Trick or treat! It's spooky season, and we're not just talking about ghosts and goblins! This October, Commission Shift has been busy working across the state on issues related to oil and gas oversight at the Railroad Commission and shedding light on some of the worst impacts of poor oil and gas oversight.

 

Our energy landscape can look gloomy with the challenges we face, but we can scare away the worst impacts of oil and gas pollution with knowledge and collective action.

 

Read ahead for recaps of our activities and some new ways to get involved and take action!

This year’s statewide election is crucial, with 14 different propositions that could change Texas’s state constitution. But, there is one proposition on the ballot that needs to be stopped in its tracks: Prop 7. This proposition may seem like a good idea at first glance – who doesn’t want more electricity? But, the truth is that Prop 7 is an expensive handout to Texas gas pipeline and power plant companies that are already raking in record profits.

 

Prop 7 would give out up to $10 billion of taxpayer money to natural gas, or methane gas, power plants - and explicitly excludes the funds from being spent on energy efficiency incentives or power plants that use any other type of fuel. This handout erodes Texas’ deregulated market-based electric grid by prescribing a fuel source for power generation and signing Texans up to pay for infrastructure the market is not calling for. This means Texans will pay $10 billion for power that could be generated more reliably and cost-effectively by other means. Notably, gas system failures were the biggest culprit of winter power outages in 2021, with federal regulators concluding that natural gas-fired generators made up more than half of all unplanned outages during Winter Storm Uri.

 

So, Texans, don't let Prop 7 haunt our future - let's come together to vote against Prop 7 and send a message to big gas company lobbyists that we will not be tricked into giving them more taxpayer dollars. Remember, once something is written into the state constitution, it is very hard to get it taken out. Let’s make sure we get it right the first time.

 

Early voting is October 23 - November 3 and Election Day is November 7. Vote411.org will help you find your polling place and what else is on your ballot.

Commission Shift field organizer, Alyssa Wallace, presented at the Waters of West Texas Symposium this month, hosted by Reeves County Groundwater Conservation District. Alyssa explained the Railroad Commission’s proposed rule changes to statewide rule 8, the water protection rule, and Chapter 4, rules that apply to oil and gas waste pits. Oil and gas waste pits contain many untested byproducts from the oil and gas industry including drilling fluid, spent completion fluid, working fluids, wellbore materials, and can pose threats to groundwater supplies.

 

What we know currently is that despite over 160 comments sent to the Railroad Commission calling for stronger rules and more public engagement in the rulemaking, the RRC moved forward with amendments that leave loopholes for industry and only scheduled two public input hearings during the informal comment period. One hearing was in person in Austin on a weekday morning - hundreds of miles away from most waste pit facilities, which are commonly located in rural areas outside of Central Texas. The second hearing was virtual, also on a weekday morning, and was insufficient for rural Texans who may not have the broadband connection to join a meeting. In 2002 and 2012 the RRC held hearings in multiple districts across the state to consider statewide rule 8 change. Yet this time around, we are seeing much less effort to even appear receptive to input from impacted communities and non-waste pit industry advocates. 

 

During the only in-person meeting, Paul Dubois, the Assistant Director for Technical Permitting at the RRC and facilitator of the meeting, emphasized the RRC “might” incorporate public comments, setting the stage for the agency not to incorporate the public’s feedback at all. Meanwhile industry representatives at the meeting, who were paid to be there, complained the waste pit rules they spent two years writing with the RRC were too overreaching. These are not the only voices the RRC needs to be hearing from!

It's not too late to sign on and add your voice calling for more engagement and stronger rules from the Railroad Commission. The deadline for the informal comment period is Friday, November 3rd.

Commission Shift now has a “waste pits map” available on our site for anyone interested in seeing permitted facility locations across the state and their proximity to sensitive locations such as homes, schools, and bodies of water. Please explore the map and add your name to comments going to the RRC!

Oct. 12: AAAS Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues, virtual symposium

 

Commission Shift Executive Director, Virginia Palacios, spoke at the symposium on the topic of “Transactions, Uncertainty, and Trust in the Voluntary Carbon Market” You can watch the video of her presentation on the AAAS event page.

Oct. 18 CCS Deep Dive Webinar Part 1

 

We kicked off the first of our virtual CCUS education series with more on the horizon! CCUS technology has been described by experts as “a climate disaster posing as a climate solution” and poses health and environmental risks to Texans. These webinars will explain the issues, answer questions, and give participants a chance to take action to reach out to our decision makers. You can watch the webinar recording here.

Texas Farm Bureau - Webb and Zapata County Chapters Annual Meeting

 

Virginia presented on orphaned wells and CCUS at the Webb and Zapata County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting on October 19. As a member of the Webb County Chapter, she proposed several resolutions on unplugged wells and CCUS for the Texas Farm Bureau 2024 State Policies handbook. The resolutions were approved by the chapter members, and will be considered at the Texas Farm Bureau statewide annual meeting in December.

New Blog: Responsible Carbon Management Plan

 

Due to recent federal investments in Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS) infrastructure, community members should be aware of their rights when carbon capture initiatives and related projects are proposed to be built near residential areas. Check out these 15 Policy Proposals from Commission Shift’s Policy Manager, Paige Powell, that community members and advocates can refer to when demanding health, safety, and accountability. Read more here!

