SAN ANGELO – Commissioner Christi Craddick discussed the Railroad Commission’s role in effectively regulating one of the state’s biggest economic drivers, the oil and gas industry, today on a panel at the 12^th Annual West Texas Legislative Summit in San Angelo. The summit, hosted by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce and State Rep. Drew Darby, provided a venue for discussion of issues related to energy exploration and production activity within the region with a focus on environmental and transportation safety.

“In today’s age of oil and gas development, one of the most important facets of my job is to ensure that Texans have answers to the many questions they have about the industry’s impact on their communities – whether good or bad,” Craddick said. “While the economic gains from energy production are huge, they are irrelevant if regulation fails to strike that careful balance between energy production and protecting the environment. Texans should be proud that our state has long been recognized as a regulatory leader, igniting an energy revolution in the United States.”

Commissioner Craddick served on a panel entitled, “The State of Environmental Regulations – Balancing Regulations with Business. Panelists included:

• Rep. Darby, House Energy Resources Committee, Chairman (Moderator);

• Dr. Cal Cooper, Apache Corporation, Director of Special Projects and Emerging Technology;

• Joy Nicholopoulos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and

• Carlos Swonke, Texas Department of Transportation, Director of Environmental Affairs