Last Tuesday, October 15th, Commission Shift held a tailgate themed around oil and gas waste pits at the monthly open meeting of the Railroad Commission of Texas. Our spooky, Halloween-themed event highlighted how waste pits across Texas are filled with mystery sludge that threatens our water sources and jeopardizes public health and safety. Attendees met to advocate against poor regulation surrounding waste pits and other terrors from the oilfield.
Decor and resources at our Waste Pits Tailgate, including actual pollution from a Texas waste pit.
This meeting fell on the same date as the deadline for public comments on the new statewide waste pits, commercial recycling, and water protection rules. While we appreciated the commission electing to update these rules for the first time in 40 years, the proposed updates still had weaknesses and loopholes. You can read more about the top concerns with waste pits in our Waste Pits One-Pager here.
After convening outside the Railroad Commission building, our delegation entered the building to attend the in-person meeting. Four of our attendees — community member Lucas Jasso, Commission Shift advisor and community advocate Sister Elizabeth Riebschlaeger, and Commission Shift staff members Marté Valadez and Virginia Palacios — gave public comments about the waste pits rules, improving monitoring technology and practices, and increasing accessibility for community members to give public comments and learn about the oil and gas industry.
When the meeting ended, we came back outside to discuss more of our concerns with oil and gas development in Texas — without the three-minute timer imposed by the commission on public comments during the meeting.
As part of our scene-setting decoration, we included the names of over 100 Texans impacted by waste pits on bunting banners. These names represent concerned Texans who submitted comments on proposed waste pits rule changes last year, during the informal comment period.
Thank you to all our in-person attendees and virtual action-takers across the state for helping us hold the Railroad Commission accountable to its mission in a shifting energy landscape. This event is the first of many, and we look forward to seeing you at future tailgates!
Until then, check out our Community Connect! Community Connect: Shifting the Commission is a series of meetings where community members gather to discuss reforming the Railroad Commission. These sessions offer an open platform for diverse voices to share ideas and strategies for promoting transparency and responsible energy oversight in Texas. Join us as we work together to shape the future of the state oil and gas agency. RSVP today!
Register for our Community Connect!
