Environmental ConsiderationsContinued oil and gas exploration and production within the preserve today carries its own environmental considerations. Spills can contaminate waters and soils; air quality can be affected by accidental releases of volatile chemicals; vehicle traffic and new roads can compact soils and change natural drainage patterns; wildlife movements and feeding and nesting activities can be disrupted; and vegetation must be cut or cleared along seismic survey lines and pipelines and where drilling pads are placed. Visitor experience and natural quiet can also be negatively affected by oil and gas activities within the preserve. All of this must be considered as National Park Service (NPS) staff work diligently to protect the resources, visitor uses, and human health and safety so that the preserve lands can be enjoyed now and by future generations. Oil & Gas RemediationWork is ongoing to clean up legacy pollution at abandoned oil and gas sites in Big Thicket National Preserve with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Signed on November 15, 2021, the BIL authorizes $250 million for plugging, reclaiming, and remediating orphaned oil and gas wells on federal lands. Before and AfterThe photos below show abandoned oil and gas sites in the Jack Gore Baygall Unit before and after clean-up in early 2024.
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Oil & Gas Industry HistoryOil booms in the early 1900s brought thousands of people and new technology to southeast Texas. Drill deeper into the history of southeast Texas oil booms » |
Last updated: July 31, 2024