Texas Senate passes bill preempting local drilling standards

Environment Texas

AUSTIN – Today the Texas Senate passed HB 40, frequently called the “Denton fracking bill” on a third reading vote of 24-7. The bill, which “expressly preempts” local regulations of the oil and gas industry, now heads to the Governor’s desk.

“I am outraged by this assault on local control, public health and safety,” said Luke Metzger, Director of Environment Texas. “Local ordinances are often the last line of defense for Texans beleaguered by dirty drilling. Now, we are all at the mercy of state regulators who routinely deny science, disregard public health, and do whatever Big Oil tells them to. Oil and gas companies donated $5.5 million to the campaigns of legislators in the last elections, and clearly they got their money’s worth.”

The bill is opposed by dozen of organizations, including those representing firefighters, nurses, neighborhoods and the environment. Last week, 15 local officials sent a letter to the bill’s authors calling HB 40 “fundamentally flawed.”