Cloelle Danforth News Today

In 2005, Texas regulators documented startling amounts of benzene in a community outside Houston. Instead of solving the problem, they allowed a known benzene polluter to expand — a decision scientists worry could haunt residents for years to come.

Texas regulators documented startling amounts of benzene in Channelview, near Houston. Instead of solving the problem, they allowed a benzene polluter to expand.

Texas regulators documented startling amounts of benzene in Channelview, near Houston. Instead of solving the problem, they allowed a benzene polluter to expand.

Researchers are still studying the chemical makeup of “produced water” from Permian Basin oil fields. But regulators say they’re ready to issue permits to discharge the water into rivers and creeks.

Researchers are still studying the chemical makeup of “produced water” from Permian Basin oil fields. But regulators say they’re ready to issue permits to discharge the water into rivers and creeks.

The greatest volumes of produced water are in the Permian Basin, where oil and gas drilling creates billions of barrels of produced water every year.