A natural gas flare operates less than 200 yards away from a family home on March 14, 2022 in Midland., The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
Callon Permian LLC, the EPA said in a news release, “failed to comply with requirements for flares, tanks, and combustors as well as general requirements” of Texas’ federally approved plan to improve air quality. Methane is a primary component of natural gas and a greenhouse gas, which affects Earth’s climate and temperature. It is the second-most abundant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, accounting for about 20% of global emissions, according to the EPA. And VOCs, known to contribute to smog formation in the atmosphere, can cause health problems, including asthma, lung infection, bronchitis, and cancer.