The Jan. 8 explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel in downtown Fort Worth left 21 injured — some critically with severe burns and traumatic brain injuries — and sparked questions into the safety and modernity of the city’s natural gas infrastructure.

Gas distributor Atmos Energy announced in the days following the blast that its gas lines and equipment did not cause the explosion. Gas is believed to have been the likely cause of the explosion, according to Fort Worth officials, and several plaintiffs in lawsuits filed in its aftermath have said they smelled gas on the day of the explosion. Atmos has been named as a defendant in several of those lawsuits.

Fort Worth Star Telegram
February 28, 2024
By Cody Copeland

In the course of its investigation, the Star-Telegram requested maps of Atmos’ gas lines and information on which lines have been updated to non-corrosive PVC piping. The company declined to provide the information.

The Star-Telegram asked Texas Railroad Commissioner candidates what steps they would take to bring more transparency to the natural gas sector, which has long opposed it amid calls for more accountability. One organization committed to that goal, Commission Shift, has published a voter guide with candidate and election information.

Five Republicans and two Democrats will be on the ballot on primary Election Day, March 5. One Green Party and two Libertarian candidates will be voted on at their conventions in April.

The Star-Telegram asked the candidates if they would support making gas line maps public, if they would publicize information about updated lines and how they would improve safety in the natural gas sector.

Eddie Espinoza

Running unopposed in his party, Green Party candidate Eddie Espinoza said in an email that “Atmos Energy should be required to disclose all safety information to the public, including which gas lines have been updated to non-corrosive PVC piping. We need regulations for Atmos and all gas companies to make their gas line maps publicly available.”

If elected, Espinoza said he would shift the commission’s focus from one of extraction and delivery to plugging and cleaning up “toxic wells.” He would also focus on inspecting and upgrading gas lines in places like Fort Worth and transitioning to renewable energy sources like wind and solar.