Today, Chairman Wayne Christian penned an open letter to President Joe Biden critiquing his failed energy agenda and providing solutions to the ongoing global energy crisis.

In the letter, he calls on Biden to immediately end all Russian oil imports to the U.S., instruct international oil and gas companies cut ties with Russian operators, and to put an immediate end to his anti-oil-and-gas rhetoric and policies so domestic producers have the regulatory certainty necessary to increase production here at home.

“From handing Afghanistan to the Taliban to destroying our American Energy Dominance, it is clear this administration cares more about appeasing radical left-wing activists than doing the right thing for the American people,” said Chairman Christian. “Putin’s Russia is an enemy actor who should be cut off completely—we don’t need their oil, gas or anything else. It’s simple: NOW is the time to unleash American oil and gas production for the future of our allies and the safety of our nation.”

You can read the letter here.

A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters and five grandchildren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here: https://rrc.texas.gov/About-Us/Commissioners/Wayne-Christian/.

In the Western Permian Basin, the Railroad Commission began implementation last week of a first of its kind operator-led response plan that addresses injection-induced seismicity to help keep residents and the environment safe.

The plan for the Northern Culberson-Reeves Seismic Response Area (SRA) – which is adjacent to Guadalupe Mountain National Park to the west and is near the border of New Mexico to the north – is meant to reduce the intensity and frequency of earthquakes, including a goal to eliminate 3.5 magnitude or greater earthquakes no later than Dec. 31, 2023.

The comprehensive plan for the Northern Culberson-Reeves SRA provides variable reductions in disposal volumes of produced water (water that comes out of the ground with oil and gas during production) across all disposal wells. It will provide the RRC with additional information with the expansion of the seismic monitoring stations in the area, which will provide better data on the precise location and depth of earthquakes.

This is one of three SRAs in West Texas that the RRC has created to address injection-induced seismic activity from disposal wells. In December, the RRC indefinitely suspended deep disposal in the Gardendale SRA between Odessa and Midland. An operator-led response plan for the Stanton SRA is currently being developed.

The Norther Culberson -Reeves SRA plan affects 57 shallow saltwater disposal wells (typically less than 7,000 feet in depth) above the top of the Wolfcamp Shale Play and 31 deep disposal wells (typically between 11,000-16,000 feet in depth) below the bottom of the Wolfcamp.

“Industry asked RRC to allow them to come up with a plan to address the issue,” said Sean Avitt, Manager of RRC’s Injection-Storage Permits Unit. “We provided extensive feedback to ensure the plan met our goals. Industry was able to produce a plan leveraging what they know about the area and their injection operations there. However, we made it clear if circumstances change, the Commission may have to take further actions to reduce seismicity.”

Injection limits on shallow disposal wells are as follows:

• All shallow disposals wells that were within 4.5 kilometers of any 3.5 magnitude or greater earthquake in the SRA will reduce injection volumes to 10,000 barrels per day or less by Sept. 1.
• Daily injection volumes could be 15,000 a day if the operator adds a seismic monitoring station strategically placed on the property for use by the TexNet Seismic Monitoring Program.
• Shallow disposal wells that were between 4.5 and 9.08 kilometers of any 3.5 magnitude or greater earthquake will be allowed 20,000 barrels per day.
• Daily injection volumes could be 30,000 a day if the operator adds a seismic monitoring station.
• Any undrilled or uncompleted shallow disposal wells within 9.08 kilometers of any 3.5 magnitude or greater earthquake in the SRA is required to give the RRC a 30-day notice before drilling or completion operations can begin.

Injection limits on deep disposal wells are as follows:

• All deep disposal wells in this area will reduce injection volume by 50% before June 30, 2023. Operators with multiple wells will be allowed to spread their reduction among all of their wells.
• Operators with only one well will allowed a maximum of 15,000 barrels per day before June 30, 2023.
• By June of this year, any inactive deep disposal well will either have its permit canceled, or the operator will apply for an amended permit for shallow disposal.

