The latest Texas Railroad Commission news from The Texas Tribune.
The day after the four-term Houston lawmaker launched his statewide bid, his former chief of staff, Odus Evbagharu, announced he was running to succeed his former boss in the Texas House. Full Story
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Texas’ rubber-stamp system allows drillers to release vast amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers passed a suite of bills that officials said are crucial to combat losses in the state’s largest oil field. Full Story
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Senate Bill 1150, which is on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott, is a rare example of the Texas Legislature regulating the state’s oil and gas industry. Full Story
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Across Texas, abandoned wells are erupting with chemical-infused liquid and some have created massive lakes of contaminated water. Regulators say they need more money to address the problem. Full Story
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The Texas Legislature has also invested millions in research to clean the fracking wastewater. Critics say it’s not a viable solution to the state’s water crisis. Full Story
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House Bill 4572 would introduce new requirements for pits where drillers bury oil and gas waste. Full Story
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Environmental groups worry direct carbon capture is not the silver bullet to curb climate change many energy companies purport it to be. Full Story
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The legislation would put new requirements on wind and solar companies that oil and gas companies in Texas do not face. Full Story
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The legislation was written after the state’s largest wildfire scorched more than 1 million acres in the Panhandle last year. Full Story
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She served on the Texas Railroad Commission, and was the first woman elected Austin mayor. Full Story
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The rapidly-growing sinkhole in Upton County is the latest of many problems caused by old wells in the Permian Basin. Full Story
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The bill would have set deadlines for the oil and gas industry to plug inactive wells, which can pose a danger to the environment. Full Story
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Environmentalists are worried the state — known for a lax approach to regulation — is not prepared for the added responsibility of regulating certain carbon capture projects. Full Story
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Two years after lawmakers created a $10 million program to address leaking wells in rural counties, none of the money has been distributed. Full Story
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The new rule modernizes some aspects of commercial oilfield waste disposal and recycling. But rules for burying oilfield waste on private property remain limited. Full Story
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Oilfield wastewater injected underground is causing earthquakes and blowouts. Now, pilot projects are exploring whether this water could be treated and used to grow crops. Full Story
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The proposal comes after the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency said it needs more money to plug wells that are in some instances erupting. Full Story
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The three-member board oversees Texas’ oil and gas industry. The agency has faced criticism over safety concerns linked to fracking, well blowouts and groundwater protection. Full Story
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Texans voted in several races, including for the President, a U.S. Senator, U.S. House members and more. Full Story
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