Brown Bag Lunch & Lecture / DARK SKIES INITIATIVE IN THE OILFIELD

DARK SKIES INITIATIVE IN THE OILFIELD PETROLEUM MUSEUM BROWN BAG LUNCH & LECTURE WILLIAM WREN SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN MCDONALD OBSERVATORY APRIL 17, 2017 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM The Big Bend region is a sprawling area with the highest mountains in Texas, rising above canyons, deserts and arid woodlands. The northern edge of the region includes the Davis Mountains, where the McDonald Observatory was opened in 1939. In an unusual collaboration between two institutions with long, interwoven histories in the state — the University of Texas and the oil industry are working on voluntary ways to reduce light pollution in the region. Bill Wren, who has worked at the observatory since 1990 as a public information specialist, has spent most of the last few years working with oil companies and local businesses to eliminate light pollution. In 2016, the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state's oil and gas industry, issued a notice urging oil companies to reduce their lighting impact throughout the Permian Basin. Join in on the discussion and hear about the collaborative efforts.