Letter to the Editor: Response to Wayne Christians’ Op-ed

April 2, 2025 - I find it very disturbing that Mr. Christian attributes the concerns of residents and landowners to outside special interest groups. Several in our East Texas communities are employed in the oil and gas industry. They understand the risks of these facilities and have been vocal in their opposition to the permitted locations of these facilities. Also, many residents in these counties are well-educated community and business leaders who have analyzed the permit applications, the permits, and the environmental impacts. All of us want to protect our homes, schools, and businesses; preserve our way of life; and ensure clean air and water for future generations.

What benefits will these facilities bring to our communities when most have very few employees? What are the benefits to our roads, property values, air quality, groundwater, creeks and rivers, spring-fed agricultural ponds, and private and public water wells? How can we trust Mr. Christian to protect our environment when he can't even execute the regulations that he is entrusted to enforce, as evidenced by the Railroad Commission's disregard of extensive violations at McBride's facilities (not to mention the lack of enforcement across the state)? And why is the Railroad Commission allowing out-of-state oil and gas waste disposal along the state lines of Texas from New Mexico and Louisiana? By allowing bad players in the industry to ignore the existing lax permit regulations and target rural communities along state lines, the Railroad Commission and our legislators are marring the good names of the oil and gas companies who are working hard on environmental initiatives and community sustainability and collaboration throughout our state.

While he falsely accuses the residents of Shelby, Harrison, Rusk, Panola, and San Augustine counties of being led astray by an out-of-state special interest group, we view these facilities as being strategically permitted and constructed for the benefit of a different out-of-state special interest - oil and gas companies from neighboring states - and not for the benefit of counties located along the state lines of Texas. And, while we have always supported the oil and gas industry (which is evidenced by the countless wells located in our counties), we will not stand for exploitation by the industry and the Railroad Commission when it's affecting our water, air, roads, schools, homes, and communities. The protection of our water is non-negotiable and not a partisan issue. This is NOT responsible energy. We are joining our efforts to say to Mr. Christian that our communities will not be the dumping ground for the "trash collectors of the oil and gas industry!" 

While we support the oil and gas industry, we are fighting against the strategic placement of these facilities in fragile aquifer areas and along state lines, which encourages out-of-state waste disposal from Louisiana and New Mexico. The Elysian Fields facility has been permitted on 187 acres on top of the shallowest part of the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer and immediately adjacent to Socagee Creek in southeastern Harrison County. This is a major tributary to the Sabine River, which supplies the Toledo-Bend Reservoir. And this is one of the many waste disposal facilities that are being strategically permitted and constructed to encourage out-of-state waste. Why are Texas taxpayers liable for other states' toxic waste? 

Thank you,
Debrah Linn
Representing Harrison, Panola, Rusk, Shelby, and San Augustine Counties

Additional Information:

Wayne Christian's Letter - Letter to the Editor from Wayne Christian: Op-Ed on Paxton Stationary Treatment Facility