** EPA is preparing new quotas for how much biofuel must be blended into gasoline, as the administration balances competing interests from the oil and agriculture industries, Bloomberg reports. ** Boulder County, Colorado’s sheriff’s department adds a Tesla to its patrol-vehicle fleet. ** Alaska politicians denounce a federal judge’s order this week voiding approved permits for a major …
August 2021 archive
Stalled progress made in air pollution fight in Arkansas
A new report on air quality shows Arkansas cut its ozone levels in the past decade but hasn’t made much progress in the past five years. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports the “2020 State of the Air” report by the Arkansas Energy and Environment’s Office of Air Quality indicated the state has not exceeded …
Colorado energy firm faces $1 million to $3 million in fines
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post Denver based K.P. Kauffman Co. faces a possible $1.2 million in fines from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for violation of several oil and gas rules. The fines could grow as the Commission resumes a hearing this week into the alleged violations. The Denver Post …
Major utilities move forward with February storm rate hike requests
The February winter storm that hit Oklahoma and the rest of the Southwest and Midwest resulting in power outages and rolling blackouts is about to possibly hit customers of Oklahoma’s major utilities a second time—with increased utility bills. Documents filed in recent days with Oklahoma regulators indicate consumer groups are critical of the rate …
New energy company formed in NE Oklahoma City
EightTwenty, a new energy services company based in Oklahoma City, announced its plans to create 75 energy jobs and establish a zero-energy headquarters in Northeast Oklahoma City over the next two years. In conjunction with the company’s official launch, EightTwenty announced it completed its first Give Solar project with RestoreOKC by installing solar panels …
Northwest New Mexico leaders want their region to become hydrogen hub
Business leaders of northwest New Mexico used U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s visit last week to win her support to turn the region into a hub for hydrogen energy. Granholm spent time touring a Farmington facility that manufactures blue hydrogen reactors that use methane derived from natural gas. Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich joined …
San Luis Valley solar array to power bitcoin operation
Already home to huge solar arrays, Colorado’s San Luis Valley located in the south central region of the state is about to become home to another such array—one created to power bitcoin operations. The operations for the bitcoin mining will be staged in Colorado’s Alamosa County and financed and run by Wyoming-based Ziyen Energy, …
CSU-Pueblo first university in Colorado to be 100% powered by solar energy
The campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo became the first university in the state to reach net-zero efficiency by being 100% powered by solar energy. Click here for KRDO radio story.
Oklahoma regulators to review finances
Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners meet Tuesday morning to get an update on the agency’s financial operations. The posted agenda included a summary of agency financial activity including a review of July 2021 financials and possible discussion of FY 2021 and FY 2022 budgets. The discussion will be with Holly George, the agency’s Chief Financial Officer …
Rep. Hern says the nation’s true leaders are back home—not in Washington DC
Tulsa congressman Kevin Hern spent nearly three weeks back in his first congressional district and took part in dozens of meetings. One was with management and workers at the Midwestern Manufacturing & Pipe Line Products company in Tulsa. Their discussions focused on the importance of U.S. manufacturing and American energy independence. Rep. Hern held …
