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May 18, 2022For Immediate Release

In North Texas yesterday, Beto O’Rourke said he wants Texas to lead in oil and gas production, a far different position from what he took while running for President when he supported the Green New Deal, ending new oil and gas leases on federal land and ending important incentives for drilling.”  – Mark Miner, Communications Director

O’ROURKE YESTERDAY WHILE RAISING MONEY IN THE METROPLEX: O’Rourke Said He Wants Texas To Be A “Leader” In Oil And Gas. “O’Rourke said, ‘We are blessed and so lucky that we have gas and oil reserves here in the State of Texas and I want to see us to continue to be the leader there, but we also have a lot of opportunity when it comes to renewable energy.’” (Jack Fink, “In Texas Governor’s Race, Differences Emerge Over Grid Reliability,” KTVT-TV, 5/17/22)

O’ROURKE DURING HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: O’Rourke Wanted To End Drilling On Federal Land, Charge Higher Royalty Rates For Drilling And Stop New Fossil Fuel Leases. “O’Rourke is no longer running for president. O’Rourke ‘will set a first-ever, net-zero emissions by 2030 carbon budget for federal lands, stopping new fossil fuel leases, changing royalties to reflect climate costs, and accelerating renewables development and forestation,’ a campaign spokesman told The Post. He pledged to ‘protect our most wild, beautiful, and biodiverse places for generations to come — including more of the Arctic and of our sensitive landscapes and seascapes than ever before — and establish National Parks and Monuments that more fully tell our American story.’” (“Would You End Leasing For Fossil Fuel Extraction On Federal Lands?,” The Washington Post, Accessed 9/20/21)

  • O’Rourke Supported Ending Tax Breaks For Oil And Gas Producers. “Beto O’Rourke released a proposal Monday outlining his plan to slash carbon emissions and finally wean the United States off of fossil fuels. … The $5 trillion proposal would be catalyzed by an initial $1.5 trillion investment, which his campaign says would be funded by ‘structural changes to the tax code’ that end corporate tax breaks for fossil fuels and other industries.” (Kate Wheeling, “Can Ending Fossil Fuel Subsidies Pay For Beto O’Rourke’s Climate Plan?,” Pacific Standard, 4/30/19)
  • O’Rourke Wanted To End All Offshore Drilling Off The Coast Of The U.S. “Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke called on Congress on Wednesday to put a stop to oil drilling off the US coasts. The former congressman from Texas is asking members of Congress to pass South Carolina Democratic Rep. Joe Cunningham’s Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, which would place a moratorium on offshore drilling and prohibit the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from offering any new tracts for oil and gas leasing or preleasing off the California, Oregon and Washington state coastline and the Atlantic Coast.” (Caroline Kenny, “Beto O’Rourke Calls On Congress To Halt Offshore Drilling,” CNN, 9/11/19)