Pipeline issue has its fans and foes in Texas

North Texans for Natural Gas, which advocates for oil and gas development, is expanding its focus statewide and changing its name to Texans for Natural Gas.

The group has opposed activists protesting pipelines and other energy projects development in Texas. Started in Dallas in 2014 and backed by the industry, it has added 220,000 members, including “significant membership” in the Permian Basin, South Texas and along the Gulf Coast, the group said.

“The goal from the very beginning was to give a voice to those who support energy development,” said Steve Everley, spokesman for Texans for Natural Gas. “We’ve been amazed at how quickly people from the Permian Basin and the Eagle Ford region have not only discovered our campaign, but joined and actively participated in our advocacy efforts.”

The campaign is running a petition pushing back on outof-state environmental activists who want to block a pipeline in West Texas.

Activists are still trickling into camps set up in West Texas to protest the Trans-Pecos Pipeline, being built by Dallasbased Energy Transfer Partners.

The organizers hope to repeat the success of the Standing Rock Sioux, who attracted hundreds from around the country to North Dakota to block — at least temporarily — the completion of the Dakota Access pipeline, also developed by Energy Transfer Partners. The Obama administration declined to issue the final permit, but President Donald Trump recently issued an order to revive the project.

Last week, Lori Glover, one of the camp leaders, said the Two Rivers camp, near Big Bend Ranch State Park, had about 15 campers during the week and 50 on weekends, including four from North Dakota.