Railroad panel needs Burch; Reyes not worst
The Texas Railroad Commission is one of the most important, least understood agencies in the state. Contrary to its name, the Railroad Commission’s chief task is managing the state’s natural energy resources.
Fortunately for Democratic primary voters, they have two candidates with deep experience in the oil and gas industry.
Katherine Culbert lives in Houston, where she works as a process safety engineer for an oil and gas company. She has more than 20 years of experience dealing with safety issues in the industry.
That résumé would seem even more impressive if Culbert’s opponent was someone other than Bill Burch.
Burch, a resident of the small East Texas town of Livingston, is the consummate subjectmatter expert when it comes to energy. He has worked at drilling sites in more than 60 countries over the past 23 years.
He was one of the emergency responders for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He also has worked as an oil well firefighting specialist.
Burch understands the need for this state to ensure that abandoned wells are plugged. He also wants to see a statewide governing structure developed for wind and solar energy.
He can speak with authority about the seismic damage caused by injecting saltwater into the ground and the threat of groundwater contamination from disposal wells.
Burch accurately describes the Railroad Commission as the least transparent agency in Texas. In particular, he has called out incumbent Christi Craddick for co-owning oil and gas holdings for wells she is tasked with regulating.
As this state’s population grows and it transitions to a broader, more ecologically
friendly portfolio of energy options, Burch would be a valuable voice of reason and expertise on the Texas Railroad Commission.
We recommend Burch in the Democratic primary.
In the Republican primary, it is essential for voters to find an alternative to Craddick, whose conflict-of-interest issues are alarming.
The two GOP challengers with the most energy experience are Jim Matlock and Petra Reyes.
Matlock served in an anti-terrorist unit in the U.S. Marine Corps. He subsequently worked for 18 years in the service end of the oil and gas industry, providing vacuum trucks and handling saltwater disposals.
Reyes grew up in the heart of West Texas oil country. She has worked for 11 years in the oil and gas industry and is the founder of Petrago, a business that provides services to energy companies in West Texas.
Her support for oil and gas is encapsulated in her campaign slogan: “A Vote for Petra is a Vote for Petro.” That enthusiasm has prompted her to argue that green energy companies cause more environmental damage than flares from oil and gas wells.
That stance is a concern. Still, with reservations, we recommend Reyes. Our hope is Reyes’ knowledge and stated commitment to ensuring the oil and gas industry functions in a sustainable and efficient manner would make her a reliable energy regulator. She at least offers the potential to be a fresh voice on the Texas Railroad Commission.
This recommendation is really about trying to find a credible alternative to Craddick in the GOP primary.