The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering labeling the United States’ largest oil field in violation of ozone pollution standards, threatening drilling operations in the region, and by extension, domestic oil production.
The proposed regulations take aim at the Permian Basin, the largest oil field in the United States, accounting for 95,000,000 gallons of gasoline per day or 40% of the oil produced domestically, according to the Texas Governor’s Office. [bold, links added]
The move comes amid record gas prices and ongoing energy insecurity for many Americans.
“Even as Americans are struggling with $5 gas and record-breaking inflation, team Biden continues to double down on their political commitments to ‘end all fossil fuels,’” former EPA Chief of Staff Mandy Gunasekara told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Though regulators would have three years to propose solutions to lower ozone levels if the field is found to be in violation, regulatory uncertainty is likely to disincentivize new permits and drilling in the oil field, Bloomberg reported.
The move prompted criticism from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who demanded the EPA drop the proposal.
Abbott claimed the EPA’s proposal would further raise gas prices for consumers when fuel already costs more than $5 per gallon in much of the country, according to a letter he sent to the administration Monday.
Abbott pledged that if he did not hear back from the administration by June 29 that he would take action to “protect the production of oil—and the gasoline that comes from it.”
Abbott’s letter focused on the practical implications of constraining domestic oil supply at a time of record-high prices, arguing the move would further hamper domestic oil production.
President Biden’s EPA seeks to stop gas production in the Permian Basin.
This will raise gas prices EVEN MORE.
This action is completely discretionary.
Biden has the power to stop it.
Read my full letter: pic.twitter.com/o788QPGYdj
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 27, 2022
Biden has also turned to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia to make up for its imported fuel deficit following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. embargo on Russian oil.
Read rest at Daily Caller
Nobody seems to notice that all electric motors/generators emit ozone as a result of arcing between the contacts. So all EVs emit ozone, as do wind farms.
Well, there are a number of factors (here) at play, but the Biden Administration’s approach is pretty predictable. Rather than working with industry & the few environmental NGO’s working to reduce emissions & improve best practices in the Permian, the EPA will look to “choke out” operations through non-attainment. The fallacy of our government’s approach is they seem to think our technology is 25-30 years further down the road to an “energy transition” than the facts on the ground clearly indicate. At present, fossil fuels provide 80% of our domestic primary energy and the environmental NGO’s have NO ANSWER to the only question that matters with energy imperatives: “What clean, scalable, affordable & sustainable alternative do you suggest to REPLACE fossil fuels?” You will notice the activists NEVER address this foundational energy question. It’s a lot easier to criticize and just say NO instead of looking for constructive solutions. IDEOLOUGES are not well suited for the energy transition challenge. Looking to further curtail oil production at a time of worldwide supply shortages is not a BRIGHT idea. This latest initiative in the Permian is further evidence this Administration has NO GRASP of the energy arena…
Greg Abbott is right. I’m a farmer with a biology degree. Our continually growing food supply is directly supported by fossil fuels recycling more CO2. More CO2 has made the earth greener, the environment stronger, more drought-tolerant, and more abundant. It is driving food production ever higher. And it is quite literally painting the environment a stronger, richer green! That is the science of the environment politicians and “journalists” have failed to learn in thirty years of “the world will end in twelve years” fake climate crisis. It is the ignorance that has more than doubled energy prices and the cost of food. In sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s incredible energy independence, cheap fuel and food for N.America. Democrats are struggling to hide Trump’s success behind a Jan 6 “insurrection” where not a single shot was fired! In history, we often get the government we deserve. Will you vote for an environmental fraud, crippling energy costs, and crippling food prices? Or a return to energy independence, rational food production, and a stable, honest government?
One other editorial comment. Slogans like “100% renewables by X Date,” a “100% green electric grid by X Date,” “NET ZERO by 2050” etc., unfortunately, have no basis in REALITY. I openly defy anyone to produce a creditable, peer reviewed engineering study that will support this fantasy. As long as the Biden Administration chooses to VILIFY energy providers other than his “coveted trio” of wind, solar & EV’s, this situation with energy prices is only going to get worse. While the EU is re-opening coal fired power plants to prevent it’s electric grids from collapse, the President (at the G7) is talking about wasting $600 BILLION on more green initiatives. We desperately need to get a well informed, thoughtful & rational debate underway on a national energy strategy & attendant policy,,,
IMPEACH JOE BIDEN AND KAMELA HARRIS AND REMOVE ALL DEMOCRATS
As Maxine Waters said about the overturning of Roe v. Wade Texas should just say “We will not obey!”