By Carlos Nogueras Ramos
Virginia Palacios, executive director of Commission Shift Action, a group that advocates for stronger environmental regulations, said she was impressed to see the oil and gas industry support Middleton’s bill, but disappointed the rules aren’t more stringent.
Lawmakers should have given operators 10 years, instead of 15, to plug the wells, she said, adding that the bill contains too many extensions. She said she hopes the commission’s rules will be stricter.
“I’m optimistic that this law is going to help reduce some of the problems we’ve had from unplugged wells,” Palacios said. “But, in the bigger picture, we could have so much more efficient laws if we had lawmakers actually taking feedback from the people that are most affected, who are seeing these problems play out on the ground, and are seeing what the solutions should be.”
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