Gov. Greg Abbott championed Texas’ booming energy industry on Thursday by highlighting the various ways the Lone Star State continues to defend the sector against federal overreach under the Biden administration.
The governor touted Texas energy at the 2024 NAPE Summit in Houston, which was held February 7-9.
“NAPE is the energy industry’s marketplace for the buying, selling, and trading of prospects and producing properties. NAPE brings together all industry disciplines; draws in decision-makers; focuses its participation on prospect generators; and hosts companies of all sizes, from small independents to majors,” reads the summit’s website.
He made his remarks during a “fireside chat” moderated by Texas Public Policy Foundation senior fellow Jacki Deason. The event also featured Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt.
“Ever since Spindletop blew, Texas has been supplying the world with the energy they need to fuel their cars, power their homes, and produce the products we all rely upon,” said Abbott, according to a news release.
Texas led the nation in oil and natural gas production in 2023. However, Abbott claimed the Biden administration was intentionally making it hard on the industry by insisting “on shoving ESG mandates down the throats of American businesses.”
The Biden administration has been hoping to check against climate change by advancing a reduction in fossil fuel production.
“President Biden has led and delivered on the most ambitious climate agenda in history, restoring America’s climate leadership at home and abroad,” said White House spokesperson Angelo Fernández Hernández, according to Axios.
Abbott, however, among other Texas officials, has been pushing back.
“Here in Texas, we’re standing up by prohibiting public investment entities from doing business with companies that boycott the oil and gas industry,” said Abbott. “President Biden needs to quit meddling with the very business that helped America become the dominant world power we are today.”
“We need new leadership that will let Texas, Oklahoma, and every energy-producing state power the world with American-made energy,” he added.
Recent legislation signed by Abbott may do just this. The Texas Energy Fund (TEF) was established on November 7, 2023, to provide loans and grants to finance or incentivize the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities.
Abbott said the primary goal of the fund is to “ensure Texans across the state have long-term, reliable power generation.”
The governor’s speech in Houston follows his recent economic development mission to India, where he met with energy companies and business leaders to strengthen the Texas-India partnership and to spur continued energy collaboration, as reported by The Dallas Express.
