As Vicki Vaughan reports for the San Antonio Express-News, the Eagle Ford Shale is having a tangible impact on education and schools, on health care services, and on social services. And, like the truck accidents caused by more oil and gas traffic, it’s not a good impact.
“Our stable population is being ousted,” said one school district superintendent, as Vaughan reports. The superintendent was referring to the rise in homeless students or students living in RVs, given that the oil boom has caused an increase in rent prices.
As for health care, there doesn’t appear to be enough to go around. The lack of housing makes it tough to get doctors and other health care professionals to the area, which means staffing shortages on everything from primary care to mental health services. (In fact, “you can’t find that at any price,” according to one doctor, referring to mental health services.)
Source: Boom takes toll on health care, social services