Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe writes about the Barnett Shale Wise County class II commercial injection well case I posted earlier today.
Court: Texas Railroad Commission erred in allowing Wise County waste well
Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the commission “abused its discretion” by failing to include matters of public interest when considering where underground injection wells can dispose of oil and gas waste.
The next step, if the RRC decides to take it, is the Supreme Court.
Austin environmental attorney David Frederick said the railroad commission had been avoiding the responsibility of considering the broader public interest for a long time.
“They have some civic duty now to consider these things,” Frederick said.
Wow! Who would have ever thought that just because they are elected by us and paid by us they should serve our interest over that of oil and gas?
The court’s opinion has broad implications for other injection well operators in the Barnett Shale, depending how the Commission handles the new duty of weighing industry needs against the safety and impact gas mining has on the people who must live around it.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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