TRC Tries To Cover For Gas Drilling Contamination

Recently there has been a lot of new drilling in the Barnett Shale formation around and to the west of Fort Worth. These companies doing the drilling are supposed to be using methods that will prevent the poisoning of both the air and water near the drilling sites, but that doesn't always happen.

Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that the drilling company Range Resources of Fort Worth had contaminated the ground water of at least two families with benzene, methane and other toxic gases. They ordered the company to provide the families with clean drinking water -- a reasonable request. But when the company had failed to comply with the order a month later, the EPA filed a suit against the company in District Court.

Now the Texas Railroad Commission (TRC), the mis-named commission in charge of overseeing oil and gas drilling in the state, is acting to try and protect the corporation. The three-member commission voted unanimously to declare that the EPA was wrong when it said the drilling was responsible for the water contamination. They claim the contamination was a natural occurrence and had nothing to do with the drilling for natural gas.

I guess they think the benzene, methane and other toxic gases just magically appeared in the water. The declaration of the TRC might be barely believable if only one substance had contaminated the water, but the mix of toxic gases providing the contamination had to have been introduced from the outside. And it would be nearly impossible for anyone but the drilling company to contaminate the water located far underground.

Meanwhile, the EPA stands by its initial investigation. They issued a statement saying, "The decision by the Texas Railroad Commission is not supported by EPA's independent, scientific investigation, which concluded that Range Resources Corporation and Range Production Company have contributed to the contamination of homeowners' drinking water wells. EPA stands by the order issued to Range Resources and seeks to secure Range's full compliance."

So once again we are left with the state of Texas trying to snub its nose at the EPA -- something the state has a history of doing. Texas is already in court trying to prevent the EPA from forcing the state's corporations to clean up their emissions (because Texas is the biggest polluter of any of the states). Now they are fighting to allow the corporations to pollute under the earth as well.

The two agencies in question have far different reputations. The EPA has a long history of acting in the best interest of American citizens to clean up our water and air. The Railroad Commission has a history of acting to protect corporate interests to the detriment of the environment and the health of Texas citizens. Frankly, it looks like both agencies are living up to their reputations.