A University of Texas at Austin professor who led a report that denied a link between fracking and groundwater contamination has come under scrutiny for not disclosing financial ties to the oil and gas industry. Read the full story at StateImpact Texas.
The Texas Tribune is pleased to provide the opportunity for you to share your observations about this story. We encourage lively debate on the issues of the day, but we ask that you refrain from using profanity or other offensive speech, engaging in personal attacks or name-calling, posting advertising, or wandering away from the topic at hand. To comment, you must be a registered user of the Tribune, and your user name will be displayed. Thanks for taking time to offer your thoughts.
Comments (19)
Beegowl Seeker
I find stories like this absolutely puzzling. The lead researcher has financial ties to the industry that he is researching to determine if harm is done by their activities. He's an extremely bright, worldly college professor. Yet, he does the study knowing that at some point his ties to the industry are going to be in question. Then, he denies that his financial interests have any impact on the study results. If I had fallen off the turnip truck yesterday I would say, "See, he says his financial interests have no bearing on the study results because he says so." Bernie Madoff, Ivan Boesky, Charles Ponzi, etc. ad infinitum.
Angi Youngblood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
busted. that's what you get for lying to the public for money.
Judy Shelton Curtis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Well, are they going to stop fracking now? Doubtful. Too much money and corruption.
Robert Rister via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Overblown. If you don't want fracing, fine. Fund your own anti-fracing scientist. But scientists who aren't funded by anybody don't get the opportunity to enter the debate.
Cristina Marie Herrera via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Not surprised one bit.
Dennis Schneider via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Just another coal industry funded attack on hydraulic fracturing. That's the REAL story that needs reporting.
Robert Rister via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Some putative polluters point the finger at other putative polluters, then?
Dennis Schneider via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The coal industry is trembling in fear as more and more power plants convert to clean burning natural gas. The non-story of non polluting hydraulic fracturing is completely fabricated. Never once has anyone challenged or commented on the fact that hydraulic fracturing has been used on THOUSANDS of wells since 1947 throughout the mid continent with only a few isolated incidents of documented groundwater pollution (and those where fracturing was allowed in an aquifer--which was stupid and hasnt' been allowed in years). It is the same tactic as the antivaccinators--repeat the same lie over and over again as truth. I get so tired of this. And the coal industry keeps on strip mining. And lets talk about those strip mining polluted aquifers. That's documented.
Robert Rister via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Dr. Schneider, by the way, is an expert in biological remediation--and if you love Hasta Grow, you might love Dr. Schenider's company, too. Why not interview him?
Dennis Schneider via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No, no, no, I would just insult the killers of gentle wheat and the people that want high heating bills. And the bat lovers that hate wind power. And the solar power haters that want to save the sand. Or the sun. Or whatever.
Dennis Schneider via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I was recently interviewed by a Midland TV station. Nice to be in a hydraulic fracturing friendly zone.
Robert Rister via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Over the last 20 years I've sat down and talked with a several of the folks who contribute to the Texas Tribune. They struck me as basically sensible. Might need to understand where you're coming from but they just might listen. Night buy what you have to say, might not, probably worth the time. Most of their audience would not be aware that some of the loudest critics of fracing are in fact hired by coal interests (and while I won't name names here, I could in private, and I didn't learn them from you), that there are reasons fracing rarely doesn't interfere with groundwater, and that there are biological approaches--the same kind of biology that is so great in other applications. Now lest they think you and I are in cohoots with each other I'll retire from this thread but Texas Tribune, please give Dr. Schneider a call. And Dennis, please talk with 'em a bit.
Sam Davis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I believe an important issue about hydraulic fracturing that is drowned out by the contamination issue is the vast amount of water used in the process (in areas that are experiencing drought no less.)
Audrey Fisher via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Hey, some in TX get paid to lie, who knew? Just ask any republican, they can probably tell us how much they paid this guy.
Dennis Schneider via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There isn't any "contamination issue" and the water use isn't an issue, either. This has been looked at by impartial and concerned parties as well. We have real life serious environmental problems like population control, the destruction of fishing stocks, plastics in the ocean, ocean acidification, the rise of sea levels and people chase imaginary issues because the word "fracking" sounds like it HAS to be evil. The epitaph for our civilization will be "In the end, they failed to reason from facts and lived for the emotion of the moment."
Jalapeño Schwartz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You obviously have never lived or been involved in an area where fracking is going on. Otherwise you would know.
John A James III via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Will we ever know the facts? Frack It!
Scott Nicol via Texas Tribune on Facebook
How could anyone possibly think a mere $2 million in compensation from a fracking company would sway his results?
Albert Marten via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Dennis Schneider your comments are well stated and what you say may be true. In my opinion, your statements regarding the coal industry illuminate the problem. If an industry's profits are at stake paying someone to skew a study or simply lie about the results are almost a given in our culture. A constant barrage of misinformation results in a cynical dismissal of issues that require immediate attention.