Texas: Can't tie water contamination to drilling

[TexasTowelie]

HOUSTON — The amount of explosive gas tainting a North Texas neighborhood's water supply has increased in recent years, but the state's oil and gas regulator says it can't link the methane to drilling activity nearby, according to a report it released Wednesday.

The state Railroad Commission has found that the contamination has gotten worse in most of the private water wells it tested in September 2013 compared with what was measured in 2010 and in 2011. However, Peter Pope, the agency geologist who signed off on the report, wrote that staff "has determined that the evidence is insufficient to conclude that Barnett Shale production activities have caused or contributed to methane contamination beneath the neighborhood."

The agency will not investigate further, Pope added in the report dated Friday. He suggested that infuriated residents of the subdivision in Weatherford, a suburb about 30 miles west of Fort Worth, "properly ventilate and aerate their water systems."

Methane is not toxic, but can be explosive under certain conditions.

More at http://www.caller.com/news/2014/may/28/texas-cant-tie-water-contamination-drilling/ .

[font color=green]It's no surprise that someone who works in a Republican-dominated agency decides to ignore science even when their is plenty of evidence.[/font]

Cross-posted in LBN.

[kentauros]

1. I know it seems like "no surprise" but I actually am.

Because I see geologists as scientists. Sure, many of them work for oil companies, finding new sources of oil and gas, but they're still scientists. I would expect a geologist to put out a report saying it like it is, not like an agency wants. I wouldn't be surprised if the agency released the report saying there's nothing to worry about, because that's what repub bureaucrats do.

I guess they paid him well, or had something else on him to get him to state such an obvious lie. Even then, if I was him, I'd have a hard time going against everything in geology that likely countered that statement (such as the porosity of the soils and bedrock, major a part of their science.)

[TexasTowelie]

2. According to the Texas Tribune database

the geologist make $91,104. He has been employed since September 2001.

[blkmusclmachine]

3. POISON

[TexasTowelie]

4. See post #2.

[malokvale77]

5. How dumb does one have to be...

to not understand that "our" water and "their" water eventually will mingle? Jeez.

[DhhD]

6. Well then, lets talk money to property owners from City and/or County to buy the properties that

Municipalities approved as zoning for housing; just like the approvals made in flood zones that never should have been granted in the first place. Who allows building in an area that releases explosive and flammable water? Example below.

http://floodsafety.com/texas/regional_info/regional_info/dallas_zone.htm
Dallas-One of the most flood proved regions in North America.

http://www.dallascityhall.com/trinity_watershed/floodplain_drainage.html