On the ground in West Texas
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Commission Shift’s Executive Director, Virginia Palacios, recently toured orphaned and inactive wells in Pecos County that have been neglected by both oil and gas operators and the Railroad Commission of Texas.
Wells like this one in Pecos County have been left to pollute the land and water, even though state law requires drillers to plug wells when they are finished producing. Commission Shift is advocating for better enforcement of inactive well plugging rules.
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Caption: Schuyler Wight, a Pecos County rancher, examines an orphaned oil well on his land that recently began leaking saltwater. Photo by Virginia Palacios.
Virginia also spoke at the Petroleum Accountants Society of the Permian Basin’s Education Day, highlighting Railroad Commission rules that can lead to indefinite plugging delays. The Midland Reporter-Telegram had a good profile of Commission Shift and our work affecting the oil and gas development regions of the state.
Meanwhile in Austin, there has been movement on the Railroad Commission’s effort to designate “critical infrastructure” facilities on the natural gas supply chain. Commission Shift worked with Texans for Public Justice to publish a report monitoring this process that is designed to protect the electricity grid during extreme weather events. The next open meeting of the Railroad Commission of Texas will be on June 7th. Commissioners are expected to propose a draft rule related to the requirements that natural gas facilities weatherize their equipment to protect it from extreme weather. Commission Shift will live tweet the RRC’s open meeting, and you can follow along.
And in Dallas, natural gas leaks have been found to disproportionately affect low-income residents and people of color. This alarming news was part of a peer-reviewed article published in Environmental Science and Technology and co-authored by Virginia Palacios.
In Laredo, Deputy Director Maria Reyes and Advocacy Director Tannya Benavides are settling into their roles and helping advocate for reforms in oil and gas oversight. Dr. Reyes has been analyzing policies and developing research plans, and Tannya gave public comments recently on federal funding to help plug orphan wells.
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Advocacy Director, Tannya Benavides, testifying at the House Environmental Regulation Committee on Commission Shift’s recommendations to stem the tide of orphan wells in Texas. Image via Public Citizen Texas.
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Events
TCEQ Sunset Review Virtual and In-Person Events
Have you ever been confused by which agency to call if you experience an issue related to oil and gas development? You’re not alone. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Railroad Commission, and several other state agencies share jurisdiction over environmental and procedural issues related to oil and gas development.
Every 12 years, Texas state agencies undergo what is known as the Texas Sunset Review process to determine if state agencies and programs are still needed and remain effective as they serve and protect Texans. This year, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is going through Sunset Review and partner organizations including Public Citizen and the Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience (CEER), are helping create opportunities for public participation.
To learn more about how to participate and make your voice heard in the process, check out the upcoming events below:
- People’s Hearing (VIRTUAL/Language accomodations available), Wednesday, June 8th 5:00pm CST. Register here.
- Understanding the Texas Sunset Review (VIRTUAL/Bilingual), Wednesday, June 15th 6:00pm CST. Register here.
- Submit Public Comment ahead of TCEQ’s Public Hearing, Wednesday, June 22nd 9:00am CST. Staff report and written Public Input form here. Note: This meeting is IN PERSON ONLY in Austin, but you can submit written comments if you cannot attend in person.
Virtual Public Hearing on Carbon Capture and Sequestration
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) could be a useful strategy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions enough to help us reach “net zero” emissions by 2050. But weak federal rules and state oversight of CCUS technologies could cause more problems for communities living near these facilities.
The Railroad Commission of Texas has issued proposed amendments to its carbon dioxide storage rules that will allow it to seek authority from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to permit and regulate carbon dioxide injection wells in Texas. Commission Shift detailed its concerns about the RRC having this authority in its previous comments on federal CCUS guidance. The deadline to comment on the RRC’s proposed amendments to Chapter 5 is July 1, 2022. Join a Railroad Commission virtual public hearing on June 14, 2022 from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm CT to learn more and share your thoughts.
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Publications
What are Texas leaders doing to prevent widespread power outages?
