RRC Increases Transparency in Hearings Process:
New Online Portal Will Benefit the Public and Energy Industry
April 02, 2020AUSTIN – Today the Railroad Commission of Texas launched the Case Administration Service Electronic System (RRC CASES) public portal, reaching another milestone in increasing transparency of the agency’s functions.
For the first time, operators can file hearing cases online and the public can go online and access documents in the RRC’s hearings process. Users can search hearings dockets using a variety of criteria including case number, operator name, or RRC district.
The Hearings Division conducts hearings and prepares recommendations on issues that need resolution in oil and gas, pipeline safety, alternative fuels safety, gas utilities, and surface mining matters within the Commission’s jurisdiction.
RRC CASES also will be beneficial for parties involved in hearings. Parties to a docket can request to become an authenticated user. Authenticated users can upload documents for filing in a docket, which will then be reviewed for acceptance by the Hearings Division’s Docket Services.
When Docket Services approves a document for filing, it shows up in real time on the public portal for anyone to view.
“RRC CASES continues our efforts to make the agency more efficient and transparent,” said Railroad Commission Chairman Wayne Christian. “I am thankful for all of the hard work our staff put in to finish this project.”
“We continue to make progress to modernize this agency saving time and money for our regulated community while increasing online access to information for the broader public,” said Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick.
“Texans expect our government to be responsive and transparent, and the new RRC CASES system delivers,” said Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton. “Texans can look up documents related to Commission hearings anytime they want, from anywhere they want, making our state government more like the private sector and fulfilling a promise I made to increase transparency at the Railroad Commission.”
Parties or their representatives will be able to file documents and download a file-stamped copy from their offices without having to use regular mail or make a trip to the RRC. The process should be more convenient and efficient for those appearing before the Hearings Division.
Another benefit the public portal provides is to improve the agency’s efficiency. For example, people requesting documents through the open records process can now save time and see the information on RRC CASES.
More than 900 dockets for 2019 and 2020 are currently available on the online portal. As new dockets are created, they will be added to RRC CASES. Currently a portion of the oil and gas docket types are available in RRC CASES. By September 1, all newly requested hearings for all docket types should be created in RRC CASES. Orders for dockets not created in RRC CASES will remain available on the Hearings Division web page.
Visit the RRC CASES public portal at https://rrctx.force.com/s/.
To upload a case file, visit RRC CASES authenticated user login page.
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 more than 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/.