At a congressional field hearing in Texas, oil and gas industry leaders criticized President Biden's green energy policies, arguing they impose high costs and threaten jobs without providing substantial benefits.
In a recent congressional field hearing held on April 23 in Plano, Texas, oil and gas industry operators voiced strong opposition to what they describe as the Biden administration's "whole-of-government attack" on the fossil fuel industry, blaming it for higher consumer prices, job losses, and investment uncertainty. The hearing, convened by the House Oversight and Accountability Committee’s Economic Growth, Energy Policy & Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee, lasted 80 minutes and featured testimony from industry representatives.
Ron Gusek, President of Liberty Energy, characterized the administration's approach to energy transition as "regulatory smurfing," utilizing a series of interlocking rule-makings across various agencies to maximize the regulatory agenda's success and thwart legal challenges. Gusek argued that these rules "will impose trillions of dollars in costs to American citizens while offering virtually no benefits." He dismissed the notion of a swift transition from fossil fuels as a fantasy, saying, "fossil fuels are and will continue to be essential to affordable, secure, and reliable energy production."
Tim Tarpley, President of the Houston-based Energy Workforce & Technology Council, echoed Gusek’s sentiment, stating that despite the administration's claims, the world will need more oil and gas in the future. He pointed to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's forecast that global energy demand will increase by 50 percent by 2050, indicating that natural gas will play a crucial role.
The field hearing is one of several recent discussions critiquing President Biden’s energy and environmental policies. Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), the chair of the subcommittee, criticized the administration's focus on wind and solar energy as unrealistic and insufficient to support the current energy grid. Notably, the hearing saw no attendance from the subcommittee's six Democrats or seven non-Texas GOP representatives.
Industry professionals, including Gusek, Tarpley, and Bill desRosiers, External Affairs Manager at Coterra Energy, highlighted a range of burdensome regulations and legal actions implemented since President Biden took office. They pointed to complex environmental reviews, litigation, and an array of new rules that have added to permitting challenges and created uncertainty for pipeline construction and other energy projects.
The panelists also criticized the administration's suspension of liquid natural gas (LNG) export permits and the planned Methane Emissions Reduction Program tax on methane emissions starting in 2025. The suspension, they argue, could threaten U.S. economic growth and job creation, and the methane tax could render many operations unprofitable.
The hearing concluded with industry representatives emphasizing the need for a robust workforce to meet the projected job growth in the oil and gas sector, which is expected to add nearly a million jobs by 2034. They expressed concern that the administration's messaging and regulatory actions could deter recruitment and exacerbate a potential labor shortfall.
