LONE STAR CHAPTER C

F For Immediate Release: April 10, 2013 F For More Inform mation: L Lone Star Chap pter Conservation Director Cy yrus Reed 512-740-4086, c cyrus.reed@sie erraclub.org

S Sierra Club b Tells Ho ouse Energ rgy Resour rces Comm mittee,

It Aint 198 83.

S Supports HB H 3598 to o Raise Maximum fines f on oi il and gas p polluters D Dressed in his best im mitation Do on Johnson n/Miami Vi ice white su uit, Sierra C Club Lone Star C Chapter Co onservation n Director, Cyrus Reed d, testified in support t of legislati ion to raise e the m maximum fines f the Ra ailroad Com mmission of o Texas (R RRC) can as ssess against oil and g gas c companies violating st tate laws fr rom the cur rrent $10,000 to $25,0 000 per vio olation per d day. The $10,0 000 maxim mum was set s in 1983, , when the e Police an nd Michae el Jackson were t the two big ggest mus sical acts, and the Ewings out t of Dallas were the biggest oi il d developers s in Texas, Reed tol ld member rs of the Ho ouse Comm mittee on E Energy R Resources. You sho ould suppo ort HB 359 98 (Rep. L Lon Burna am Fort W Worth) to raise t the maxim mum penal lty from $1 10,000 to $25,000, be ecause $25 5,000 today y essential lly e equals $10,000 in 198 83. R Reed noted d that the Sunset Advi isory Comm mission rec commended d raising th he RRC ma aximum f fines to $25 5,000 four years y ago. The Texas s Attorney G General, T Texas Comm mission on E Environme ental Qualit ty and U.S. Environm mental Prote ection Agen ncy already y have max ximum f fines of $25 5,000 per violation v per day. R Reed wrapp ped up his testimony quoting q Sti ing and Mic chael Jacks son, It is t time for th he R Railroad Commissio C on of Texa as to watch h every m move you m make and tell companies o operating in Texas with w egreg gious regulatory viol lations to p pay the fin nes, clean up t their act or r beat it.
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