Author's posts
City of Seattle Dumps Wells Fargo For Financing Dakota Access Pipeline
The city of Seattle, Washington has sided with protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline, voting this week to cut financial ties with Wells Fargo Bank which is a lender to the controversial $3.8 billion project. The vote prompted the crowd in the city hall to break into cheers with chants of “water is life”. …
Federal Judge Suggests Protesters Won’t Win Lawsuit Over Dakota Access Pipeline Arrests
A North Dakota federal judge has told protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline they probably won’t win their lawsuit filed after a violent clash with police last November. U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland made the statement after law enforcement agencies filed a motion this week to dismiss the suit filed by opponents of the …
Thanks to Oil and Gas Revenue, Oklahoma Ends 20-months of Shrinking Revenue
Driven by increased oil and gas production and prices, Oklahoma’s finally ended 20 months of shrinking state revenue. State Treasurer Ken Miller announced Wednesday that gross receipts grew in January and largely because of increased gross production tax revenue. “Low prices and curtailed production in the oil field led us into the latest downturn, and …
Pruitt’s Confirmation Vote Could Come Next Week—-Democrats Vow Fight
It appears a confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate on Scott Pruitt’s nomination to be the next EPA administrator could be next week. That’s the indication from Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) the ranking Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Also one of the Democrats who for two days last week boycotted the …
Natural Gas Drillers Targeted for New Tax in Pennsylvania
Governor Mary Fallin isn’t the only state leader in the U.S. to target energy as a means to solve a state’s revenue crisis. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed a natural gas production tax. It’s part of a plan to streamline state government and also balance the budget. But some suggest he might only …
Army Gives Go-Ahead for Completion of Dakota Access Pipeline
Months after Oklahomans joined thousands in protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted approval for construction to resume. Work by the Texas developer, Energy Transfer Partners, will allow the completion of the 1,700-mile pipeline. The only work remaining is to construct the final …
Pruitt Hit with Open Records Lawsuit in OKC
Tired of waiting two years in an open records request, a Wisconsin based advocacy group has filed suit in Oklahoma City against Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. The Center for Media and Democracy is accusing Pruitt’s office of violating Oklahoma’s Open Records law. The suit was filed in Oklahoma County District court. “Scott Pruitt has …
Former Inhofe Aide and Devon Lobbyist Expected to be Energy Adviser to Trump
Reports indicate that President Trump is expected to hire an energy lobbyist who once worked as an aide to Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and lobbied for Oklahoma City based Devon Energy. He is Mike Catanzaro, a lobbyist at CGCN Group who was considered a top staffer for Inhofe on the Senate Environment and Public …
California Fearful of Pruitt in Charge of EPA
The pending confirmation of attorney general Scott Pruitt as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency has some California regulators so afraid of him, they are pushing ahead with their own fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles. They fear that once Pruitt takes over, federal car rules might not survive in the Trump administration. Pruitt has …
Number 2 US Senate Democrat Voices “No Confidence” in Pruitt as EPA Chief
It should come as no surprise that another Democrat in the U.S. Senate has publicly announced opposition to Attorney General Scott Pruitt to take over at the Environmental Protection Agency. Here’s how Politico’s Morning Energy Report stated the news: “DURBIN LATEST ‘NO’ ON PRUITT: No. 2 Senate Democrat Dick Durbin invoked a novel rationale in …