Holiday Office Closure

In observance of the Christmas holidays, Railroad Commission of Texas offices will be closed December 23-27. The offices will re-open at 8 a.m. on Monday, December 30 for regular business. Expedited Drilling Permits will be processed within standard processing times. If assistance is needed, please email Drillingpermits-info@rrc.texas.gov.
RRC maintains a 24-hour emergency phone line to report any leaks or spills. That number is 844-773-0305

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Christian Applauds SCOTUS’ Overturning Chevron Deference to Rein in Radical, Unelected Bureaucrats

June 28, 2024

AUSTIN – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo empowered federal judges to use independent judgment in deciding whether a government agency has acted within its statutory authority. By overruling the 1984 Chevron USA v. Natural Resources Defense Council –also known as Chevron deference–the Court has ended the practice of federal courts deferring to the legal interpretations of government agencies. Following this historic ruling, Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian applauded the decision saying:

“For years, liberal unelected government bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. have run roughshod over Americans. That ends now. Thanks to three SCOTUS justices appointed by President Trump, the problem has been fixed. Federal judges now have the authority to rein in runaway bureaucrats, who treat the Constitution like toilet paper and hand out red tape like its Halloween candy,” said Commissioner Christian. “The importance of overturning Chevron deference cannot be overstated. It’s a profound shift in law. After the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, this is the most consequential decision out of the court in years.” 

Christian continued, “This is huge for Texas and other fossil fuel producing states, who must provide reliable energy to Americans and the world. Radical environmentalist administrations, like President Biden’s, hand over the ‘keys to the kingdom’ to federal agencies when Congress doesn’t give them the policies they want. I look forward to thoughtful judges dismantling many of the radical ‘green’ policies pushed by this administration that inhibit our domestic oil and gas production.” 

 

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A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here.

About the Railroad Commission:
Our mission is to serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety, and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans. The Commission has a long and proud history of service to both Texas and to the nation, including more than 100 years regulating the oil and gas industry. The Commission also has jurisdiction over alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities, surface mining and intrastate pipelines. Established in 1891, the Railroad Commission of Texas is the oldest regulatory agency in the state. To learn more, please visit https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/.