Ben Shepperd,
PBPA President
Each new year seemingly brings challenges and opportunities for the oil and gas industry and this year is no different. With a Presidential election and the conversations that it will bring, we can certainly expect the oil and gas industry to be attacked as the villain or the great economic hope to reduce inflation.
Despite the prolific benefits of the oil and gas industry in Texas and New Mexico, wildly different attitudes exist as do the political and regulatory frameworks in each state. Regardless, PBPA will continue to navigate these uncertain waters with adeptness and skill as we have since 1961 with your continued support.
Our humble association punches above its weight time and time again. We are leaders in consensus building, advocacy, and—when those do not work—litigation. Our brand is scrappy and bold and in the months ahead we will need your support, talents, and a little bit of luck to defend the free world’s largest oil and gas patch. What happens in the Permian Basin impacts Texas and New Mexico, but also America and her allies.
For example, in New Mexico, the “Atencio lawsuit” and the “Green Amendment” are examples of the new battleground taking shape to eliminate the development of natural resources in New Mexico through judicial or legal fiat. As you recall, “Atencio” is the lawsuit brought by a New Mexico resident, asserting that the State of New Mexico and other State defendants violated the plaintiffs’ rights under the New Mexico Constitution by continuing to authorize and promote oil and gas production without assuring protection of the environment.
Meanwhile, the “Green Amendment” is an environmental rights amendment that seeks to establish the right to clean water and air as well as a healthy and stable climate for residents.
These challenges are coupled with the efforts at the federal level to enact additional new source pollution standards for oil and gas operations by EPA, and further weaponization of the Endangered Species Act against oil and gas development.
PBPA continues to stand at the forefront of these efforts and many more because we firmly believe that the work you do each and every day helps produce the abundant and affordable natural resources that provide our country with quality of life, that keep our nation energy secure, and that make our world a safer place.
Make no mistake, your work has great impact and it is without question that we can continue to safely and responsibly develop natural resources in the Permian Basin and we will fight to ensure that you maintain that right for the betterment of our society.