The Latest Breaking News from Railroad Commission

Texas oil and gas regulators win new power to approve projects that shoot carbon underground

The EPA handed over power to the Railroad Commission after a two-year review. Critics say the commission has been too lax with the industry.

The Texas Tribune · Nov 13, 2025

Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French announces run for Texas Railroad Commission

French will face commission Chair Jim Wright in the Republican primary. The three-person panel is in charge of the agency that oversees Texas’ oil and gas industry.

The Texas Tribune · Nov 12, 2025

Embattled Texas Oilfield Waste Company Fined After Worker’s Death

A 26-year-old employee at McBride Operating in Waskom was killed when a valve blew off a pump last year. Another worker had sued the company two years earlier after being injured on the job.

Texas Observer · Sep 5, 2025

A Republican effort to set deadlines to plug orphan wells in Texas hits resistance

The bill would have set deadlines for the oil and gas industry to plug inactive wells, which can pose a danger to the environment.

The Texas Tribune · Mar 12, 2025

Bills introduced a year after state’s largest blaze seek to limit wildfires

Among the proposals is a bill that would force more inspections of power lines, which a committee concluded ignited a blaze that burned more than 1 million acres last year.

The Texas Tribune · Feb 28, 2025

A year after Texas’ largest wildfire, Panhandle residents tugged between hope and anxiety

The Panhandle town of Canadian is determined to move beyond the deadly fire. And yet, they are reminded almost daily another catastrophe is possible.

The Texas Tribune · Feb 27, 2025

Texas regulators grapple with a growing problem: old oil wells leaking polluted water

Two years after lawmakers created a $10 million program to address leaking wells in rural counties, none of the money has been distributed.

The Texas Tribune · Feb 4, 2025

Texas regulators overhaul oilfield waste rule for the first time in four decades

The new rule modernizes some aspects of commercial oilfield waste disposal and recycling. But rules for burying oilfield waste on private property remain limited.

The Texas Tribune · Jan 21, 2025

Texas regulators report more than 250 new cases of groundwater contamination

An annual report documents 2,870 active cases of groundwater contamination around the state. Groundwater provides more than half of the state’s water supply.

The Texas Tribune · Dec 17, 2024

Recycled oilfield water could aid drought-stricken West Texas

Oilfield wastewater injected underground is causing earthquakes and blowouts. Now, pilot projects are exploring whether this water could be treated and used to grow crops.

The Texas Tribune · Dec 10, 2024