December 2017 archive

Scientists Barred from EPA Advisory Panels Sue Pruitt Over his Ban

  EPA chief Scott Pruitt finds himself facing another lawsuit. This one has been filed by scientific advocacy groups and individuals who disagree with his ban of scientists sitting on EPA advisory committees if they have received EPA grants. In their lawsuit filed in D.C. federal court, the groups claim his ban violates federal rules …

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Major Rail Order for New Locomotives to Keep Ft. Worth Workers Busy

Workers will be busy in the coming year at the Fort Worth operations of GE Transportation where railroad locomotives are made. That’s because CN Railway announced it plans to buy 200 new locomotives over the next three years to handle future growth opportunities. The locomotives will be produced at the GE Manufacturing Solutions plant in …

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GOP Reps Want to Know How Pruitt Came up With Superfund Site Priority List

Even some top House Republicans have some questions for EPA Chief Scott Pruitt. They sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee and recently sent him a letter wondering how he came up with the new list of top 21 priority Superfund sites. Representatives Greg Walden, Fred Upton and John Shimkus wrote Pruitt in recent days …

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Apache Secures Pipeline Transport of Gas from Permian Basin

Apache Corporation, the Houston-based company with operations in Tulsa, Elk City and Chickasha, Oklahoma announced it’s secured 500 million cubic feet a day of natural gas transport capacity on the new Gulf Coast Express Pipeline Project in west Texas. As part of the deal, Apache also secured an option for up to 15 percent equity …

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Inhofe Says Nation Can’t Afford to Delay Improvements to Transportation Network

A warning about the need to make improvements to the nation’s transportation network was recently issued by Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe during a Senate subcommittee hearing. “The economy will only continue to grow if our infrastructure is maintained and expanded to meet our future needs,” he warned to the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee …

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Pipeline Worker Killed in Trench Collapse

The dangers of laying pipeline were brought home on Thursday when a 29-year old man was killed when an estimated 20 tons of dirt buried him alive while he worked on laying pipe in Wichita, Kansas. Three others with him escaped unhurt. Crews dug desperately for 5 hours before finding the man who worked for …

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Homeland Security Suspends Chemical Tests in Northern Oklahoma

The controversy over a proposed chemical test in northern Oklahoma has been suspended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security following organized opposition by residents. The DHS made the announcement Thursday saying it suspended its plans to release chemicals on the Chilocco Indian  School campus as part of a test for a biological attack. The …

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Oil Prices Increase as Refineries Draw More Crude

Oil prices rose slightly in Thursday’s trading both in the U.S. and overseas as the U.S. crude inventories experienced a bigger than expected decline in the latest reporting week. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 13 cents to reach $58.22 a barrel in trading for Feb. 2018 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude in …

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STACK Keeps Yielding Large Wells for Oil and Gas Explorers

The STACK continues delivering big wells for oil and gas explorers. The latest completion reports from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission show Oklahoma City-based Continental Resources recently finishing a well that produced more than 1,600 barrels of oil daily. The Bailey 1-34-3XH well is located approximately 4 miles west of the Blaine county community of Greenfield …

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New Regional EPA Administrator Not Inclined to Blame Humans for Climate Change

Just 10 days after being nominated as the Region 6 Administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency in Dallas and Anne Idsal has made comments environmentalists might not appreciate. Maybe they expected her to tell the Dallas Morning News she’s much like EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt when it comes to blaming humans on any climate change. …

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