Hawk Dunlap: Landman Gets Texas -- and Why It’s Time to Fix the Railroad Commission
Viewers heard what you and I know: The RRC can’t be trusted.
by Hawk Dunlap
Recently, a news article about abandoned oil wells in Texas started off with a description of me. Apparently I have a “James Brolin vibe.” I’ll take the compliment I guess. But these days I feel more of a kinship with Billy Bob Thornton, who’s playing a role I associate with on Landman.
It seems like everybody in Texas is watching that show, particularly given how often people ask me when I’ll have a cameo on it. It’s good to see something so popular get so many things right -- about Texas, the oil industry, and even what I’m running for: the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC).
Early voting in the Republican primary starts February 17. Vote then. Find locations here.
In case you haven’t seen the Season 2 finale, I won’t spoil it for you. But I’ll tell you this. At one point, Billy Bob’s character, Tommy, meets with a Big Oil exec named Bob. Bob says he can’t “dabble in the gray,” meaning that he wouldn’t go into any kind of legally sketchy deal.
“Now, the Railroad Commission, they may look the other way,” Bob says. “But the FTC won’t. U.S. Attorneys won’t.”
There you have it. Every viewer across the country and around the world has now heard what you and I have long known about the RRC. In its current form, the commission can’t be trusted to do the right thing. (Back in the first episode of this season, a different character referred to the RRC, and preceded it with “the f--ing.”)
Of course, a lot of people may wonder what a “railroad commission” even has to do with oil. They’re right to wonder. The RRC has nothing to do with railroads. Its job is to regulate oil and gas. It’s the organization that OPEC was based on.
But the antiquated name has long helped incumbents and people with big name recognition. Voters who don’t know what it does are more likely to just vote for a name they’ve seen before.
So instead of fighting for the people of Texas, the RRC members have let abandoned and zombie wells destroy huge swaths of our state. Beautiful stretches of land have been turned into toxic hellholes. And the so-called “regulators” have gotten re-elected anyway.
When some people hear the word “regulate,” they instinctively reject it like it’s automatically a bad thing. It isn’t. In this case, what it’s supposed to mean is that taxpayers get what we’re paying for: accountability.
Oil and gas companies are responsible for cleaning up many of these sites. When they don’t, the RRC is supposed to make them. It’s supposed to represent the people, not the corporate executives.
Instead, farm owners are paying out of pocket to do what the commission won’t. They're also ponying up for lawyers to launch legal battles. It’s madness.
Landman has shown the dangers of abandoned oil wells too. In an episode this season, a group of hunters are celebrating their kill when they suddenly start coughing and collapsing due to a gas leak at a neglected site.
These problems are real and spreading. As I explained previously, I’ve worked in more than 100 countries, cleaning up disasters at oil fields everywhere. But here in Texas, we’ve got some of the worst conditions I’ve ever seen.
Caddo Lake, Louisiana side touring legacy wells leaking into lake used for drinking water.
Instead of tackling the problem, members of the RRC have been sitting in their offices, patting themselves on the back while getting political contributions from the oil and gas sector.
Meanwhile, I’ve been traversing the state, helping people suffering from the orphaned wells, earthquakes and poisoned water supplies. I’ve traveled through our cities, towns, rural areas and oil fields, meeting with stakeholders to explain how we can fix this mess -- if I’m elected. Thanks to my decades of experience, I know what to do.
There are lots of reasons I associate with Tommy Norris, Billy Bob’s character. Tommy doesn’t suffer fools. He wants the oil sector to succeed and provide energy to meet the growing demand. He knows Texas should lead the way. All those things describe me, too.
The Path Forward
Now imagine someone no-nonsense getting into the government and finally getting the job done. Imagine someone who actually understands the ins and outs of the oil industry delivering results. Imagine someone who has no interest in a political career jumping into public service just to serve the public.
That's me. That's why I’m running. And it’s why I need your support.
Sadly, it takes money to run, and I’ve got tough competition. If you’re in a position to contribute, please do so here. If you’ve got time to help the campaign, please sign up here.
In just a few weeks, early voting will begin. Please vote on the first day, and bring people along.
And if you happen to bump into Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Landman, feel free to let him know that I’m ready for my cameo.