Fracking’s Link to Smog Worries Texas Cities
Natural gas flares at drilling site in DeWitt County. Photo by Dave Fehling/StateImpact TexasAudio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
By Dave Fehling, KUHF and StatImpact Texas
Oil and gas production has soared in Texas since the introduction of the mining technique called hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” But the boom in production has some complaining about an increase in air pollution, as well. For StateImpact Texas, Dave Fehling reports.
Drilling companies have been sinking natural gas wells in North Texas by the hundreds, now making Tarrant County the state’s number-one producer of natural gas. But drilling is also producing air pollution, as toxic vapors escape from leaky valves and vents left open on storage tanks.
“We absolutely recognize the huge impact that this is having – a negative impact – on our air quality,” says Democratic State Rep. Lon Burnham from Fort Worth. “It’s just adding to an existing problem.”
Click the player above to hear the full story. You can also read this piece on StateImpact Texas’ website.
StateImpact Texas is an energy and environment reporting project with KUT, KUHF and NPR.
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