and enforcement activities. Typically, the commission drafts the plan and then takes public comment on the draft. But this year, they are involving the public before they release the draft plan, which is a request we made in prior years.

In order to streamline the process and facilitate as many calls for improvements as possible, Commission Shift has drafted a sign on letter to the Railroad Commission calling for changes to monitoring and enforcement, including: more funds for RRC inspectors, carbon dioxide education for public & first responders, and legitimate public engagement. Read the full sign on letter here, and use the button below to send it to the RRC.

The deadline to submit is Saturday, May 4, 2024 by 5 P.M. Thank you for taking action!

Pipeline Progress

The RRC scored 26 out of 33 points (good) on the Pipeline Safety Trusts' Website Transparency Review. Texas' transparency score has increased by 6 points since 2018. Over the past several legislative sessions, lawmakers have appropriated more funds to the RRC for data, computers, and website upgrades. Big thanks to the Texas Legislature for appropriating those funds, and to the RRC for working toward better transparency! Visit Pipeline Safety Trust for more details on the Website Transparency Review. The review noted the state could strengthen transparency by making it easier for the public to find the website and connect with a staff member at the RRC for support on complaints, hearings, and other concerns.

Deep Dive Webinar 5: Produced Water and Chemicals of Concern

Commission Shift’s senior policy manager, Paige Powell, hosted a conversation about oil and gas wastewater ("produced water") with physician and public health professional Ted Schettler and Texas landowner, Laura Briggs, who is impacted by the state's failed injection control program. Catch up on the presentation, and learn about the recent legal petition submitted to EPA by Commission Shift and allies on the failures of the RRC’s oil and gas injection program.

Texas Communities Future Forum

Texas A&M Agrilife extension hosted a community engagement session in Laredo on a range of topics including community, economic issues, and natural resources issues. Commission Shift Deputy Director, Dr. Maria Reyes, spoke about the state oil and gas agency, public engagement, and the impact of orphaned wells. Participants noted a variety of impacts our community is experiencing as a result of climate change, ranging from higher microbial content in water and loss of agricultural sustainability to the need for more wildfire control resources.

League of Women Voters, "Making Democracy Work® Dinner"

Porsche Ray, Voter Mobilization Manager, attended this annual event to celebrate the League of Women Voters and community partners working toward the same goals: Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. Commission Shift looks forward to collaborating with LWV on future events in Texas, as well as voter guides that incorporate questions for Railroad Commissioner candidates!

May 4: Comment deadline - RRC FY 2025 Monitoring and Enforcement Plan ✍️

May 7: Environmental Health Training for Community Health Workers ❤️‍🩹

May 14: RRC Open Meeting 👨🏻‍⚖️🛢️⚖️

May 18: Orphan Wells + CCS presentation to Climate Reality NOLA 

May 20: Zapata County Water Well Screening - sample container drop off 💧

May 24: Community Connect: Shifting the Commission ✨

May 27: Memorial Day 🪖
May 29: Zapata County Water Well Screening - results and interpretation meeting 💧

Tell the EPA: Protect Texas Groundwater!

As the Railroad Commission seeks EPA approval to oversee carbon dioxide injection wells in Texas, now is the time to urge the EPA to protect our groundwater and deny the RRC’s application to oversee these dangerous projects.

Join our P-13 Working Group

Commission Shift is organizing a working group of interested stakeholders to discuss potential policy solutions to address problems that arise from wells drilled with Railroad Commission permits then converted to “water wells” or P-13’s. Join the working group.

Tell the RRC: strengthen monitoring and enforcement!

Are you impacted or concerned by oil and gas development? Share your story.

For the Fiscal Year 2025 Monitoring and Enforcement Plan, the Railroad Commission seeks feedback from stakeholders in the development of action items that will address the totality of oil and gas monitoring and enforcement activities, including  technical permit monitoring and administrative compliance enforcement.

Send a pre-drafted email to the RRC about improvements to their plan, or submit input online by completing this survey. The deadline for feedback is 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Environmental Health Training Session — Houston, TX

Tuesday, May 7. RSVP.
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

The Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health (SWCPEH), Texas Tech

University Health Sciences Center El Paso (TTUHSC El Paso) Department of Emergency Medicine, and the West Texas Regional Poison Center (WTPC) are sponsoring a a one-

day environmental health training in Houston, Texas. This free training will lead participants to understand the connection between the environment and our health. This training is meant for community health workers, promotoras, and other public health professionals that are directly working with the community. Register here.

Presenters are able to speak both English and Spanish.

RRC Open Meeting - Austin, virtual

Wednesday, May 14. RSVP.

9:30-10:30 AM CST.

The Railroad Commission open, virtual meeting is an important opportunity to learn about the state oil and gas agency, or make a comment if you are impacted by abandoned or orphaned wells, or any industry-related pollution.

Meetings start at 9:30 AM CT and typically last no more than 30 minutes.

During the open meeting, Commission Shift livetweets the proceedings and answers questions on X (Twitter).

RSVP here for reminders and links to join the open meeting!

RSVP to the Open Meeting

Community Connect: Shifting the Commission (Virtual Meeting)

Thursday May 23rd. RSVP.

6:00 - 7:30 PM CST.

RSVP to attend our virtual “community connect” meeting, the first of a series on how we can work together to shift the Railroad Commission to an agency more accountable to the people and places of Texas!

Zapata County Water Well Screening

May 20 and 29

Zapata County Agrilife Extension: The “Well Informed” Texas Well Owner Network (TWON) program is an educational program that gives well owners the opportunity to have their well water samples screened for common contaminants including fecal coliform, E. coli bacteria, nitrates, arsenic and high salinity. Screening for salinity can help landowners to detect potential contamination from oil and gas wells or saltwater disposal wells. Pick up sample containers before May 20th and drop off 8 - 10 am on May 20th. Results and interpretation meeting on May 29th at 6 PM. See flyer for more details.

Commission Shift and our coalition partners are seeking a Texas Carbon Capture and Storage Coalition Manager (RFP). 

• Marfa Public Radio reports on the ongoing fight over the Railroad Commission’s responsibility to clean and plug Lake Boehmer, part of a larger issue of oil and gas wells causing “swelling and buckling” to the land in the Permian.
• The issue of oil and gas wastewater, or “produced water” in Texas grows as no one has a clear plan for the immense volume of unusable and dangerous water. Learn more in CBS7’s “Produced Water Problem” series.
• West Texas Rancher Schuyler Wight was profiled about his leaking legacy wells and the lack of response from the state agency in charge. 
• Hydrogen buildout comes hand in hand with carbon storage, and has surprising ties to oil and gas. Read more on how the hydrogen hype might “bring more pollution than benefits.”
• Carbon capture and storage continues to prove itself ineffective and dangerous. Sign our petition to keep the RRC from gaining oversight authority over more of these projects in Texas!

Relevant news stories on all areas of our work and Railroad Commission activity can be found on our website.

P.S. Be sure to follow Commission Shift on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Commission Shift
212 Flores Avenue
Laredo, TX 78040
United States

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