Here’s a pdf that lists assaults on America by the oil & gas industry. Note how often Texas shows up.
ASSAULT ON AMERICA: A Decade of Petroleum Company Company Disaster, Pollution and Profit
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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This is depressing…..What was especially alarming to me was the map of 'significant' incidents. There's not one state in our union that doesn't have multiple incidents.
In our quest for more energy, we've allowed Big Oil to take over and let them decide what they can do and how to do it. A few million to this politician, and few more to that one, and a quite a few million more to lobby the Congress as a whole, and Big Oil continues to dictate the terms.
What really needs to happen is that all operators need to be held fully accountable for their actions, particularly when the cause of the 'incident' is from shoddy workmanship, negligence, bypassing safety rules and inspections and disregard for following the rules and laws.
When vehicle drivers get traffic tickets, the fine amounts for virtually every violation are expensive to almost every pocketbook. The greater the violation, the greater the fine. The state even has a remedy for those who can readily pay the fine and repeat their bad acts: Their license is yanked and their insurance company raises their rates, if not drops them entirely. The purpose of the fine is to change your behavior and not repeat the violation.
The difference with Industry is, the fines are relatively small compared to their income, and there's no inducement to change the behavior. They violate the law and rules time after time, and IF they get caught, they pay the small fine and go back to the same bad practices that led up to the disaster. This simply must change. The fines need to be increased 10 fold or more, and a set number of serious violations should warrant shutting the operator down.
How many workers, innocent bystanders and wildlife need be killed, how much property damage needs to occur, how widespread the contamination of lakes, streams, rivers and water wells need happen before serious, meaningful action against the operators are taken?
Depressing….what is particularly alarming is the map of 'incidents' where not one state in our union isn't affected multiple times.
A few million to this politician, and few more to that one, and millions more to lobby the rest of Congress, Big Oil dictates the terms. We've let Big Oil scare us into submission by convincing us that we desperately need this energy. In obtaining this energy to fulfill our 'desperate' need, we've allowed Big Oil to bypass laws, rules, safety inspections and commit one bad act after another.
When a driver violates a traffic law, he fined accordingly. The greater the violation, the greater the fine. The State even has a remedy for those who don't get it- their license is yanked, their insurance costs go up, if not cancelled, and sometimes, the driver goes to prison. The purpose of the fine is to change the behavior. The difference with Industry is that there is no real incentive to change their behavior. They are permitted to commit one bad act after another, and IF they get caught, they pay a small fine-small in comparison to the income. Not to mention the lengthy appeal process. Murderers on Death Row don't have this latitude.
How many workers, innocent bystanders and wildlife must be killed, how many billions in property damage must happen, and how many lakes, streams, rivers and water wells be forever contaminated before serious action against the operators are taken?
Increase the fines 10 fold or more, and a set number of serious violations shuts down the operator will get that change.
Excellent report by NWF. They are stepping up lately and keeping this issue on the front burner. It's time for the Obama Adm. to step up make fossil fuel abuse a top priority. Healthcare and economic reform are no more important than environmental reform. The NWF report points out how the oil and gas industry is awash in big profits while everyone else is struggling. They can afford to keep the politicians in their pocket but we must continue throwing monkey wrenches in their neat, well funded plans.
How long before they know? well China waited til 1/4 of their water supplies are too dirty event o be used industrially. Poor Moscow…their smog is so bad right now they are literally "smokin". I think alot of people don't want to see the truth cause they get up from the TV or computer and go outside and things look ok and then they start their engine and drive off. I feel so damn guilt every time I get in my car now…but I won't bike because that is a double exposure to be exercissing behind cars on the road.
There's 40 Million cars and trucks out on the roads today. There's no serious thought or attempt to create and build vehicles that run on something other than oil based fuel. We've got billions upon billions invested in building and supporting these vehicles, and I suspect it's going to be awhile before we put some real effort into change.
We spend tens of millions each year on mass transportation, mostly bailing them out, funding HOV lanes that hardly anyone uses, and building toll roads so that people in their individual vehicles can use to save them some time, and maybe save a little on not idling idling engines at stop lights.
I'd be willing to bet that if we took all the billions we spend on widening roads, building more toll roads and HOV lanes and installed a high speed train that ran from Denton to Dallas to Austin to San Antonio and further, and from Dallas to to DFW to Fort Worth, we would certainly greatly reduce the amount of air pollution, congestion, accidents and delays and may actually make some money on the deal.
The problem today with mass transportation is that it's not widely available outside of the major metro areas, they don't take you where you need to go, and outside the cities, they are incredibly SLOW. I for one, am not interested in a four ride to DFW airport that normally takes me 40 minutes.
AMEN! almost everyone who lives in Decatur commutes to work.
Looking at the map on page 16 and 17 proves that you can run but can't hide from the Oil and Gas Industry.
It also proves that this industry is out of control and needs better regulation.