The full plan is available on RRC’s Seismicity Response webpage.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is ready to make sure everyone has a safe ride for the St. Paddy’s Day Dash Down Greenville 5K and 2022 Dallas Mavs St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival on Saturday, March 12.

With additional DART service throughout the day, parade, festivalgoers and runners can safely travel to this weekend’s events and enjoy the long awaited return of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

From Plano, rail service will be added to Red and Orange Line trains between Parker and Victory stations.

From Carrollton, Farmers Branch and Dallas, customers can ride the Green Line and transfer to either the Orange or Red Line in downtown Dallas.

Passengers riding the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) can transfer to Orange or Red Line trains at Victory Station.

Bus routes 3 and 17 will be on detour all day until the parade has ended. Routes 105, 209 and 249 will operate on their regular routes. See DART.org/rideralerts for more information.

The TSA Security Directive requiring a face mask requirement for all transportation networks, including public transportation, remains in effect until March 18. DART will continue to require a CDC approved face mask be worn over the mouth and nose by passengers and operators at all times while on DART vehicles including buses, trains and paratransit vehicles, Trinity Railway Express trains, in buildings and onboard the Dallas Streetcar.

Face masks and hand sanitizer dispensers are installed on all buses, light rail vehicles, TRE vehicles and Dallas streetcars, and will continue to be available to all passengers. Find out about more ways DART is keeping you safe here.

Make your trip easy by purchasing a $6 local Day Pass in advance using the GoPass® mobile ticketing application. It allows you to buy passes, plan trips and get next bus or train times from the comfort of your telephone. Download the app for free through Google Play or the App Store.

Don’t have the app? Purchase a Day Pass from a ticket vending machine at any DART Rail station or from a bus operator.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today published an interim final rule establishing procedures and time frames for handling employee retaliation complaints under the Taxpayer First Act. The Taxpayer First Act, enacted July 1, 2019, protects employees who report underpayment of taxes or other potential federal tax law violations or engage in other protected activities.

OSHA is accepting comments from the public. Submit comments online, identified by Docket No. OSHA–2020–0006 at the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Read the Federal Register notice for additional details. The deadline for submitting comments is May 6, 2022. The interim final rule is effective March 7, 2022.

For additional details about the statute along with instructions on how to file a complaint with OSHA under the Taxpayer First Act, read the fact sheet on Whistleblower Protection for Employees Who Report Federal Tax Law Violations.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the Taxpayer First Act and 24 other statutes protecting employees against retaliation for reporting violations of various workplace safety and health, aviation, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, securities, tax, antitrust, and anti-money laundering laws and for engaging in other related protected activities. For more information, please visit OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program webpage.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced the availability of $3.2 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for Susan Harwood Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19 grants.

The grants will fund training and education to help workers and employers identify and prevent work-related infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Training topics must focus either on COVID-19 specifically or infectious diseases broadly. The maximum awarded for each grant is $160,000 for a 12-month performance period.

This funding opportunity is separate from the fiscal year 2022 Susan Harwood training grants for Targeted Topic, Training and Educational Materials Development, and Capacity Building. Successful applicants may receive an FY 2021 and/or FY 2022 Harwood training grant (i.e., a Targeted Topic Training, Training and Educational Materials Development, or one of the Capacity Building grants) and a Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19 grant in the same year.

The Harwood Training Grant program supports remote and in-person hands-on training for workers and employers in small businesses; industries with high injury, illness, and fatality rates; and vulnerable workers, who are underserved, have limited English proficiency, or are temporary workers.

Learn more about the funding opportunity and applying for grants.

Submit applications for Harwood grants online no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2022.

Starting April 4, 2022, the Data Universal Numbering System number will be replaced by a new, non-proprietary identifier requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management. This new identifier is called the Unique Entity Identifier. If you have any questions on the UEI, please visit SAM.gov for assistance.

OSHA awards grants to nonprofit organizations, including community and faith-based organizations, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, Native American tribes, and local and state-sponsored colleges and universities to provide infectious disease workplace safety and health training.

Learn more about the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program.