A government watchdog group and two Texas landowners sued the Railroad Commission of Texas in state District Court this week, arguing the agency illegally suspended state rules that protect public health and the environment, using the coronavirus pandemic as cover.During a hearing in early May, the state agency, which regulates oil and gas and pipeline operations, unanimously relaxed various fees, including ones that help hire inspectors and plug abandoned wells; gave operators more leeway in cleaning up dirty oil and gas pits in ways that could lower administrative fees for...… A government watchdog group and two Texas landowners sued the Railroad Commission of Texas in state District Court this week, arguing the agency illegally suspended state rules that protect public health and the environment, using the coronavirus pandemic as cover.During a hearing in early May, the state agency, which regulates oil and gas and pipeline operations, unanimously relaxed various fees, including ones that help hire inspectors and plug abandoned wells; gave operators more leeway in cleaning up dirty oil and gas pits in ways that could lower administrative fees for...WW…

Asher Price, aprice@statesman.comView CommentsIn a glimpse into the cost of coronavirus testing, the state of Texas is paying $45 million for 300,000 oral-swab tests — or $150 per test, according to a purchase order obtained by the American-Statesman through an open records request.So far, 80,000 of the tests have been sent to Texas prisons, which have been bedeviled by outbreaks.The April 30 purchase agreement is with San Diego-based Gothams LLC, and includes the processing of tests at the private lab of Curative, Inc., according to Seth Christensen, spokesman for the Texas Department of...…Asher Price, aprice@statesman.comView CommentsIn a glimpse into the cost of coronavirus testing, the state of Texas is paying $45 million for 300,000 oral-swab tests — or $150 per test, according to a purchase order obtained by the American-Statesman through an open records request.So far, 80,000 of the tests have been sent to Texas prisons, which have been bedeviled by outbreaks.The April 30 purchase agreement is with San Diego-based Gothams LLC, and includes the processing of tests at the private lab of Curative, Inc., according to Seth Christensen, spokesman for the Texas Department of...WW…