Biden Administration Takes Action on Toxic Coal Ash Waste

  In a move that did not yet directly affect any coal ash facilities in Oklahoma due to coal-fired power plants, the Biden administration took what was considered a first significant move this week in addressing widespread problems with the toxic ash from others around the nation. The administration plans action on 9 of 57 …

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Legislator who opposed winter storm rate hikes removed as Energy leader

  A Kansas legislator was yanked as chairman of a House Energy Committee after sending a letter urging Kansas regulators delay utility rate increases over the February winter storm. The Kansas Reflector reported Rep. Joe Seiwert, a Republican from Pretty Prairie is no longer chairman. Click here for Kansas Reflector.

Wind turbine setbacks adopted by regulators in Hutchinson, Kansas

  It took nearly a year and a half of debate before county regulators in Hutchinson, Kansas adopted new regulations on the development of commercial wind turbines in Reno County. The Hutchinson News reports the new regulations include a 2,000 foot setback for wind turbines from homes. Click here for Hutchinson News.

Other energy news stories

** The Environmental Protection Agency is taking its first major action to address toxic wastewater from coal-burning power plants, ordering utilities to stop dumping waste into unlined storage ponds and speed up plans to close leaking or otherwise dangerous coal ash sites. ** The US government spent $1.1 billion on carbon capture projects that mostly failed. ** U.S. …

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Halliburton and others to form Texas Geothermal Alliance

  A geothermal energy group that has the backing of Halliburton, Baker Hughes, CenterPoint Energy and others will be launched Thursday in Texas. The Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance will be used to help Halliburton and others transition to low-carbon energy from oil and gas reported Reuters. Click here for Reuters.  

Enterprise buys $3B of Permian Basin natural gas assets

  Houston’s Enterprise Products just plunked down more than $3 billion in the acquisition of natural gas processing facilities in the Permian Basin. Enterprise acquired Navitas Midstream Partners in a $3.25 billion deal that included 1,750 miles of pipelines and nearly 1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas processing capacity reported the Carlsbad …

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U.S. Steel to build new mill in NE Arkansas

  Northeast Arkansas is the choice by United States Steel Corp. for its $3 billion mill where up to 900 workers will be hired. The Pittsburgh-based company announced this week it picked Osceola for the site of its new mill and construction is expected to begin early this year reported the Associated Press. Click here …

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Federal court overrules Oklahoma’s blocked train law

  The Denver Federal Appeals Court has ruled in favor of Burlington Northern Railway in its fight against an Oklahoma law limiting a 10-minute blocking of traffic by its stopped trains. The Oklahoman reported the ruling from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals explained the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act gives the federal Surface …

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Hern Says Small Businesses Suffering From Inflation, Supply Chain Disruption

U.S. Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement following the release of December inflation statistics and their impact on small business optimism from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). “Biden’s policies are directly harming small businesses,” said Rep. Hern. “Expansion of the welfare state, overreaching government mandates, and out of control federal spending are crippling …

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Brooke Poole Clark Announced as Secretary to Nuclear Regulatory Commission

  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced the selection of Brooke Poole Clark as the new Secretary to the Commission effective Spring 2022. In her new position, Clark will provide executive management services to support the Commission and implement NRC decisions. The Office of the Secretary serves a critical role at the agency and is …

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