Texas Republicans Embracing Anti-Growth Agenda as Energy Scarcity Looms
Texas Republicans are adopting an anti-growth agenda that was once associated with Democrats. Critics point to President Joe Biden's pause on liquefied natural gas export terminals and his reluctance to approve the Keystone XL pipeline as evidence of this stance.
However, today's GOP is pushing its own anti-growth policies. At the state level, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is using her office to oppose offshore wind energy. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst has repeatedly proposed onerous setbacks and regulatory requirements for wind and solar projects that are not imposed for natural gas projects.
Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian is a vocal advocate for this agenda, voting against ExxonMobil's request for a permit to sequester carbon dioxide. He also rails against badly needed transmission lines, which will help deliver energy to growth industries across the state, including data centers and fracking operations.