The latest Texas Railroad Commission news from The Texas Tribune.
Former state Rep. Wayne Christian won the Republican nomination late Tuesday in the race for Texas railroad commissioner, edging out Houston-area real estate mogul Gary Gates in a race that turned heated in its final stages. Full Story
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In an increasingly testy Republican runoff for railroad commissioner, state Rep. Wayne Christian is reaching into Gary Gates' legal history in an effort to paint his opponent as a “slumlord.” Full Story
The Texas Railroad Commission approved a permit for a huge oil and gas waste facility outside of tiny Nordheim, ending one of the first organized protests against industry activity in South Texas’ Eagle Ford Shale. Full Story
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The Texas Railroad Commission should beef up its oversight of oil and gas drilling, pipeline safety and abandoned wells and change its name to reflect what it actually does, the latest sunset review recommends. Full Story
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Sixteen years ago, CPS staffers accused Gary and Melissa Gates of abuse and removed their 13 children from their home. That case fizzled quickly, but the allegations and ensuing legal fight continue to provide fodder for Gates' political opponents. Full Story
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University of Texas at Austin researchers call it “plausible” that underground injections of oil and gas waste triggered a series of temblors that rattled Timpson residents in 2012. Full Story
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Nearly five years after issuing a ruling cheered by property rights advocates, the Texas Supreme Court is set to rehear a case pitting two Texas brothers against a pipeline company that seized their land through eminent domain. Full Story
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For decades, the petroleum industry has largely fueled Texas' influence in national Republican politics. But operatives are seeing early signs that the current oil bust has depressed the sector’s political giving. Full Story
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Wayne Christian, a candidate for Texas railroad commissioner, frequently touts his energy expertise. But he did not know one of the agency’s key duties — regulating natural gas utilities — until a reporter told him. Full Story
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The Republican race for Texas Railroad Commission is chugging toward a runoff between Rosenberg rancher and real estate mogul Gary Gates and former state Rep. Wayne Christian. Full Story
In the Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission, Lance Christian — a political novice — is embarking on something of an experiment: Can the agency staffer win statewide office based on scientific expertise alone? Full Story
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Full video of my 2/8 conversation with seven Republican candidates for Texas Railroad Commissioner. Full Story
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Candidates Ron Hale, Weston Martinez and Lance Christian say they would support a proposal barring railroad commissioners from accepting political donations from parties doing business before the commission. Full Story
Despite a recent ad bashing Donald Trump for employing eminent domain for a parking lot, Ted Cruz has backed the Keystone XL and other pipeline projects that would use the same controversial tool to displace landowners. Full Story
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Wayne Christian has resumed his campaign for Texas railroad commissioner, ending a short hiatus that shook up the Republican primary contest. Full Story
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A coalition of ranchers, environmentalists and disgruntled landowners has suffered a major setback in its battle to block a proposed pipeline that would carry natural gas beneath 143 miles of largely untouched Big Bend-area land. Full Story
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Wayne Christian is suspending his bid for an open seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, but he is not terminating his campaign altogether, a spokesman said Monday. Full Story
By reclassifying oil wells as gas wells, producers can often claim a generous state tax credit targeting “high cost” natural gas. Now, some lawmakers say the policy deserves a fresh look. Full Story
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Texans could hardly avoid the doom-and-gloom headlines about plummeting oil prices in 2015. But that was far from the only major storyline in energy this year. Full Story
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The Texas Railroad Commission has named Kimberly Corley as its new executive director. Full Story
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