by Luke Dias

Midland Reporter-Telegram

Several government officials met with local groups and organizations at the Petroleum Club of Midland on Tuesday to discuss federal oil and gas regulations.

Headed by U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, the group also consisted of Mayor Lori Blong, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Scott Mason, U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota and key members of several Permian Basin trade organizations.

“Permian Basin now produces almost 50% of the crude oil produced in the United States,” said Stephen Robertson, the executive vice president of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association. “But we will only be able to continue that because of partnerships at Congress (and) at EPA.”

Many pointed fingers at the Joe Biden administration for putting restrictions on the Permian Basin oil and gas industry, even accusing the past president of shutting oil and gas companies out of discussions pertaining to the environment.

While not elaborating on the specifics of these restrictions, they cited what they believe will earn them more favorable deals under EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. This includes the a bill seeking to repeal an EPA methane fee that was introduced by Pfluger and Sen. Ted Cruz and which Pfluger says has bipartisan support.

“The goal is to work with the government, not have that adversarial relationship,” Pfluger said. “The companies in the Permian Basin just want regulations to be common sense and to have conversations with the government — not to be told what to do, but to get input from the ground up.”

EIA data show that oil and gas production in the Permian Basin grew during the Biden administration, and a previous Reporter-Telegram report indicates production is expected to continue its climb in 2025 but slow down in 2026.

Recent tariffs imposed by Trump have the oil and gas industry worried, with Pfluger saying, “We hear that loud and clear. I have had several conversations with different Cabinet members to make sure that they’re aware of different decisions and how those could impact us, and we’re still having those conversations.”

Pfluger said the lifting of any EPA restrictions would still be in service of a clean environment.

“If you look at Administrator Zeldin’s five pillars that he’s really basing the (Powering the Great American Comeback initiative on), the very first one is ‘Clean Air, Clean Water, Clean Land’ — that won’t be compromised,” said Mason, who was appointed to the EPA this year under the Trump administration but who previously assisted with Native American relations during the first Trump term. “We’re still working on (a plan), but we will continue to have clean (necessities) — frankly, even cleaner.”

Zeldin is expected to visit Midland on Thursday for further collaboration.

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