What happens when surface rights clash with mineral rights? Could Texas lead the nation in rare earth mineral production? And how do you plan for a state’s needs 200 years ahead?

In this episode of The Crude Truth, host Rey Treviño III sits down with Dr. Dawn Buckingham, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, for a deep dive into the future of Texas.

Rey and Dawn discuss the Land Office’s critical role in state administration, the growing water crisis in West Texas, and the controversial proposal to repurpose produced water. The Land Commission has been a crucial part of the state of Texas since 1836. Not only protecting our great history, but also that many people do not understand that the Land Office is responsible for the Texas coastline and storm damage like Hurricane Harvey, and even the shipping channel to keep the energy exports moving. 

The structure of the Land Office is a huge benefit in that it owns the oil and gas instead of the federal government, as in other states. That revenue is used in Texas to enhance education and improve Texans' lives.

One fun thing Dawn gets to do is claim islands in the Gulf of America from Cartels and make Texas bigger and safer. That directly aligns with her "just fix it now" mindset.

The water produced by oil and gas can either be treated, put back into the ground, or shipped off after being separated from the oil. Dr. Buckingham makes the vital point that water may become a commodity and even more valuable than oil. This is huge, and the positive work for Texas to protect water and the environment is critical for future Texans.

Another huge nugget is the critical or rare earth minerals, and her attitude of protecting Texas. We have large essential minerals of the state, and they are looking at how to get those to market. It is not the minerals; it is the processing. Over 90% of global processing for critical minerals is in China, and she was not relinquishing control to China. They have taken steps to move this forward and keep China at bay.

About Dr. Dawn Buckingham: Dawn is an American physician and politician who has served as the Land Commissioner of Texas since 2023. She was elected in November 2022 and sworn in on January 10, 2023. A member of the Republican Party, she served as a state Senator from 2017 to 2023

Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation about land, water, energy, and the bold vision shaping Texas's future.

Thank you, Dr. Buckingham, for stopping by the Crude Truth podcast, and hope we can have a follow-up interview. It was fun, and what a job you are doing! - Rey.

Highlights of the Podcast

00:01 – Introduction & Texas Energy Legacy

03:00 – Overview of the General Land Office

06:00 – The Alamo Revitalization Project

08:15 – Coastal Spine Project with Army Corps of Engineers

10:20 – Produced Water & Future of Texas Water Supply

13:59 – Public-Private Partnerships & Water Innovation

17:00 – Aquifer Recharge & Long-Term Water Storage

20:00 – Federal Pushback & Oil and Gas Advocacy

22:00 – Rare Earth Minerals & Texas-China Strategy

24:55 – Reviving American Manufacturing & Economic Independence

28:00 – Carbon Sequestration & Texas Leadership

30:00 – Final Thoughts: Defending Texas Values

#TexasLandOffice #WaterCrisis #RareEarthMinerals #WestTexas #OilAndGas #ProducedWater #TexasPolitics #EnergyFuture #ReyTrevino #DrDawnBuckingham