Environment Texas is facing accusations of using deceptive data in its push to deprive the UT and Texas A&M system universities of revenue from oil and gas development. Associate director of University Lands Alyssa Ray was quick to criticize the misleading data:
“We believe the data that Environment Texas has in the past made public regarding emissions from PUF Lands is misleading. This is a common tactic among groups like Environment Texas — to take advantage of a lack of knowledge among the public in order to evoke fear and make things appear a little more ‘scary’ than they actually are in reality.”
Environment Texas was using the misleading data to sway students at a booth on the University of Texas campus while organizers claimed that they were pushing for increased regulation of on University Lands. Despite claims they were only seeking increased regulations, Environment Texas had previously called for an end to all oil and gas operations that bring in over $1 billion annually for the UT System.
While extreme groups such as Environment Texas push for an end to all natural gas operations, reports show that natural gas is the largest factor in the decline of emissions over the past decade, with U.S. emissions currently at their lowest since 1992. In addition to its environmental benefits, natural gas is also responsible for lower tuition rates for college students across the country, including those targeted by Environment Texas at UT.
