Op-Ed: Rep. Troy Nehls: Why Texas's Matagorda County is America's innovation county
Texas embodies a legacy of independence and industriousness, nowhere more evident than in our energy sector. This state leads the nation in energy production and employment, accounting for roughly one-quarter of America’s domestically sourced primary energy. We proudly bear this distinction, and I carry it as the representative of Texas’s 22nd Congressional District. My constituents have entrusted me to advocate for policies that safeguard our communities’ prosperity, both in the immediate term and for decades to come.
Under President Donald Trump’s leadership — and with a Republican-led Congress — I am confident that we can forge a comprehensive and innovative energy dominance strategy that maximizes America’s potential, maintains affordability and reliability, and advances our national security interests. Such an approach is not merely aspirational — it is imperative.
Matagorda County: A catalyst for American energy leadership
Texas is the global hub of a new energy economy, delivering long-term, strategic economic benefits to our state and our country. The result? Billions in investments and thousands of new jobs. Fortunately, the congressional district I am proud to represent includes Matagorda County, Texas, which stands ready to host new energy and petrochemical production facilities. This community’s capacity to drive innovation positions it as a linchpin in our quest to achieve global energy dominance. Recent advances in nuclear power, manufacturing, electricity generation, and e-Fuels are taking root here, signaling a new chapter in American energy development and leadership.
These projects are more than local triumphs; taken together they represent a strategic opportunity. By harnessing innovations like hydrogen, e-Fuels, nuclear power, and geothermal energy, the U.S. can bolster energy supplies for our allies, attract global investment in energy and manufacturing, and reassert our leadership against China’s energy ambitions. Matagorda County would become the epicenter of an energy renaissance, one that meets our domestic needs while fostering economic stability worldwide.
The HIF Matagorda e-Fuels facility exemplifies this potential. Upon completion, the HIF project will be the world's first large-scale e-Fuels facility producing e-Methanol, with an anticipated output of 1.4 million tons annually. That represents a nearly 25 percent increase in U.S. methanol production. E-Fuels are synthetic hydrocarbons produced from air and water. They are chemically identical to traditional fossil fuels, and can be used in existing cars, ships, and planes with no changes to engines or infrastructure. This is the type of energy ingenuity that America needs.
Beyond its technological significance, the HIF project promises substantial economic benefits: more than 4,000 jobs during construction, with enduring employment gains for Matagorda County and South Texas.
One company looking to accelerate the manufacturing industry’s deployment of these types of breakthrough technologies in Texas is LyondellBasell (LYB). Expansion in these innovative markets will allow LYB to maintain its competitive advantages, cement its position as a global leader in the chemical industry, and continue to employ 250 of our neighbors right here in Matagorda County. LYB’s Matagorda Complex has been a part of our community since the 1980s, investing in our community routinely, such as their recent financial and equipment donations to the Palacios ISD high school to establish a new welding program, and, with the help of sensible incentives, they will be here for generations to come.
Another company, Celanese, is proud to have called Matagorda County home since 1962, employing approximately 100 employees and contractors. Celanese shares the facility with OXEA, formerly known as OQ Chemicals, and Röhm. At the site, Celanese manufacturers a basic building block chemistry that is used in paints, adhesives, laminated safety glass for cars and buildings, and solar panels, just to name a few. The site is strategically situated along the Colorado River relying on the waterways to move product via barge. Using the Colorado River as the primary mode of transportation is safe, efficient, the lowest-cost option compared to rail or truck, and keeps heavy traffic off of local roadways. Last year, I visited the site to show how important the maintenance of the river is to the region. Additionally, Celanese has deep ties in the community volunteering thousands of hours with 100 percent employee participation in recent years.
Safeguarding incentives for energy infrastructure
Energy is a universal currency and its importance to economic vitality cannot be overstated. For Matagorda and similar regions to sustain momentum, Congress and federal regulators must act decisively. This entails preserving some existing energy infrastructure tax credits and providing unambiguous policy guidance to encourage private-sector investment, innovation, and job creation.
Thankfully, change has come to the swamp — and I’m confident that the Trump a dministration will reverse the trend of bureaucratic inertia and inconsistent direction and rather prioritize clarity, stability, and growth for the energy sector.
Tax credits like 45V, the hydrogen production tax credit, and 45Q, the carbon capture credit, are essential to bolstering the energy investments and innovation underway in our region. They aren’t giveaways—they’re key competitive tools and strategic investments in our energy future. Going forward, we must maintain these incentives so that companies investing in new energy infrastructure projects can have investment certainty and don’t have the rug pulled out from under them. Doing so will support the development of a robust domestic energy supply and reinforce our goal of achieving true American energy dominance.
A future powered by innovation and free markets
The Lone Star state ascended to energy prominence through the ingenuity of its people and the dynamism of free markets, not through restrictive government overreach. These principles cemented our status as the nation’s oil and gas powerhouse, and they remain our greatest asset.
For generations, growth oriented regulatory and tax policies have made Texas a leading source for domestic and foreign investments across all industries. Applied anew, they can position the U.S. as the preeminent global energy leader—but only if we act with resolve.
Matagorda County’s growing innovations present a clear path toward restoring our energy leadership through an all of the above approach. By supporting these initiatives through policy stability, targeted tax incentives, and a focused approach on American interests, we can seize this opportunity. This effort will not only strengthen our economy but also enhance our energy security and bolster energy efficiency.
I am committed to championing this vision. The stakes are high, and the time to lead is now. Let’s get to work.
Rep. Troy Nehls represents Texas’s 22nd District in Congress.