LAUSR

We analyze the impact of oil and gas booms on local environmental quality in school districts in Texas between 2010 and 2014. Using data from the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) and County Business Patterns, we distinguish economic activity associated with potential and actual polluters. We find that the presence of oil and gas resources in a school district has spillover effects in terms of economic activity by attracting more potentially polluting firms. Oil abundance also generates an actual environmental burden for school districts located in MSAs as the proportion of firms that actually report a release of toxic chemicals to the TRI increases with oil revenue.