Short-line railroads receive funding in Kansas

  The South Kansas and Oklahoma short line railroad is among several in Kansas to receive $5 million in grants from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Thirteen small rail road related projects received funding awards according to an announcement by Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz. The 13 were recipients of KDOT’s …

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Gains traded for losses by energy companies in Tuesday’s stock trades

  Monday’s gains made for Oklahoma energy firms turned to losses for the most part in Tuesday’s trading. Alliance Resource Partners dropped 4% or 11 cents to finish at $2.83 per share. Blueknight Energy Partners LP slipped 3 cents or 2% to $1.42. Chesapeake Energy finished the day ahead 3 cents for a 1% gain …

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Oil prices notch back-to-back gains on supply disruptions, hurricane fears

  Oil futures notched back-to-back gains Tuesday, building on the previous session’s sharp climb as investors focused on a strike that’s curtailed Norwegian output and Hurricane Delta, which has led to production disruptions in the Gulf of Mexico. Delta is “rapidly intensifying as it enters the Gulf and oil companies are already beginning offshore evacuations …

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NRG Energy Appoints Lisa Donohue to Expanded Board

Houston-based NRG Energy announced the appointment of Elisabeth (Lisa) Donohue as a new Independent Director to its Board of Directors effective October 5, 2020, according to a company press release issued Monday. “The Board is pleased to welcome Ms. Donohue as our newest Independent Director; Lisa’s distinguished consumer- and digital-focused career will bring valuable diversity of thought and expertise …

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Inhofe’s 15-year old law helped Oklahoma after U.S. Supreme Indian reservation ruling

  Fifteen years after Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe’s so-called EPA “midnight rider” won approval on a highway funding bill, it paid off for Oklahoma. And environmentalists don’t like it. We’ve learned more details about the EPA’s decision to let Oklahoma enforce environmental rules and regulations in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that …

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Energy news in brief

** ExxonMobil plans to reduce staffing levels across a number of its European affiliates. It is anticipated that up to 1,600 positions would be impacted by the end of 2021 across the company’s affiliates in Europe. ** CF Industries announced the company will make a $41.4 million capital investment to enhance nitric acid production at the …

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Tissue-manufacturing plant formally opens in Inola

  Inola, Oklahoma is now home to a $360 million Sofidel tissue manufacturing plant that became operational this week. The company announced the formal opening of the 1.8 million-square-foot plant capable of producing 120,000 tons of tissue a year. The plant is also the company’s second greenfield investment in the U.S. reported the Tulsa World. …

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Feds help fund industrial rail expansion in Jonesboro

  A federal grant of $2.5 million to the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas will result in an expansion of rail storage for industrial park manufacturers and create 100 new jobs and keep 400 others. The Commerce Department grant will help expand the rail storage for industrial park manufacturers according to KAIT News. Anthony Foti, Assistant …

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Tax collections show coronavirus pandemic continues slamming Oklahoma’s economy

  Oklahoma Treasurer Randy McDaniel says despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma’s economy is doing “relatively” well. But the September revenue streams from tax collections show oil and gas remains weak. Three of the state’s four major revenue streams show contraction in September’s Gross Receipts to the Treasury report, similar to the picture seen in total …

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Rail transportation update on COVID-19 impact

  The railroad industry will have a chance Wednesday to tell U.S. Senators how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting its business. Rail leaders will testify before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Dubbed “Passenger and Freight Rail: The Current Status of the Rail Network and the Track Ahead,” the hearing will examine the …

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