Rep. Jim Shaw pushes Save Oklahoma Plan targeting renewables
Freshman lawmaker turns wind energy opposition into agenda
State Rep. Jim Shaw, the conservative lawmaker who unseated longtime Rep. Kevin Wallace in a 2024 Republican primary, is emerging as one of the Legislature’s most vocal critics of renewable energy, particularly wind power and other state-backed green energy initiatives.
Shaw, a Republican from Chandler, has become a familiar figure at rallies and events opposing wind farms, transmission lines, and renewable expansion across Oklahoma. His activism has now translated into legislation and a broader policy blueprint known as the Save Oklahoma Plan, a seven-point conservative agenda that places energy policy and property rights at its core.
Anti-renewable agenda takes shape at the Capitol
According to reporting by Oklahoma Watch, Shaw said the plan grew out of frustrations he encountered both while campaigning and during his first legislative session. He argues that despite strong grassroots support, conservative priorities — especially those related to land use and energy development — often stall under pressure from lobbyists and legislative leadership.
“I got into politics because of issues directly impacting my family, my home, my property and my community,” Shaw told Oklahoma Watch. “And on those issues, we were losing every single time at the Capitol.”
Shaw has been especially critical of wind energy projects, which he says impose infrastructure on rural landowners while benefiting outside developers. He argues that state incentives and regulatory structures unfairly favor renewables at the expense of property owners, local control, and traditional energy producers.
Save Oklahoma Plan reflects grassroots frustration
The Save Oklahoma Plan outlines Shaw’s priorities across multiple areas, including energy policy, regulatory reform, and limits on government authority. While not all seven points focus on energy, opposition to renewable expansion plays a central role, reflecting broader skepticism among some conservatives about federal climate policy and state cooperation with green energy goals.
Shaw contends that what he calls the “mainstream lobby” and “special interests” routinely block legislation aimed at curbing renewable projects or strengthening landowner protections.
“The mainstream lobby and special interests are openly fighting every single one of those items,” he said.
A growing force within the Legislature
Despite being a freshman lawmaker, Shaw has quickly built a following among conservative activists and rural voters who feel sidelined in Oklahoma’s energy debates. His upset victory over Wallace — a powerful appropriations chair — signaled shifting dynamics within the Republican Party, particularly on issues tied to energy development, eminent domain, and rural land rights.
As Oklahoma continues to grapple with data centers, transmission expansion, and competing energy priorities, Shaw’s influence suggests that renewable energy policy will remain a flashpoint at the Capitol heading into future legislative sessions.
SOURCE: Oklahoma Watch
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