A new report by Commission Shift and Texans for Public Justice finds that most facilities on the natural gas supply chain have been designated critical. Poor agency recordkeeping procedures leave questions about which facilities have been granted or denied exceptions to critical designation. Confidentiality requirements leave the public in the dark about which facilities will actually be required to be weatherized, yet a handful of private companies have special access to regulators and the electricity supply chain map.
The new report highlights significant concerns:
- Most facilities are designated critical, producing at least three times average daily gas consumption in Texas. However, the data for facilities with exceptions from critical designation is jumbled. The Railroad Commission says it cannot provide definitive lists of which facilities have been designated “critical” versus those that still have applications pending for exceptions.
- The confidential Electricity Supply Chain Map prevents the public from knowing which facilities must be weatherized. Only natural gas facilities (i.e. wells and pipelines) that are both designated critical and listed on the secret map will be required to weatherize.
- Conflicts of interest at the Railroad Commission and the Texas Energy Reliability Council (TERC) jeopardize trust in the weatherization enforcement process.
Read more about extreme weather and the Railroad Commission.
Environmental Justice Concerns from Natural Gas Pipeline Leaks
Natural gas leaks can develop in local distribution systems posing unequal risks to people who live, work, and play nearby, according to a new peer-reviewed article in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The authors – including Virginia Palacios of Commission Shift – looked at 2014-2017 data for 13 U.S. metro areas including Dallas and found higher rates of leaks per mile in lower income communities or those with larger populations of people of color.
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In eight of the nine metro areas, leak density was estimated to increase with increased percent People of Color. The largest effect was found in Dallas. Image source: Environmental Science & Technology.
The number of leaks we observed in natural gas distribution systems are often disparate depending on race and income, especially in Dallas. The Railroad Commission of Texas has an important role to play in overseeing how thorough, consistent, and equitable gas utility operators’ safety plans are.
Among the findings in the article:
- Leak density increased with increasing percent of people of color in eight of the nine metro areas considered for the analysis.
- In seven metro areas, leak density was estimated to increase with greater linguistic isolation.
- In seven metro areas, census tracts with lower median incomes were more likely to exhibit higher leak density.
Read more, and learn how to advocate for stronger safeguards on natural gas pipelines.
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The Commission Shift team is growing. Apply today for one of these open positions, or spread the word!
Civic Engagement Organizer: Implement grassroots organizing and civic engagement strategies in multiple oil and gas regions across the state. Create opportunities to educate Texas voters about the function of the Railroad Commission and key election periods for Railroad Commissioners. This will include education and building public support to hold the Railroad Commission of Texas accountable to its mission in a shifting energy landscape. Based anywhere in Texas. The salary range is $50,000 - $55,000 depending on experience. See full details and application instructions.
Community Organizer: Implement grassroots organizing strategies in multiple oil and gas regions across the state of Texas and to identify and build relationships with Spanish-preferred communities affected by oil and gas development who need language accommodation from the Railroad Commission. This will include educating and building public support to hold the Railroad Commission of Texas accountable to its mission in a shifting energy landscape. Based anywhere in Texas, but preferably in an oil and gas producing region such as the Eagle Ford Shale or Permian Basin. The salary range is $50,000 - $55,000 depending on experience. Travel and clean driving record required. See full details and application instructions. Vea en español.
Digital Communications Associate: Help get our publications and advocacy in front of the right audiences, using social media, video, email, earned media, and other tools. Make sure Texas leaders, advocates and residents have the information they need about this critically important yet relatively unknown state agency. The ideal candidate has a background in communications, journalism, public relations or marketing, and brings a range of digital skills to their outreach and engagement efforts. Based anywhere in Texas. The salary range is $65,000 - $70,000 depending on experience. See full details and application instructions.
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Media Highlights
The Midland Reporter-Telegram sat down with Virginia Palacios to reflect on Commission Shift’s first year and the organization’s efforts related to the Permian Basin.
KERA news in Dallas looked at the disproportionate effects of natural gas leaks in low-income and Hispanic neighborhoods.
And KGNS TV in Laredo invited Virginia Palacios into the studio for a long discussion about what the Railroad Commission does and why reforms are so needed.
Find more coverage on our news page.
P.S. Be sure to follow Commission Shift on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn
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Commission Shift
212 Flores Avenue
Laredo, TX 78040
United States
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