Texas Railroad Commission Promises to Address Flaring Waste, First Plans to Approve 30 Flare Exemptions

EDF statement from Colin Leyden, Director, Regulatory and Legislative Affairs

(AUSTIN, TX) In an online hearing tomorrow, the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) will consider changes to flaring data collection and flaring exceptions. At the same time the commission plans to vote and approve operator petitions for long-term exemptions — wells that have already been flaring for at least 180 days. Since the beginning of the shale boom in Texas, the RRC has never denied a permit to flare and continually issued bulk flaring exemptions at commission hearings. “The commission itself has said they want to reduce flaring; industry, investors and mineral rights owners have called for less flaring. And yet tomorrow the commission will issue 30 new long-term exemptions to allow more flaring. The commission needs a strong goal, defined interim targets, and a robust commitment to data with accountability to bring routine flaring to an end.”
  • Colin Leyden, Director, Regulatory and Legislative Affairs

With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org

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