Interest Groups In Texas Research Paper

As the pace of shale gas drilling has accelerated in recent years, so have environmental concerns. Incidents such as a 2007 home explosion in Bainbridge, OH, the 2008 groundwater contamination on Wind River Indian Reservation in Pavilion, WY, and the 2008 chemical poisoning of an emergency room nurse in Durango, CO, have intensified the debate over regulation of fracking.10 As a result, new laws regulating fracking activities have

The Texas state legislature is responsible for addressing constituents’ interests and concerns. It is composed of two chambers or houses: The House of Representatives (150 members) and The Senate (31 members). House members serve for two years, each representing a district and 168,000 people. In the other hand, Senators serve four-year terms and represent approximately 811,000 constituents.

Texas has a reputation throughout history of differing views from the federal government in laws and politics pertaining to social, fiscal, and educational issues. On the whole, Texas operates as a largely conservative state. Because of this, policy-making is often right wing. With the institution of a Democratic, liberal president, the State’s dissent from the Federal government has only increased over certain issues. One hot topic of the 2012 Presidential election was immigration. With the major increase in immigration, it is no surprise that the issue was so emphasized. Between 2000 and 2011 there was a 30 percent

The citizens were conned and exposed to the fractured ethics in a small southern town. It is not difficult to argue about the key roles of Ray Covington and James Womack had in Lee County. This thesis will show that greed and power are their ultimate goal and hope. By the end of the essay, it will illustrate how particularly corrupted and mendacious these men are. How Lee County citizens will suffer the negative effects due to a corrupt county commissioner and oil company owner, are instrumental creating fracking rules. It will clearly demonstrate how heinous these men are.

All members of the Texas state legislature should have one common motive. That is, to represent the citizens of their state. Champagne et. al. states that “…members…are responsible for bringing the interests and concerns of their constituencies directly into the democratic political processes” (2017, p.211). In order to effectively do so, a member of the Texas House will represent roughly 168,000 citizens while a senator may represent more than 811,000 constituents (Champagne et al., 2017,

This decision would make sense in California but this is Texas, the heart of oil country, and Denton the birthplace of hydraulic fracturing. This sent shockwaves of discontent through the oil industry executive offices and the homes of oil workers that culminated in a tsunami of media coverage. This prompted lawmakers to jump into action and work feverishly to pass House Bill 40 (HB40) during the next session, the 84th legislature. HB40 banned fracking bans and essentially crushed the voice of the people. After all the Denton drilling moratorium was a culmination of a grassroots campaign that started with city residents creating a group, The Denton Drilling Awareness Group and obtaining enough signatures on a petition (Malewitz, 2014), (Dropkin & Henry, 2016). Governor Greg Abbott signed HB40 into law and essentially forced Denton City Council to repeal the city wide fracking ban after Denton citizens worked to stop the noise, pollution, and inevitable damage to city infrastructure (Dropkin & Henry, 2016). Several cities have passed fracking or drilling bans for the same reasons. They too will have to repeal any bans enacted in order to comply with HB40.

The Texas senate passed bill to control oil and gas companies activity, but the governor Greg Abbot is not letting to veto the bill. Even the Texas legislation has decided not to take care of community’s’ people. Also, they don’t have right to protect them. They only take care of money but, not the health of people. This is not only the problems of today’s. Infect, this problem is coming from ancient time. This problem is called the long tradition problem. Per the article by Texans for public justice reported that, “the energy and natural resources industries were the number one financial contributors to non-judicial Texas politicians in 2014.”it also states that 31 Texas senators earn nearly $ 60,000 for each person and 144 Texas representatives earn $ 25,000 each. The oil and gas industries are the economic sources. It proves that state of government only take care of finance and they oil and gas interest, but not the health of public. This statement proves that they control over local government.

The historical backdrop of political gatherings in Texas starts after the Civil War, with 10 years of Reconstruction-period government keep running by Republicans speaking to Northern interests. When Reconstruction finished, Texas got to be what was, in every practical sense, a one-party state ruled by Democrats. This time of Democratic govern kept going a century, just continuously unwinding in the 1970s after the social liberties development. The Civil War and the social liberties development can along these lines be comprehended as the two hastening occasions for the real changes in Texas gathering structure. Today the Republican Party controls the majority of Texas' open workplaces. In spite of its present strength, Republicans have turned

Texas has always been proud of their heritage and their industry. The boost in the economy is much appreciated by Texas, and our government appears to be hushed by the counter weights and balances where money appears to overpower the concern of environmental harm. Two articles that were reviewed gave the opportunity to enlightened Texans about how production appears to be affecting air quality and water and in turn is hurting Texans’ health. Through facts presented, it is apparent that Texas government must take measures to improve the regulatory agencies so that the health of Texans is secure. I am personally appalled by the facts stated in the articles, and reform is definitely required.

