US philanthropic organisation Permian Basin Area Foundation is giving a $300,000 grant in aid of stakeholder engagement on the impact of energy development in an area of West Texas.

The funds will go to the Borderland Research Institute (BRI), which is co-ordinating and implementing the outreach and education aspects of a project being run by the Respect Big Bend Coalition.

The coalition is a collaboration of stakeholders – landowners, residents and industry figures, among others – formed to address the impact of energy in the greater Big Bend region of far West Texas.

Guy McCrary, chief executive of Permian Basin Area Foundation, said: “We are pleased to join with the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation and others in supporting the Respect Big Bend Coalition. We believe that BRI is well-positioned to advance this important initiative.”

George Mitchell, who died in 2013, was a legendary US wildcatter and pioneer of the shale sector. His wife Cynthia passed away in 2009.

BRI is co-ordinating its first landowner workshop on 14 November with the Texas Agricultural Land Trust at Sul Ross State University.

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