** A federal judge rules the Trump administration acted illegally when it canceled $7.6 billion in federal grants for clean energy projects in 16 Democratic-leaning states, including Colorado, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. ** Rival carrier T-Mobile piled on as Verizon struggled through a massive nationwide outage on Wednesday, telling customers its own network …
Category: EPA
Governor criticizes AG’s poultry pollution lawsuit settlement
Oklahoma’s Governor used the settlement by Attorney General with one of the firms sued over the poultry litter pollution of the Illinois Water Shed to suggest the AG should have done it years ago. “I am glad to see Attorney General Drummond’s first settlement reflects the guardrails I put in my letter to him on …
Coal ash still in dispute from coal-fired power plants
EPA Move Reignites Coal Ash Disposal Controversy While Oklahoma’s Department of Environmental Quality is in charge of coal ash from the state’s coal-fired power plants, the Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to let 11 coal plants around the U.S. dump toxic coal ash into unlined pits for the next five years. The EPA decision …
AG reaches poultry pollution settlement with Arkansas chicken company
Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced the State of Oklahoma has reached a settlement agreement with George’s, Inc., resolving claims related to poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. “This settlement demonstrates that fair, good-faith negotiations can produce outcomes that serve everyone’s interests—protecting Oklahoma’s water resources while respecting the economic realities facing our agricultural partners,” …
Energy briefs
** President Trump praises the AI boom, but calls for data center builders to “pay their own way” in a social media post. ** A federal judge overturns the Interior Department order halting construction on the nearly-complete Revolution Wind, which the Trump administration targeted in December along with four other wind projects. ** A federal …
Oklahoma Reps. supported agency funding for EPA and others
The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly in support of funding three agencies including Energy and Water Development, Interior and Environment and Commerce, Justice and Science and Oklahoma’s Representatives were in the majority. Oklahoma’s entire delegation, Reps. Stephanie Bice, Josh Brecheen, Tom Cole, Kevin Hern and Frank Lucas were among the 419 Representatives who voted for the …
Energy Brief: Policy, Power and Global Energy Moves
Policy and Regulation ** The Trump administration filed a lawsuit seeking to block natural gas hookup and appliance restrictions in two California cities, arguing the local rules violate a 1975 federal law. Power Generation and Grid ** An Anschutz Corporation subsidiary proposed a 2,000 MW gas generation facility in southern Wyoming to complement the nearby …
Energy Brief: Trump Signals Venezuela Oil Comeback
Energy Brief: Trump Eyes Venezuela Oil Return U.S. Energy Policy & Markets *Government officials in Caracas and Washington are discussing exporting Venezuelan crude to refiners in the United States, five government, industry and shipping sources told Reuters on Tuesday, a deal that could divert supplies away from China while helping state company PDVSA avoid …
Oklahoma Secures Mercedes-Benz Diesel Settlement
Oklahoma to receive funds from Mercedes-Benz diesel settlement State joins nationwide emissions enforcement action Oklahoma will receive more than a quarter-million dollars as part of a nearly $150 million nationwide settlement with Mercedes-Benz over allegations the automaker violated U.S. diesel emissions laws. The settlement resolves claims that Mercedes-Benz used software designed to defeat federal diesel …
Energy briefs
** Danish renewable energy giant Orsted filed suit Thursday against the Department of Interior because it paused its lease on a $5 billion off-shore wind farm in Rhode Island. Orsted’s Revolution Wind project is 87% complete, and “is expected to be ready to deliver reliable, affordable power to American homes in 2026,” a press release said. ** …