Here’s what America’s Natural Gas did for you today:
More than a dozen counties in the Eagle Ford Shale region have been inundated with traffic as oil and gas drilling has taken off, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The result has been a sharp increase in fatal crashes involving commercial motor vehicles.
Twelve people have died in accidents in Karnes County in the last six month, the newspaper said. LaSalle County has had a 418 percent increase in commercial motor vehicle crashes since drilling began in 2008, and McMullen County has a 1,050 percent increase in wrecks involving tractor-trailers.
UPDATE: Amy Mall has information about Another loophole for the oil and gas industry creates deadly working conditions. Industry truck drivers are allowed to work longer hours–20 hour shifts–than drivers in other industries.
The good news is you can make comments until August 6 and maybe get this loophole closed. See Amy Mall’s update.
Boom takes toll on health care, social services
By Vicki Vaughan
…the oil boom is straining health care, education and social services.
- Health care administrative staff are going to work in the oil field.
- Schools are struggling with “struggling to deal with larger, sometimes transient student populations, more students from single parent homes and more homeless students.
- Food banks are swamped with more requests for help.
- Increased diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity.
- Big spike in sexually transmitted diseases.
- “Desperate” need for more mental health professionals to treat depression.
- Longtime residents have been pushed out by rent that has risen as much as $1800 to $2000/month.
- Seniors are struggling with higher housing and services costs.
- “Our stable population is being ousted,”
All of these issues, like the road repairs and environmental cleanup, will become an additional burden to the middle class taxpayers. Don’t count of taxes from industry to help.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Energy boom can still go bust:
Western Colorado Struggles as Energy Jobs Fade
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/energy-boom-turns-to-bust-in-colorado.html?_r=1&src=rechp
It’s against DOT laws in every state to drive 20 hours at a time. Ben in the oil and gas industry. Most states don’t allow a driver to drive more than 11 hours and that’s only after a 10 hour break. You can tell your company you are not willing to break the law. The tickets you get in a company truck are your personal responsibility. The company has no obligation to pay those fines. I really think this is more of a trucking industry problem in general rather than a gas and oil industry problem.