HOUSTON - Democratic Railroad Commissioner Candidate Jeff Weems spoke out today on the lack of leadership on the Texas Railroad Commission as demonstrated by one commissioners recent ill-advised statement signaling his interest in a moratorium on drilling permits on the entire Barnett Shale area. Weems is challenging incumbent Republican Victor Carrillo. The Railroad Commissioners idly watched for years as the intensive drilling in the Barnett Shale strained the Commissions rules and regulations. Then out of the blue one Commissioner made a proposal that could result in blocking all drilling operations in the Barnett Shale region said Weems.
This would devastate the energy industry raise unemployment but provide no meaningful resolution to the issues facing the operators landowners and the environment in Fort Worth Arlington and the entire Barnett Shale area Weems said.
Weems who represents both operators and landowners in civil litigation disputes knows the importance of a strong energy industry that is actively and thoughtfully regulated by the Railroad Commission.
The time to develop sensible regulations and engage in active monitoring of water use injection wells noise and emission concerns inner city drilling and gathering line locations was years ago. The commissioners failed to act on these crucial subjects Weems emphasized.
The Commissioners must undertake immediately a comprehensive review of all of the rules and regulations for Barnett Shale activities that affect the communities there. They must embrace their responsibilities including their responsibility for monitoring and acting on emissions and develop a comprehensive plan for reasonably regulating activity in the region. Knee-jerk reactions do not demonstrate leadership - they demonstrate its absence.
The biggest disappointment of all has been the silence of the Chairman of the Commission. If you are going to accept the title of Chairman (which always passes to the commissioner up for re-election) then you should lead by speaking out against bad ideas like this.
Weems is challenging incumbent Republican Victor Carrillo who has a primary opponent. Weems is unopposed in the Democratic Primary.
