Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Commissioner Wayne Christian praised a federal announcement that the Trump administration will invoke the Defense Production Act to expand the Delek US Holdings Inc. refinery in Tyler, according to an Oct. 14 agency news release.
The release said Vice President JD Vance announced the move, which is intended to increase production of commercial-grade and military-specification fuels at the Tyler facility.
Christian argued in the release that affordable, reliable energy supports economic prosperity. “It has been a breath of fresh air to have an administration that clears the runway for oil production,” Christian said. He described the expansion as a way for Texas to once again help power the country, as the state has for generations.
The release noted that Texas families and businesses face elevated energy costs and said additional domestic refining would supply transportation and military fuels while reducing reliance on foreign energy.
Christian said domestic oil production and refining are central to American energy security, and that the Tyler expansion would bolster the local economy, support the military and improve fuel affordability, according to the release.
The Railroad Commission, established in 1891, is the oldest regulatory agency in Texas. Its jurisdiction includes oil and gas, alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities, surface mining and intrastate pipelines, the agency said in the release.