Mayor Lori Blong attended the Permian Road Safety Coalition Luncheon in Andrews on August 20. The event featured a panel consisting of Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA) President Todd Staples and lawmakers Texas State Representative Tom Craddick (R-Midland) and Texas State Senator Kevin Sparks (R-Midland).
According to Blong’s Facebook post recapping the luncheon, Staples, Craddick, and Sparks discussed critical issues related to transportation and energy infrastructure, focusing on the challenges and strategies for improving road safety and infrastructure in the Permian Basin.
Blong stated that it is the Permian Road Safety Coalition’s purpose to make roads in the region safer and better.
Established in 2015, the coalition originated from a steering committee of volunteer stakeholders and became a 501(c)4 non-for-profit organization in 2018.
In another Facebook post, Blong mentioned that Staples presented TXOGA’s Annual Energy & Economic Impact Report.
The report’s highlights include the state setting a record by paying $26.3 billion in state and local taxes and royalties, which exceeds the previous record by over $1.5 billion; a daily $72 million contribution to the state; and last year being described as a "blockbuster year" for the industry.