U.S. Rep. Brecheen makes case to FERC why Kiamichi River power project should be denied

 

 

Oklahoma Congressman Josh Brecheen made known his opposition of a proposed Kiamichi River hydroelectric power project to the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

In a letter sent this week to Willie L. Phillips, chairman of FERC, Rep. Brecheen stated, “This project would, without due process, deprive Oklahomans of the constitutional right to private property and jeopardize American national security.”

The Republican Representative had earlier stated his public opposition to the project but repeated his reasons in the letter to chairman Phillips. He cited three reasons.

“First, to successfully implement it would require the seizure through eminent domain of 35,000 acres of private land, while the power generated would be sold in Texas, not Oklahoma.”

Rep. Brecheen said eminent domain is meant to be for the “public benefit” and the project would benefit Texas, not Oklahoma.

“Therefore, exercising eminent domain over 35,000 acres of Oklahoma land to send power to Texas is an improper usage of the power.”

His second reason in opposing the project is that the Kiamichi River’s water is regulated by an agreement between Oklahoma City and the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations.

Rep. Brecheen’s third reason against the proposed project is the claim that the Southeastern Oklahoma Power Corporation (SEOPC), is run by an individual with tiers to the Chinese Communist Party.

“Foreign entities that are hostile to the American Republic have no right to own land in our nation.”

Click below to read Brecheen’s letter to the FERC Chairman.

file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Brecheen%20FERC%20Project%2014890-005%20Comment%20Letter.pdf

He also passed along documentation previously provided to the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

To: Speaker McCall

From: Congressman Brecheen

Date: June 26, 2024

RE: Southeast Oklahoma Power Corporation Chinese Communist Party Links

Background:

  • Since 2018, the Southeast Oklahoma Power Corporation (SEOPC) has been attempting to build a hydroelectric power plant on the Kiamichi River in LeFlore and Pushmataha Counties.[i]
    • SEOPC is owned and operated by a Chinese Communist Party-linked individual, Mr. Johann Tse.
    • The project would require the eminent domaining of many homes in the surrounding area and all the power produced would be sold in Texas, not Oklahoma.
  • In order to build the plant SEOPC needs the approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
    • Their applications have thus far been denied, most recently in March 2024 when FERC said SEOPC had failed to do their “due diligence” regarding the extent of eminent domain requirements.[ii]
    • However, they continued to pursue the project and issued another application for approval to FERC on May 7th.[iii]
  • On June 6th, FERC reached out to numerous Indian tribes, including the Choctaw, in whose nation the entirety of the Kiamichi runs, asking for their opinion on the project.

Local constituents have been asking my office to step in to prevent the project.

Johann Tse:[1]

  • President of SEOPC, Johann Tse is also the founder of Aquarian Capital, a firm with extensive business dealings inside the Chinese mainland.
    • Aquarian Capital exists to partner American and European firms with Chinese state-owned companies.[iv]
    • They have 4 offices in the People’s Republic of China and boast “…extensive relationships with across governments and industries in the Greater China region…”[v]
      • This is corroborated by local news outlet, Oklahoma Energy Today.[vi]
    • Tse is the founder of the Heart Pact Fund Management Company, a firm partnered with the Chinese state-owned telecommunications company, China Unicom in southeastern China.
      • In November 2020, the Trump administration prohibited the trading of securities from Unicom due to its links to the People’s Liberation Army.[vii]
        • Following the Trump administration’s lead. the New York Stock Exchange removed Unicom from its exchange.[viii]
      • Since September 2022, China Unicom is banned from operating inside the United States as the Federal Communications Commission lists it as a “national security threat.”[ix]
    • He is a member of Swire LTD a Chinese public relations firm that is a member of the Communist Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ China International Public Relations Association (CIPRA).[x]
      • CIPRA’s express goal is to represent China on the international stage and to “…help win the great victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” [xi]
    • Tse is a president of the Great Land Choral Society, a Chinese language singing group in Dallas Texas.
      • The group introduced him in 2013 as an advisor to the Confucius Institute at the University of Texas, Dallas.
        • The Confucius Institute is a Chinese state-run cultural exchange organization that places Chinese students on college campuses.
      • The organization is well known for using its students to steal intellectual property from American universities and surveil overseas Chinese people.
      • In August 2020, the Trump administration designated the Confucius Institute as an arm of the Chinese government, used as “an entity advancing Beijing’s global propaganda and malign influence campaign on U.S. campuses and K-12 classrooms. ”[xii]
    • In 2014, Mr. Tse attended a conference in Beijing for the Chinese solar power industry.
      • The express purpose of the conference was to implement the “Spirit of the 18th Communist Party China Central Committee,” in the industry and to “Accomplish the goals of the 12th Five-Year Plan.”[xiii]

Findings:

The fact of the matter is that while Mr. Tse may or may not be an official member of the Chinese Communist Party, he is deeply involved with its members and their goals. For this reason, he, and any company or organization he is a part of, should have no place in Oklahoma or the United States.

[1] References and exhibits courtesy of Jenny Jing at the Epoch Times.

[i] https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/26/2018-25585/southeast-oklahoma-power-corporation-notice-of-preliminary-permit-application-accepted-for-filing

[ii] https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/3f/32/f7d06f01420baface12311ee75c7/p-14890-noi-rejection.pdf

[iii] The information regarding this application is “Privileged,” and therefore was, “Redacted,” by FERC.

[iv] Exhibit 1. http://aquariancapital.com/modules/pico/index.php?content_id=1

[v] Ibid.

[vi] https://www.okenergytoday.com/2024/03/hydro-project-developer-has-ties-to-china/

[vii] Exhibit 2. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/11/17/2020-25459/addressing-the-threat-from-securities-investments-that-finance-communist-chinese-military-companies

[viii] Exhibit 3 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/01/business/nyse-delist-china-mobile.html

[ix] Exhibit 2. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/11/17/2020-25459/addressing-the-threat-from-securities-investments-that-finance-communist-chinese-military-companies

[x] Exhibit 4. https://archive.md/EbMSh

[xi] Exhibit 5. https://archive.md/VU134

[xii] Exhibit 6 https://2017-2021.state.gov/designation-of-the-confucius-institute-u-s-center-as-a-foreign-mission-of-the-prc/

[xiii] Exhibit 7 https://archive.md/1JrIo#selection-2461.565-2461.577