Category: EPA

New Clean Power Plan Coming?

  Updating the fight against the Obama Clean Power Plan by Oklahoma and other states, the D.C. Circuit court suggested it might be a few more weeks before it rules on the lawsuits. Ten judges are hearing the case and they set a March 20 deadline for briefs to be filed in a secondary dispute …

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Pruitt Doubts Carbon Dioxide is a Main Cause of Global Warming

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt turned some heads Thursday morning when he declared carbon dioxide is not a primary contributor to global warming. It’s the answer he gave when questioned during an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “I think that measuring with precision human activity on the climate is something very challenging to do and there’s …

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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 …

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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 …

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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, …

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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 …

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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 …

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Pruitt Asked by AGs to Suspend Very Methane Rules He Challenged

Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter didn’t skip a beat and picked up where former AG and now EPA Director Scott Pruitt left off in challenging the Environmental Protection Agency. Hunter joined attorneys general from 10 other states this week in filing a request with Pruitt to suspend the Obama administration’s regulations aimed at lowering methane …

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Pruitt Worries About Water Grants as EPA Faces Deep Cuts

Yet to be determined—whether the Environmental Protection Agency under the control of Scott Pruitt will be slashed by 25 percent as some reports have indicated. Sounds like Pruitt himself doesn’t know for sure, telling reporters Tuesday night he plans to discuss with the White House ways to save part of his agency’s budget including state …

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Lucas Calls Elimination of WOTUS a ‘Major Win’

Catching up on reaction to President Trump’s executive order reversing the Waters of the U.S. rule. Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas was obviously happy about the move. “The Waters of the U.S. rule has created widespread uncertainty for many of the folks in the agriculture, energy, and construction sectors across our country,” said Lucas in …

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