February 2020 archive

More cities considered for Oklahoma’s insurance verification system

A new report by Oklahoma Watch says more than 13,000 drivers have bought insurance after being caught by cameras used in the state’s insurance verification system. The Uninsured Vehicle Enforcement Diversion program, launched in December 2018,  uses fixed and mobile cameras to capture license plate information. Five cameras are in the Tulsa area; six more …

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Congressman reacts to President’s proposed slashing of EPA Superfund budget

  While President Trump’s proposed budget includes cutting $2.4 billion from the EPA, including its Superfund program, Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin suggests it’s only a proposal and might not become a reality. It’s what he said in response to the President’s plan to slash funding for the Superfund program that monitors and administers the cleanup …

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Critics blast environmental policy changes supported by Oklahoma Senators

The Trump administration’s proposed rollback of landmark environmental law, a move supported by Oklahoma U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford and 16 other US Senators drew heavy criticism this week at a federal hearing in Denver, Colorado. Dozens testified against the administration’s plans to cut some of the restrictions of the National Environmental Policy …

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Energy news in brief

** President Donald Trump has proposed selling 15 million barrels of oil from the U.S. emergency stockpile as part of his fiscal 2021 budget plan. The proposal, which requires approval from Congress, would use the proceeds of the sale to fund certain Energy Department activities, including the environmental remediation of an oil field in Elk Hills, California, …

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Ohio legislators consider tougher anti-pipeline protest bill

When Oklahoma created a law a few years ago targeting environmental protesters of oil and gas pipelines and other energy-related projects, it led to a handful of other states doing the same. Ever since, protests against pipelines under construction have been far and few—-almost non-existent. When the first Keystone pipeline was constructed in Oklahoma, protesters …

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Bakken production to peak in 5 years?

Legislators in North Dakota were told this week the peak of oil and gas drilling in the state’s Bakken play might be only five years off. It’s an important region to oil and gas exploration companies like Oklahoma City’s Continental Resources Inc. whose founder Harold Hamm was one of the early explorers of the play …

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South Dakota legislators reject bill targeting Keystone XL pipeline

An attempt failed Tuesday that would have required South Dakota regulators to reconsider a permit if a utility project hadn’t been built in 10 years. Senate Democratic leader Troy Heinert of Mission brought SB 126 primarily because of the Keystone XL oil pipeline that is still in the preliminary stages according to KELO TV in South Dakota. …

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NextEra Energy prepares to resume wind farm fight in Kansas

NextEra Energy, the company that battled Oklahoma over its wind farms and interference with low-level military aircraft training in 2019 is facing another legal battle. But this one is in Kansas where it filed suit after being denied a conditional use permit for a commercial wind farm in Reno County. The Hutchinson News reported the …

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SE Oklahoma wind farm becomes operational

Oklahoma’s latest wind farm to start generating electricity is the 100-megawatt Wildhorse Mountain Wind Facility in Pushmataha County. Wildhorse is owned by Southern Power which announced this week the wind farm became operational. Power from the operation is being supplied to the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. under a 20-year contract. The farm is comprised of …

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Investment in Devon Energy by Atlanta firm

An SEC filing by Oklahoma City-based Devon Energy shows ownership of more than 24 million shares by an Atlanta, Georgia investment firm. This week’s filing indicated Invesco Ltd. owned a total of 24,447,689 shares in Devon, of which 22,918,193 gave the company sole voting power and ownership of 6.4% of the company’s total shares. The …

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