Texas the great lone star state, full of natural beauty that ranges from the majestic big bend national park in the Brewster County on the refreshing shores of the South Padre Island, Texas owns a plentiful quantity of natural resources, nevertheless the process of hydraulic fracturing commonly known as “fracking” taking place in Texas, will destroy our natural resources, turning our vast land of splendor into a methane ridden wasteland. However this is the time to unite against these companies that value money over sustainability. In the first place, fracking consist on drilling using a pressurized water, sand, plus a mix of chemicals to release gas from the rocks beneath the earth, this usually happens at 10,000 feet of depth, although this

The energy sector has seen a dramatic change over the past decade. Exploring other sources of energy has become common in the United States. An increase in unconventional sources of energy, including hydraulic fracturing, has surged a debate that has impacted state as well as local governments. With an increase in production, arguments have emerged that both oppose and approve of new practices. However, local government has lost its autonomy when dealing with such topics, especially in Colorado. Looking at the many concerns from the citizens of communities affected by fracking, it is clear that the state should allow cities the right to ban practices that they are concerned for and need time to evaluate.

The Drought, along with a recent string of powerful Earthquakes, has provided the momentum for about a dozen of local Governments across California, the third largest oil producing state in the country. Over concerns with the environmental effects Fracking has. And as the drought continues the amount of water used is troubling. At the same time, a bill that would declare a statewide moratorium on fracking has been gathering support in the State Senate, a year after a similar effort failed. “Even if we don’t get a moratorium, just the threat of a moratorium discourages investment.” (Onishi 1) So the anti-fracking activists will take this fight, whether it’s a big win. Or a narrow defeat.

Last year alone, oil and gas companies put hundreds of millions of gallons of hydraulic fracturing fluids into the earth. Many of these fluids were found to contain harmful chemicals such as carcinogens- substances that directly cause cancer. This is why hydraulic fracking has been the topic of heated debate over the past few years. This process of drilling for natural gas has become increasingly popular over the past decade, and has in turn produced many questions about the safety of its wells and the chemicals that are used in drilling. Under current regulations, hydraulic fracking is permitted to be conducted at drilling sites that are located very close to residential areas. The chemicals used in the drilling process have been leaking out of wells, and have contaminated drinking water for some communities. In addition, it pollutes the air by putting methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Concerned about the safety of fracking, cities such as Longmont have shown great opposition to the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA)’s regulations. In fact, Longmont citizens voted to put a ban on fracking within city limits in 2012. This ban has been met with retaliation from COGA, who sued the city because of the ban. If fracking isn’t allowed to be banned by cities that don’t want it, then the regulations need to change in order to make the practice both prosperous and safe for the community.

Initially, the bill was going to be made a law without governor Gregg Abbott's signature but on May 18, 2015, House Bill 40 was signed by the governor. The bill took action immediately and many cities had to allow hydraulic fracturing to resume in their city. Many residents were not happy with this action but something had to be done so that cities did not remain completely upset at the government’s actions. First of all, what is House Bill 40? House Bill 40 is a law that was passed to put restrictions on the abilities of cities and local government to regulate the oil and gas industry but it was first intended to clarify where local government ends and Texas government law begins. The bill maintains the Natural Resources Code “to subject an oil and gas operation to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state” (The Texas Tribune). In other words, cities could not obstruct companies job to open new wells in the city. The bill also prohibits cities or other political subdivisions from enforcing an ordinance, amendment or any other measure that regulates an oil and gas operation within the boundaries of the state’s jurisdiction/state government law. Besides to what was mentioned before the Denton fracking bill also has its restrictions. First of all, it authorizes a city to enact, amend, or enforce an ordinance or to take other measures that do not involve violence and that it allows the city to regulate only aboveground activity that

Experts predicted 100,000 new jobs in Texas will be created in the Oil and Gas industries by 2018 bring the total to over 400,000. The rush to create these jobs and boost the economy has given rise to a reduction in environmental regulations. Lobbing efforts by corporations at the state level have resulted in the introduction bills and laws limiting the authority of local municipalities to regulate drilling activities. Cities would be allowed to regulate surface activities such as noise, lights and traffic but not drilling itself. Numerous bills have been introduced to the Texas Legislature to put limits on local control. However, clashes are continuing to grow between cities and states across the nation over oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing. (3)