Sen. Cruz Statement on New EPA Regulations for Offshore Oil and Gas Operations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved new regulations under the Clean Water Act for offshore oil and gas operations.

Sen. Cruz said:

“I’m proud to secure common sense regulations that are good for producers while protecting our natural resources. These discharge regulations are key to the Lone Star State’s effort to unleashing America’s all-of-the-above energy resources. The United States produces by far the cleanest energy in the world, and finalizing these responsible rules is a big victory for Texans, American jobs, and our allies abroad.”

Background:

• Last September the EPA’s wastewater discharge regulations, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), expired. This meant that new oil and gas drilling, processing, and decommissioning operations would not receive a permit until the completion of new regulations, leading to what would have been an unprecedented, abrupt halt of new offshore energy production beginning in June 2023.
• Sen. Cruz worked with EPA’s Region 6, based in Dallas, Texas, to ensure that existing operations would continue through an administrative extension until new regulations were put in place.
• Sen. Cruz worked with industry, EPA headquarters, and the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to expedite and finally approve these new regulations allowing for new NPDES permits, with an effective date of May 11, 2023, and an expiration date of May 10, 2028.

Matt Giacona, Vice President of Government Affairs at NOIA, said:

“EPA’s issuance of its NPDES general permit in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico is positive news and will ensure American offshore energy projects continue moving forward. NOIA thanks EPA for finalizing the general permit and commends the Members of Congress who engaged for several months on this critical issue, particularly the leading efforts of Senator Ted Cruz. The U.S. Gulf will continue to provide among the lowest carbon intensity barrels of oil in the world to help meet our nation’s energy needs in an affordable, reliable, and responsible manner.”

“Kosmos was pleased that the EPA, White House, politicians from both parties and the oil and gas industry worked so well together to resolve an important issue that will enable the industry to continue providing secure and affordable energy to American consumers. We are grateful to Senator Cruz and his team for helping to forge that consensus on the way forward.”

More information about the NPDES current, draft, and previous permit regulations can be found here.

Sen. Cruz has been the preeminent fighter in the U.S. Senate to restore American energy independence:

• In 2022, Sen. Cruz successfully negotiated the approval of four major LNG export permits, helping Texas and American companies sell American energy overseas.
• He introduced the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act to expedite the federal approval process for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), fortifying our nation’s energy security and strengthening strategic and economic relations with our allies.
• Sen. Cruz has worked to secure federal approval for construction of new liquefied natural gas export terminals in Texas, which will bring billions of dollars in investments to the state and create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs in Texas.
• He introduced the Energy Freedom Act, in order to make America energy independent again by accelerating federal permitting for energy projects, mandating new oil and gas lease sales, streamlining LNG export licenses, and accelerating solar, wind, and geothermal development.
• In 2022, Sen. Cruz co-authored two major proposals to increase energy development and production in the United States.
• In 2020, led the fight to protect America and Texas’s energy producers from Russia and Saudi Arabia who were exploiting the pandemic to flood the global oil market.
• In 2020, fought to protect access to capital and against political discrimination targeting small and medium-sized energy producers, ensuring legal, creditworthy oil & gas institutions would have access to the CARES program via a series of letters.
• In 2017, Sen. Cruz worked with President Trump to make sure the United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Sen. Cruz continues to lead the fight against burdensome federal government regulations and EPA overreach.

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