“Paying for Plugging”

 

Each newsletter we’re featuring a video from our Orphaned Wells video series. Our final video of the series is here! While previous videos discuss measures to prevent the creation of more orphaned wells in Texas, “Paying for Plugging” features Virginia Palacios and Megan Milliken Biven on financial resources and structures that can ensure funds are available for plugging wells in a more timely manner. Each of these videos make recommendations for Texas’s orphaned well problem using Commission Shift’s 2022 report, Eliminating Orphan Wells and Sites in Texas. This video is a 12 and a half minute watch.  Please check it out and enjoy!

Oct. 23 - Nov. 3: Early Voting
Nov. 1: Paige Powell will present at the Carbon180 Carbon Removers Summit (Washington, DC)

Nov. 2 - 3: Commission Shift and Rio Grande International Study Center will present on venting and flaring at The Southwest Division of the American Association of Geographers Conference (Laredo, TX)

Nov. 7: Election Day

Nov. 14 - 15: Texas Energy Summit (Austin, TX)

Nov. 15: Next Railroad Commission Open meeting (Austin, TX; livestream available)

Nov. 15: CCS Deep Dive Webinar Part 2 with Jen Powis (virtual)

Nov. 16 - 17: DOE Carbon Management Summit (Houston, TX)

Nov. 16 - 17: Pipeline Safety Trust Conference (New Orleans, LA)

Tell the RRC: Texas Needs Stronger Waste Pit Rules
Don’t wait! Sign on today!

 

Deadline for the Informal Comment Period is Friday, Nov. 3.

Texas Energy Summit - Austin, TX
November 14th - 16th, 2023 RSVP

 

We're thrilled to invite you to the 20th Annual Texas Energy Summit, taking place from November 14th to 16th, 2023, at the Texas Capitol in Austin!

 

This dynamic event spotlights the intersection of air quality and energy systems, uniting individuals and groups from government, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations to explore and address pressing energy and air quality issues. Sessions include discussions of energy efficiency, transportation electrification, grid resilience, environmental justice, emerging technologies, and more.

Commission Shift is proud to be a partner organization of this event and we hope we will see you there. You can learn more about the Summit, explore the agenda, and secure your spot here.

RRC Open Meeting - Austin, virtual

Tuesday, October 24th RSVP

 

In October’s state oil and gas open meeting, Commission Shift’s Virginia Palacios and Jose Corpus both traveled to Austin to speak in support of the community members opposing the Saguaro Connector Pipeline that would pass through Pecos, Hudspeth, Culberson, Reeves and Jeff Davis Counties, dangerously close to homes. Although safety is part of the RRC’s mission, the commissioners offered no support to the community members, who pointed out that there are not enough emergency response services in their region to handle a major pipeline explosion. 

 

Pipeline company ONEOK has segmented the international pipeline in order to evade federal regulations that would ordinarily require environmental and archaeological reviews. As such, the RRC will have authority over 155 miles of pipeline, and will not conduct such reviews nor will the RRC weigh in on pipeline siting or evaluate common carrier claims. In Texas, pipeline companies can claim common carrier status and take property under eminent domain. The Saguaro Connector Pipeline will take gas from Texas through Mexico for export to China and potentially other Asian countries, and will not create any permanent jobs in Texas.

 

Virginia and Jose joined other West Texans who gave fantastic public input on unplugged wells and the Saguaro Connector Pipeline. Jose delivered comments in Spanish at the RRC for the first time. The commission did not provide interpretation, as requested, and said that we should bring our own interpreter. You can watch their public input here.

And remember, don’t forget to RSVP to the November Open Meeting!

CCS Deep Dive Webinar part 2

Missing Regulatory Frameworks: Putting Communities at Risk

Wednesday, November 15

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CST RSVP

 

After tuning into the RRC November open meeting, join Managing Attorney at Earthjustice, Gulf Regional Office, Jen Powis, in reviewing the various missing regulatory pieces from the current proposed federal carbon management program. This high level overview discusses the lack of consistent regulatory oversight for carbon, for example in pipeline safety, underground injection wells, or in enforceable air permits.

We're Hiring!

 

Commission Shift is hiring and seeking proposals for a slate of new positions to expand our organization’s capacity and reach! Are you or someone you know a good fit? Take a look at our listings for

 

• Development Director
• Organizing Director
• Orphaned Wells Policy Manager
• Voter Mobilization Program Coordinator
• Voter Mobilization Strategy Consultant (RFP)

• You can catch up on the media coverage of the new waste pits rulemaking in E&E News and Natural Gas Intelligence. The deepest dive appears in the Texas Tribune: “Oilfield companies helped to craft Texas’ new waste rules for 2 years before the public got to see them.” 
• Despite federal pressure the Permian is still seeing increases in flaring from oil and gas operations. The Railroad Commission is in the center of this issue as they continue to hand out flaring exception requests like candy. 
• Commission Shift’s Paige Powell sat down with Houston Chronicle reporter Amanda Drane on the Gulf Streams KPRT podcast to discuss all things orphaned wells and their connection to other injection wells like CCS.  

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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