Energy Policy
Energy Policy focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of all types of energy. As such, Energy Policy is one of two major policy focus being situated in Southeast Texas.
In May 2018, Forbes magazine published an article on energy policy which touted the efforts of Texas being better than that of New York for abundant and affordable energy. The premise is that Texas law has historically provided that oil and gas operations that span multiple jurisdictions be regulated by The Texas Railroad Commission with local jurisdiction retaining regulation over the above ground impacts.
This is contrasted with New York which provides local jurisdictions the ability to regulate drilling and fracking. The local jurisdictions in New York, such as Delaware and Hopkinton, have seized on the opportunity to ban alternative energy sources such as solar and wind because of the size and space required for solar and wind farms while Texas was the top state in oil, natural gas, and wind, and 10th on solar.
The Southeast Texas region along the Gulf Coast is a hub of energy for the nation and the world. Southeast Texas is home to the Texas Energy Museum and Texas leads the nation in affordable energy for oil, natural gas, and wind power. Understanding the impacts of energy production, consumption, and conservation are vital to understanding the ability of communities and states to create and maintain a sustainable environment.