Author's posts
Questions Remain About What Kind of Environmental Enforcer Scott Pruitt Will Be
As Scott Pruitt enters week three of his rein over the Environmental Protection Agency, environmentalists are still curious as to what kind of enforcement of environmental laws he will demand and carry out. As Environment and Energy reporter Mike Soraghan wrote this week, “Pruitt’s philosophy on environmental enforcement is mostly unknown. He doesn’t have much …
EPA’s Energy Star Program Likely to Be Eliminated
An EPA program aimed at improving energy ratings in homes and offices across the country could be eliminated under a White House preliminary budget proposal. The Energy Star program, which includes Oklahoma’s state government as well as utilities could get the axe as the Trump administration seeks ways to save money and finance the President’s …
Senator Wants Bill Heard Giving Immunity to Those Who Shoot Down Drones
Drones and those who might shoot them down over private property are the subject of a bill headed to the State senate floor. Sen. Ralph Shortey, R-Oklahoma City authored Senate Bill 660 which would make property owners who destroy drones flying over their land immune from civil action. He’s hoping to have the bill heard this …
Oklahoma Rig Count Slips While the National Count Grows
Oklahoma’s oil and gas rig count slipped below 100 over the past week while the national count grew by two to reach 756, according to figures released by Baker Hughes Co. The Oklahoma county dropped by 3 to reach 98. Nationally, the county of 756 is 267 more than one year ago. The increase in …
Senators Block EPA Plan to Release Chemical Storage Information
Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe has some support in a move to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing what he calls a “midnight” regulation requiring chemical storage information be made available to the public. Together with Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, …
Former Kerr-McGee Operation remains Superfund Site in North Carolina
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to update the public later this month on one of its existing Superfund sites created by the former Kerr-McGee Company when it was based in Oklahoma City. The 251-acre site is in Navassa, North Carolina where Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation carried out creosote-based wood treating from 1936 to 1974. The company …
Why Are Superfund Sites Still Around After 30 Years? Asks Pruitt
As the new leader of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt has indicated he wants to make clearing long-term Superfund sites from the EPA’s national list. It’s what he recently told the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington D.C. Pruitt drew applause when he said one program that has been successful and will …
Pruitt Scraps EPA’s New Methane Rule on Oil and Gas Industry
Didn’t take Scott Pruitt long to act on a request by Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter and 10 others to put an end to the 4-month old EPA methane regulation adopted by the Obama Administration against the oil and gas industry. On Thursday, one day after getting a letter from Hunter and the other attorneys …
Legislator Challenges Lack of Openness in OCC Task Force Bill
An attempt to create a task force to study energy regulations enforced by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has resulted in a spat over the lack of transparency of such a group. House Minority leader Scott Inman has raised questions about House Bill 1377 proposed by House Speaker Charles McCall. Rep. Inman believes the measure would …
Legislators Attempt Again to Change Horizontal Drilling Laws
Two years later and some things never change in the Oklahoma legislature, such as attempts to modernize the state’s regulations regarding horizontal oil and gas drilling. It was April 2015 when OK Energy Today reported on attempts in the legislature. Those efforts are still underway in 2017 as the Oklahoma House Energy and Natural Resources …