Jim Matlock -- Republican for Railroad Commissioner

The following are the complete and unedited responses submitted by the candidate listed below to the Amarillo Pioneer’s Candidate Questionnaire.

James “Jim” Matlock/Photo by Brandee Best Photography

Name: James “Jim” Matlock

Office Sought: Railroad Commissioner

Party Affiliation: Republican

Age: 51

Educational Background: SFASU

Occupation: Disabled Veteran

Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, religious, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.

VFW

Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?

No

If your campaign has any online campaign resources where voters can learn more about you, such as social media accounts or a website, please list them below.

https://matlock4rrc.com

Why did you decide to run for this office in 2024?

I get that the Commission has continually generated billions of dollars of revenue for the state; however, it’s time we focus on damage control. The first three weeks of my campaign brought seven current and former employees of the Railroad Commission to speak to me about issues and grievances they had with the Commission. I have incorporated those issues into my campaign. I jumped in the race with only a handful of personal grievances and that list has grown. Being a former Marine, I am a solutions based individual. The time for talk and revenue based policy has put us where we are today. The Commission (and EPA) talk a big game about stopping flare gas; however, when options that would benefit Texans are presented, they are told the Commission can’t endorse their company, product, or service. Those companies are not looking for a piece of paper with approval, they are looking for contracts and permits.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?

There are several issues facing Texans through the jurisdictions of the Texas Railroad Commission. One of the top issues is water. The technology is there to make the produced water reusable.

Texas families are being manipulated into selling their mineral rights because they are being told there’s nothing there. With the longest horizontal well being almost five miles from the wellhead, that’s a lot of farmers being cheated out of their mineral rights. That well was completed by a Chinese owned oil company in 2021 just outside Lamesa, Texas. If we were talking about surface damage, it would be called encroachment. Since most people are not aware of where to look for horizontal well data, it goes unnoticed. I have been helping people get what they deserve for almost two decades. It’s time to bring the rules up to date with technology.

We need to make sure that the “Natural Resource Acquisition Act,” embedded in the ESG program doesn’t survive. I waited until December 7th to file my papers to be on the ballot for a reason. December 7th was the day that the United States was officially brought into World War II. The oil and gas industry in east Texas has been honored for their contributions in securing the win for the allies by sending a sea of oil to the front lines. We built the Big Inch and Little Inch pipelines from east Texas to the northeast in record time, where it could be refined and sent to war. We need to protect our national security.

What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?

Where do I start. There are a number of issues being overlooked by the other candidates.

Horizontal drilling is allowing the depletion of minerals outside the lease.

The wasteful spending by the commission. We have Commission employees with little to no oilfield experience overseeing the P&A projects that my opponents are talking about. The commission should certify that the wells are plugged to specifications. Our employees should be certified and experienced.

But the one thing that stands out most is that the Commission does not work close enough with the communities they serve to ensure safety for their fellow Texans. If your community has questions about the integrity of their natural gas supply pipeline, the pipeline inspectors can’t go help the community leaders. Instead, the community leaders are required to call their consultants. The consultants are provided by the insurance company that carries the environmental policy for the pipeline. The insurance company charges the community $1,200-$2,500 per day for the consultant; however, the consultants make considerably less. The State of Texas is already paying the pipeline inspectors. Who knows better than the inspectors themselves what needs to be done to ensure the pipeline safety and integrity for the communities they serve?

Do you have any notable endorsements you would like to highlight for voters?

N/A

Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?

I am a solutions driven individual. I don’t care about the politics, just the solutions. We can find solutions that would be economical and beneficial to all Texans.