SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Western States Petroleum Association President Catherine Reheis-Boyd issued the following statement regarding the incoming Biden administration.

“When it comes to getting our future right, the stakes have never been higher. As we face a global pandemic, economic devastation, deep political divisions, and climate change, now more than ever we need to work inclusively and collaboratively across party lines, industries, and interests.

As President Biden sets the stage for addressing America’s compounding crises, including a call-to-action around aggressive climate goals, thousands of dedicated and conscientious scientists, engineers and passionate problem-solvers across the oil and gas industry stand ready to bring their ingenuity and expertise to the table. For decades they have been proudly supplying the people across the West with safe, reliable energy produced under the most stringent environmental regulations in the world. Our industry also continues to support—and significantly invest in—the advancement of renewable energy, liquid fuel improvements, as well as technological and process innovations to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions.

We applaud President Biden’s call for unity. Climate change is a global issue and it’s going to take each and every one of us working together to do our part to address it. The oil and gas industry has long been hard at work to reduce carbon emissions and improve our collective impact on the environment. Through inclusive innovation, we are eager to implement engineering and energy solutions that position us to serve as example in achieving carbon neutrality at a scale that matters.

We believe if we set aside political differences, listen to the data, respect the science, and pool our resources, together we can create a truly sustainable energy future that meets the important needs of our environment, social equality, and our economy.”