Author's posts
Lawsuit Accuses Chesapeake of Mismanaging Retirement Investments
Three former employees of Chesapeake Energy have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Oklahoma City energy company of violating a federal retirement act and causing the loss of tens of millions of dollars in its retirement program. The suit (CIV-17-279-R) was filed by David A. Scholl, Brian K. Glover and Dennis W. Vaughn who at …
Pruitt Stays EPA’s Chemical Storage Rule
Under orders of Administrator Scott Pruitt, the EPA has stayed a controversial rule that was to have taken effect on Tuesday in a move to prevent explosions and accidents at refineries and chemical plants. The former Oklahoma Attorney General decided to reconsider the Risk Management Program which was fought by Sen. Jim Inhofe and others. …
Rep. Bridenstine Waiting for Trump Decision on NASA
While Congress is abundantly aware that Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine would like to become the next NASA administrator, no such decision has been made at the Trump White House. If it has, it has not been announced. It was last fall when the Republican congressman from the 1st District announced his intentions to seek …
Senate Votes to Strip Landowners of Tool in Fighting Wind Farms
Just because the legislature appears intent on wiping out tax credits for the wind industry doesn’t mean legislators are totally against the industry. In recent days, the Oklahoma Senate voted 36-8 in support of Senate Bill 593 by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz of Altus and House Speaker Charles Mccall. The bill strips …
Oklahoma’s Oil and Gas Added 700 Jobs in January
As Oklahoma’s oil and gas sector added jobs in the past few months, it helped the state trim the jobless rate for January from 4.8% to 4.7% according to figures released by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. It still leaves 85,324 Oklahomans out of work. But employment grew by an estimated 6,700 jobs to reach …
Tulsa Company Forced to Use Eminent Domain in Pipeline Construction
One of the latest fights against a pipeline is taking place in northwest Georgia where work is underway on what’s called the Dalton expansion project. It’s being built by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC, a subsidiary of Williams Partners LP of Tulsa in conjunction with Atlanta-based Dogwood Enterprise Holdings Inc. In this case, TRANSCO …
Coffee to Lobby Pruitt at EPA over Renewable Fuel Standards
(From their days in the State Senate.) Who could blame two of the newly-registered lobbyists on Capitol Hill in Washington DC for wanting to take advantage of old political ties. Both are Oklahomans and the man they will be lobbying is Scott Pruitt, new chief at the Environmental Protection Agency, a former colleague. Former Oklahoma …
Hobby Lobby Ruling Basis for Tribe’s Appeal of Dakota Access Pipeline Decision
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is being asked again by the Native American protesters in North Dakota to block final construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline. Their latest appeal comes after a federal court ruled against their attempt based on religious freedom rights. And Oklahoma’s Hobby Lobby case …
3-Judge Panel to Hear Government’s Appeal of Court Ruling Against Fracking Rules
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver has identified the three judges who will consider the legal challenges to the Obama administration’s controversial hydraulic fracturing rules for public and tribal lands. Judges Jerome Holmes, Harris Hartz and Mary Beck Briscoe will preside over the hearings and the challenge of the oil and gas …
Gen. Tom Stafford Still Enthusiastic About Space Travel
At age 86, retired Air Force Lt. General and Oklahoma native astronaut Tom Stafford is as excited about space travel as he ever was. His excitement was on recent display when he testified before the U.S. House committee on Science, Space and Technology, discussing the past, present and future of NASA. During the questions from …