Oil and gas industry insiders who spoke to Politico say they don't necessarily like being regulated but, at the same time, they're also concerned that the Trump regime's reckless crusade will bite them in the ass.
More specifically, they're afraid the public will (rightfully) blame the entire industry when the next major accident happens.
Among their fears: Laxer rules could set the stage for an environmental disaster like 2010’s BP oil spill in the Gulf, which blackened the industry’s reputation and spurred a regulatory clampdown. [...]
A person at one oil and gas company expressed similar worries. "It's not helpful if regulations are streamlined so as to allow something to happen — say, a methane explosion or a spill — and we'd be painted with it as an entire industry," said the person, who requested anonymity to speak freely.
In addition, some large companies that have already spent money to comply with Obama-era regulations fear being undercut by unscrupulous competitors if the Trump administration reverses those rules.
The fear that an "unscrupulous" competitor will skimp on safety and cause a major incident is a very well-founded fear. We've seen that happen many times even during periods of tighter regulation. It stands to reason then that these companies should not fucking support lawmakers and candidates who promise to turn regulatory policy into the wild west.
Maybe you don't like regulations. I get it. But have you considered that some of the regulations are for your own good?
If they're now pondering the consequences of disaster under Trump, they clearly have considered that some regulations may be for their own good, but I'm afraid it's too late for hindsight.
Even if major disaster does happen, that won't necessarily stop them from backing the wrong horse in the next election or the next session of Congress. In so many words, I guess I'm saying these industry insiders are right about Trump, but they're still completely full of shit.