Environmental groups in Texas are opposing a bill they said would roll back protections under the Clean Air Act by exempting many low-producing oil and gas wells from federal regulations.

Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, co-authored the Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act. The legislation is designed to exempt low-producing oil and gas wells from federal rules.

Luke Metzger, executive director of the advocacy group Environment Texas, said the proposal would exempt about 80% of oil wells in the U.S. from basic pollution standards meant to prevent dangerous chemicals from being emitted into the atmosphere.

“They are responsible only for about 6% of the nation's oil and gas production but they are likely responsible for about half of the pollution coming from oil and gas sites, at least according to a study of sites here in Texas in our Permian Basin,” Metzger explained.

Backers of the bill said small oil and gas producers are being squeezed by Biden-era regulations designed for large-scale producers.

Metzger countered large corporations would benefit from the proposed changes. He argued failing to capture the gases means Americans would be losing money which could go back into local economies and provide renewable energy for consumers.

“More than three-fourths of the marginal well sites that would be impacted by this bill are owned by companies that have more than 100 active oil and gas wells,” Metzger reported. “Those are not mom-and-pop operations. Those are major companies with major drilling operations.”

Metzger stressed allowing more pollutants into the air would also be hazardous to Texans’ health.

“Boston University did a study, and they found that in 2016, 1,300 Texans' lives were cut short due to oil and gas air pollution,” he added.

A study by researchers at two California universities found pregnant people living close to flaring operations in South Texas had higher rates of preterm births than those with no exposure.

Source: Public News Service