The Railroad Commission regulates the state's oil and gas industry, but got its name from its origins as a regulator of railroads. With oil and natural gas drilling on the rise as a result of high energy prices and the Barnett Shale boom in North Central Texas, Railroad Commission Chairman Elizabeth Ames Jones, 49, wisely foresees the need for more commission field personnel to better inspect and monitor the activity.
That's especially important in urban areas such as Tarrant County, where drilling activity generates more noise, pollution and safety concerns than in remote rural areas.
Jones, the daughter of a well-known independent oilman, is a former state representative from San Antonio who was appointed to the commission in 2005.
Now seeking a full six-year term, she appears to be a conscientious steward of public tax dollars and has a strong can-do attitude.
She wants to upgrade the commission's technological capabilities and its Web site to make it easier for oil and gas operators both to file permit applications and view information about statewide drilling activity.
She also wants to see Texas develop technologies to help reduce the large amounts of water consumed by oil companies in well drilling and fracturing processes, an issue of increasing relevance in North Central Texas as a result of the heavy Barnett Shale activity, population growth and persistent drought that has lowered water tables.
The Star-Telegram recommends Elizabeth Ames Jones.