Energy and Infrastructure are critical for Texas as the state continues to expand in terms of population, economy, and influence. Energy is not only a vital sector of the Texas economy, its reliability and abundance are required by Texas’ broad range of diverse industries, from technology to manufacturing. Infrastructure provides the means by which Texas industries expand, and by which Texans supply the workforce. 

 

To those ends, the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute’s 2023-24 Energy & Infrastructure Task Force explores several areas of state policy relevant to the state’s critical energy supply and infrastructure needs. 

 

In the energy sector, the Task Force Report discusses environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies, how those policies cause harm, and how the state should reject them. It discusses the lack of emphasis on reliable, clean, nuclear power, and how a renewed emphasis on nuclear power could benefit the state. Importantly, the report discusses the state’s energy grid in the context of Winter Storm Uri, and rejects the adoption of policies that would raise costs for Texans without necessarily preventing the next Uri. 

 

On the topic of infrastructure, the Task Force Report once again takes a close look at public-private-partnerships and the critical role they play in maintaining the state’s growing infrastructure. It also explores major issues impacting the supply chain, including trucker shortages, border crossing times for suppliers, and development of seaport infrastructure. ​​