Gov. Abbott: Texas will fight to protect oil & gas industry from Biden administration

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - Governor Greg Abbott was in Odessa for a roundtable discussion with local oil and gas companies and workers about ensuring a prosperous future for the state’s energy industry.on Thursday

The roundtable between Gov. Abbott and representatives from the oil and gas industry felt more like a war declaration than a simple meeting.

“Texas is going to protect the oil and gas industry from any type of hostile attack launched from Washington DC,” Abbott said.

And in the energy industry, these are not peaceful times.

Focusing mostly on protecting Texas’ oil and gas interests, Abbott signed a new executive order giving the state the weapons it needs to fight back.

“By the authority invested in me as governor by the constitutional laws of the state of Texas, direct every state agency to use all lawful powers and tools to challenge any federal action that threatens the continued strength, vitality, and independence of the energy industry,” Abbott read from the order.

The order comes after a series of actions by the Biden administration nixed the Keystone XL pipeline and halted new drilling permits on federal land, leaving some wondering how long it will be until the government comes for Texas.

Despite the rhetoric, the governor found allies among those in attendance.

“The governor stepping up and taking leadership to make sure the state of Texas is doing everything we can to protect Texas jobs, I think is very critical, and he’s going to have a lot of support from myself and other legislators in that effort,” State Rep. Brooks Landgraf said.

Other topics also found support from those in attendance.

“We will not let cities use political correctness to dictate which energy source you use,” Abbott said.

Not only that, but Abbott also hopes to roll back certain regulations to make business better for the oil and gas industry.

He also briefly touched on the Green New Deal and Paris Climate Agreement, calling them “job killers” and saying both will drive up energy costs for the average American.

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