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Lawmakers planning to take legislative action to save thousands of energy jobs
FOX 26's Natalie Hee has more as lawmakers are looking to take legislative action to save thousands of energy jobs in the state of Texas.
HOUSTON - Texas lawmakers are taking legislative action to save thousands of energy jobs that are now at risk. The measure comes as a push back to President Joe Biden’s string of executive orders aimed at tackling climate change.
Congressman Dan Crenshaw says not only does President Biden’s executive orders tackling climate change kill tens of thousands of Texas jobs, the directives are hardly benefiting the environment.
"On day one, Joe Biden decided he was going to kill jobs, whether it was through the Keystone pipeline or whether through this leasing ban. They don't like pipelines, they just don't. They just look bad to them. Well, it turns out though, this is the safest way to transport oil and gas, much safer and less carbon intensive than rail or than truck. And here's the other thing, if we're not producing this stuff, we’re exporting," Crenshaw said.
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In an effort to override the President’s directives, Crenshaw and a group of Republican lawmakers filed the Conservation Funding Protection Act last Thursday. The bill would ensure that energy production in the state can continue and save jobs.
"What we're saying is look, let's go back to normal to leases at least per year put into law, which would effectively overturn it. But also again, it's the Conservation Funding Protection Act because a lot of this funding, a lot of these taxes, they fund healthcare and education in places like New Mexico. They fund conservation efforts. It is this kind of funding that directly is responsible for funding and maintenance under the great outdoors act or national parks," Crenshaw said.
Overall, Crenshaw believes there is a way to protect the energy industry while simultaneously fund alternate solutions.
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Last year, two of Crenshaw’s carbon capture bills were signed into law, The Leading Act and The New Energy Frontier. The bills would provide federal grants to advance the technology proven to reduce emissions.
"You gotta stop looking at carbon like it's some waste product. You've got to look at it like a commodity, create a market for it. People misread I think oil and gas, as the oil and gas sector -- they're not against environmentalism. It is American oil and gas companies that have been at the tip of the spear when it comes to developing new technology and innovations to provide cleaner production," Crenshaw said.
Crewnshaw hopes to garner bipartisan support for the Conservation Funding Protection Act.