Return to: Archives
Texas must play above the politics
, Publisher
07-07-2010
The discovery of tar balls on the Texas coast makes the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster much more real for us than it has been since Deepwater Horizon exploded in the middle of April.
Not that anyone who has followed the events of the last three months has been ignorant of the implications for Texas, but the possibility our beautiful beaches will be dreadfully soiled by this mess definitely adds punch to an otherwise distant problem for us.
We expect many will question whether diverting time or attention away from the state’s pressing money issues will be warranted, but we’re certainly quick to remind those who’d minimize the impact of this problem that south Texas benefits heavily from the tourism industry during the warm months.
Expect a mirrored effect of the tourist trepidation that plagued other Gulf states here if the handful of tar that made it to Texas is joined by a growing and expanding slick of rusty crude in the coming days and weeks.
We know the governor is paying attention. His press office sent out an alert Tuesday night that announced some kind of energy exploration and safety statement for this afternoon, and it would make sense that it would center on oil.
We are left wondering just what kind of stance Texas will approach this issue with. We’re a huge producer of oil, after all, so we stand to lose a lot through controls to the drilling environment.
We also have some interesting possibilities for alternative energy production, although we expect with the budget crunch the state faces, there will be less likelihood of an announcement that centers on huge tax credits to solar, wind and hydroelectric energy producers in the state as a means to combat the ubiquitous and undeniable supremacy of oil as the nation’s energy choice du jour.
We have a lot to keep our eyes on in this sense, so we’ll withhold judgment, but the game of political football that began when Deepwater Horizon exploded does not create an encouraging climate for positive outcomes.
Read today's edition by clicking here!
Other Top Stories
