Texas Oil & Gas Commissioner Applauds State Board of Education’s Cancellation of BlackRock’s $8.5 Billion Contract

March 19, 2024

Following news that the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) and Chairman Aaron Kinsey would terminate an $8.5 billion contract with BlackRock, Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian applauded the SBOE’s decision, which protects Texas' Permanent School Fund and classrooms across the state, and said the following:

“Texas state leadership continues to land blows to BlackRock and woke financial corporations pushing a pro-ESG/anti-fossil fuel agenda!” said Commissioner Wayne Christian. “Our great state should NOT be doing business with a financial institution that wants to end oil and gas, brainwash kids to hate fossil fuels, and jeopardize our energy freedom. As the 9th largest economy in the world with businesses regularly relocating headquarters to the Lone Star State, I’d suggest to BlackRock and other woke Wall Street firms to wake up and realize that fossil fuels aren’t the enemy that radical environmentalists have portrayed them to be. I want to give kudos to Chairman Kinsey, Tom Maynard, Julie Pickren and the other SBOE board members, who continue to defend the values and resources that make Texas, ‘Texas’.”

In November 2024, Commissioner Christian encouraged and celebrated SBOE’s rejection of anti-oil and gas school materials and promotion of oil and gas’ benefits. 

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A lifelong conservative businessman, Wayne Christian was elected as our 50th Texas Railroad Commissioner in November 2016. Prior to his time at the Commission, Christian served seven sessions in the Texas House of Representatives, accumulating a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Christian is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have three daughters, Liza, Lindsey and Lauren. You can learn more about Chairman Christian here.

 

About the Railroad Commission:
Our mission is to serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety, and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans. The Commission has a long and proud history of service to both Texas and to the nation, including almost 100 years regulating the oil and gas industry. The Commission also has jurisdiction over alternative fuels safety, natural gas utilities, surface mining and intrastate pipelines. Established in 1891, the Railroad Commission of Texas is the oldest regulatory agency in the state. To learn more, please visit https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/.