Looking back on energy issues that happened in 2023, one was the testimony offered to Congress by Lucas Gjovig, CEO of GO Wireline who is also a member of the Oklahoma Workforce Advisory board.
He testifed in March before the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy and Supply Chains hearing entitled “Highlighting the Role of Small Businesses in Domestic Energy Production.”
The following is how his testimony was reported by the Energy Workforce and Policy Council.
This subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX-38) focuses on the role of small businesses in rural development, energy and supply chains. The hearing was an opportunity for the Subcommittee to hear expert testimony from small business leaders in the energy industry on how recent regulatory actions have impacted their companies. Additionally, the hearing highlighted H.R.1, the House GOP’s primary piece of legislation addressing issues impacting the domestic energy industry.
In his testimony, Gjovig outlined the important role small businesses like GO Wireline play in energy production.
He explained the negative impacts an inefficient and delayed permitting process have had on the ability for the industry as a whole to increase energy production.
“Permitting reform and access to federal lands is important to ensure we have a steady supply of American production going forward for the future. We do have work going on today, but five years from now, if we don’t have permitting reform and access to federal lands isn’t granted, we will see a negative impact on production.”
Gjovig also discussed the specific impacts a final SEC climate disclosure rule would have on small businesses, specifically the overwhelming costs of compliance with such a complex regulation. He discussed how negative and inaccurate rhetoric from the Administration’s highest levels impacts the ability for energy companies to secure capital and financing necessary to grow and expand businesses. He also noted that this impacts the ability for our domestic industry to ramp up production to keep down energy costs to consumers.
“The policy decisions by the current Administration combined with the politicized hostility that has targeted the U.S. oil and natural gas industry is hindering our industry’s ability to provide abundant, reliable, and clean sources of energy that both the U.S. and our allies need now to meet energy demand, to improve standard of living, to provide national security, and to reduce global emissions.”
Gjovig’s testimony and engagement made a significant contribution to the energy policy discussions occurring at the Federal level, and a continuation of the sector’s education and advocacy efforts.
