Posted on 04/07/2005 1:44:22 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
DALLAS — The Texas Railroad Commission, which dates to 1891 and for decades used its power to limit production in the world's most important oil fields, soon could undergo a face-lift and lose its storied name.
A bill pending in the Legislature would rename the agency the Texas Energy Commission.
The commission would keep authority over the state's oil and gas industry, but the Department of Transportation would take over the commission's original job of railroad regulation.
Changing the commission's name and duties has been discussed for years but got new life from a council created by Gov. Rick Perry and led by Railroad Commission Chairman Victor Carrillo.
In December, the group proposed a 10-point energy plan that included overhauling the commission's focus, approving tax breaks for drilling exploratory oil and gas wells, and encouraging the construction of Gulf Coast terminals to import liquefied natural gas.
Last month, Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, introduced a bill containing the panel's recommendations to restructure and rename the Railroad Commission. The chairman of the Senate Government Organization Committee plans a hearing this month, an aide said.
Rep. David Farabee, D-Wichita Falls, who proposes to eliminate two of three seats on the Railroad Commission, predicted the name change would pass because it reflects the agency's job.
However, proposals to change the Railroad Commission run into strong institutional resistance, said Rex H. White Jr., a former general counsel to the commission.
A proposal to merge the agency and the Public Utility Commission died two years ago on the Senate floor. White said even oil and gas producers who love to grouse about the Railroad Commission fear change, having grown accustomed to the agency's ways.
"The name is, in one sense, misleading, but they're known all across the United States and in Congress as the Railroad Commission," White said. "Bills designed to restructure the commission are usually pretty hard-fought, and not many of them make it."
Over the years, the commission's power has grown from overseeing rail lines to governing oil and gas pipelines. It told operators how far apart to drill wells and how much oil to pump out of the ground to avoid wasting the state's most important natural resource.
The United States was the world's largest oil producer until 1974, and Texas was the biggest oil state, so the Railroad Commission's actions affected oil prices everywhere.
Carrillo, the Railroad Commission chairman, said he favors changing the name because the agency simply doesn't have much to do with rails anymore. He said only 14 of the commission's 700-plus employees are assigned to rail safety.
In light of all the train wrecks in Texas, there should probably be more, Victor.
Texas Lege Ping!
I don't care what they call it, but I'd be opposed to reducing it to a single seat.
Does sound a bit extreme.
What the heck! Do they have a man standing by every darn oil derrick in the state? How could they possibly justify so many taxpayer subsidized employees just to regulate oil and gas production in the state of Texas? Texas is a big state and it does have a lot of oil, but come on!
Of course about half of them are probably lawyers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.