The dark side of the texas oil boom: An oil-drilling boom in an area of the south-western United States called the Permian Basin has led to the release a lot of gas into the air. This raises concerns for the global environment and local residents, but new technology could significantly improve public oversight

SUZANNE FRANKLIN SMELLED gas: “It was horrendous. We often woke up with terrible headaches from the stench overnight. I started feeling ill.” Franklin and her husband used to live four miles outside the sleepy town of Verhalen, Texas. During their time there, oil wells began to spread like weed around them.