Oklahoman Scott Mason, named the Region 6 Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency marked the first 100 days of the Trump Administration with a letter highlighting some of the agency’s efforts in Oklahoma.
Mason was appointed by President Trump to be the regional administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s South Central Region. This is Mason’s second appointment to EPA, having served as the Director of the EPA’s American Indian Environmental Office during President Trump’s first administration. Most recently, he was the Deputy Secretary of Energy of Oklahoma.
“This week at the Environmental Protection Agency, we’re marking 100 days of environmental accomplishments under President Trump. As the Regional Administrator appointed by President Trump to lead EPA Region 6, which covers Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and 66 federally recognized Tribes, I want to highlight some of the accomplishments that have benefitted communities in Oklahoma. As a native Oklahoman, I’m thrilled to serve in EPA Region 6 and share this good news with you.
We’ve achieved many goals throughout our region, and in Oklahoma. We are protecting human health and the environment while allowing the economy and business to flourish. This is a key part of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s Powering the Great American Comeback strategy, proving we can protect human health and the environment without compromising the economy.
Recently I joined Administrator Zeldin, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in Oklahoma City at the Hamm Institute’s Powering AI Global Summit. Over and over, we heard from energy-industry leaders that in order for the U.S. to get ahead in AI development, we need to reduce regulatory burdens that add time and costs to building data centers and other infrastructure.
Oklahoma’s energy industry is poised to be a leader for AI, and through Administrator Zeldin’s Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative, we’ll work to unleash American energy, which will go hand in hand with AI advancement and data center proliferation
Since January 20, the Region 6 staff has done great work on behalf of Oklahomans. Emergency response teams have overseen several cleanups. In Tulsa, we completed an assessment of over 100 deteriorating, leaking storage drums and will soon begin the cleanup to ensure that no material enters nearby Flat Rock Creek.
Near Pawhuska, we oversaw the cleanup of produced water and crude oil that released from an above ground production line. In Catoosa, we worked with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Tulsa HAZMAT, and local first responders to clean up a spill of sodium hydroxide and diesel from an overturned tanker truck. And in Muskogee, we are making significant progress to address legacy contamination at the Fansteel Metals site. This includes close coordination with the Cherokee Nation and Muscogee (Creek) Nation, which have territory and areas of cultural significance within or near the site.
We’re also continuing our long-term work at the Tar Creek Superfund site in Ottawa County. Recently, our lead team funded a presentation on lead safety for children and families at a community meeting.
In the spirit of cooperative federalism, I must note our success would not be possible without our state, local, and Tribal partners. Nothing demonstrates this link better than Brownfields, EPA’s program to assess and redevelop abandoned, unused properties.
The Oklahoma DEQ and Corporation Commission boast some of the nation’s most effective state programs, which helped transform Oklahoma City’s Skirvin Hotel, Scissortail Park, BOK Center, and many other sites into the iconic landmarks they are today. This year, we’ve already completed reuse actions with OCC in El Reno and Cordell and the Kickapoo Tribe in Harrah.
I’m excited by our progress and proud of the role EPA Region 6 has played in Powering the Great American Comeback so far. I look forward to bringing more success to the great state of Oklahoma in next 100 days and beyond.”
