Gilbert Criticizes Staples’ Delay In Ascertaining Fuel Standards

AUSTIN—Democratic Candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture Hank Gilbert gave the following statement regarding the announcement by Commissioner Staples that the Texas Department of Agriculture would now implement a new program to measure fuel quality in Texas.

“The Legislature passed HB2925 in May, 2009 with an effective date of September 1, 2009, not September 1, 2010 or January 26, 2010. This is an important new program, one long overdue and there’s no reason for the delay”, Gilbert stated. “Why wasn’t this a lobby priority for him during the 2007 session? Why was it, like biofuels, something he didn’t act on until he’d been in office for two years?”

Gilbert continued, “It’s absolutely stunning to me that Commissioner Staples did not begin to make preparations to implement this program during the summer of 2009 in an effort to be ready  for the September 1 effective date. Instead, Staples did what he always does… waited until an election year to take action on something important to the consumers of this state. It is time for a change at TDA, one that reflects a real willingness to protect the consumers of this state.”