NEWS & INFORMATION
Opportunity in Adversity: A New Approach to Energy in Texas
Optimism in West Texas is in short supply these days. But a look back at our recent history of energy booms and busts reveals a lesson in finding opportunity through adversity – and a possible path forward through difficult times.
Respect Big Bend Public Opinion Research Presentation
This is a video presentation of the findings of public opinion research conducted on behalf of the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation in 2017 and 2018. These findings helped inform development of the Respect Big Bend Coalition and its efforts on behalf of the communities and natural resources of the Big Bend Region.
Booms and Busts Have Defined Midland’s History, but Is It Time to Stop Using Those Terms?
The Permian Basin has never been busier. More oil is being pumped than ever before, thanks to hydraulic fracking, and energy companies are making plans to stick around long-term. By most accounts, the region is booming. But, some analysts and community leaders believe the oil industry is entering into a more stable phase where the days of crazy booms and terrible busts may be a thing of the past.
As Oil Field Workers Flood Balmorhea with RVs, the Small Community’s Economy is Revitalized
Fears that closure of the famous Balmorhea State Park pool would hurt the local economy have been calmed by the influx of new oil workers.
A Sneak Preview of “The Long Game”
The producers of The Rational Middle of Energy, in collaboration with the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, will introduce “The Long Game,” a short-documentary series that addresses energy development's impact in the greater Big Bend region of far West Texas, and what is being done to minimize impact to landowners and communities and conserve this unique area's natural resources.
Conserving the Last Frontier: The Case for the Trans-Pecos
If Texas were a sovereign country, it would rank as the tenth largest economy in the world, with a GDP of $1.7 trillion. Texas also ranks highest among states in the United States for business. In fact, Texas has added 350,000 jobs in the past year (one in seven new jobs in the U.S. were in Texas). Texas’ strong economy is married to the current energy boom in Texas. Major oil and gas formations in Texas include the Barnett, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, and Permian Basin. The Permian Basin alone is projected to exceed Saudi Arabia in production by 2023.
Apache Corp. Creates Endowment for Iconic West Texas State Park
Houston oil company Apache Corp. has doubled a gift to help save a revered West Texas swimming hole.
In addition to donating $1 million to repair the shuttered Balmorhea State Park Pool, the company has donated an additional $1 million to create an endowment to preserve and support the iconic West Texas state park.
Community Engagement Critical to Sustaining Energy Development in West Texas
The Trans Pecos region of West Texas is a state treasure. It is in the Chihuahuan Desert, the most biologically diverse desert ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere, home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and plants. Its vast, dramatic landscapes define Texas for Texas residents and visitors alike: the majestic mountains of the state’s two national parks, the immense, dark skies over the open plains, and the miles and miles of unfenced, undeveloped wild spaces.
The Landowner Knows Best: Conserving the Greater Big Bend Region
Land. It’s what drew settlers to Texas—the promise of unlimited wide open spaces. Those vast untamed expanses gave birth to the rugged individualism that later wrestled Texas away from Mexico and helped create an independent country. As nationhood gave way to United States statehood and on into the 21st century, land continues to define both Texas and Texans today.
In the Permian Basin, An Increase In Traffic Accidents Is Taking A Toll On EMTs
“These aren’t fender benders, these are violent violent crashes. I mean it looks like you’ve stomped on a tin can.”