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AUSTIN – Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian announced the launch of the Delivering Oil and Gas Efficiently (DOGE) Task Force today, a new internal initiative focused on improving processes, enhancing communication, and strengthening the Railroad Commission of Texas as a responsive, pro-business agency.

“As a lifelong conservative, I believe government works best when it’s limited, efficient, and accountable,” said Commissioner Christian. “The DOGE Task Force is about making sure our agency runs smarter – not bigger – and that we continue to serve the people of Texas with excellence.”

Partnering with Staff and Industry to Modernize the RRC

The DOGE initiative is not about cutting personnel – it’s about cutting delays, confusion and outdated systems. The goal is to work alongside agency staff to identify what is working, what needs improving, and where small changes could lead to big wins for both the public and the regulated community.

The Task Force will conduct a top-to-bottom review of permitting, compliance, communication and internal processes, with input from both internal teams and industry and public stakeholders. That includes:

• Organizing in-person and virtual town halls with operators, landowners, and community members to identify regulatory pain points and hear where the system could better support timely, safe energy production.
• Standing up a dedicated casework team to help operators navigate questions and concerns, ensuring every inquiry is logged, tracked and resolved with certainty.
• Auditing outdated or duplicative rules that no longer serve their purpose and streamlining steps that add time but don’t add value.
• Exploring common sense reforms to hearing procedures, especially for non-complex cases, to reduce costs and burdens on landowners, operators and the public.

A Smarter, More Responsive Commission

“Texans deserve an agency that reflects the state’s can-do spirit,” Christian said. “That means being open to change, listening to the people we serve and making sure we’re spending time and resources on what really matters.”

Christian emphasized that the DOGE Task Force is a collaborative effort, not a punitive one – designed to equip staff, not sideline them. “This is about working better together, breaking down silos, and making sure our systems serve the mission, not the other way around.”

Named with a lighthearted acronym but grounded in serious intent, the DOGE Task Force reflects core, good-government values: fiscal discipline, limited government, strong service and support for energy independence.