Texas debates over new oil and gas waste rule heat up

Texas is considering its first major revision of oil and gas waste management rules in 40 years, but environmentalists and industry leaders disagree over the new regulations.

Martha Pskowski reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

Texas' revised rule aims to improve waste disposal from oil and gas drilling, including the handling of toxic byproducts like produced water and drilling mud.
Environmental groups argue the rule doesn't do enough to protect groundwater, while the industry says stricter measures could be too expensive for smaller companies.
The public has until September 30 to comment on the proposal, with hearings scheduled this week.

Key quote:

“This is a massive overhaul of extremely important groundwater protection rules.”

— Virginia Palacios, executive director of Commission Shift

Why this matters:

Texas generates billions of gallons of oilfield waste annually, some of which poses a risk to groundwater. Updated regulations could strengthen protections or lead to more conflicts between environmentalists and the energy industry.

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