DOE Loan Targets Oklahoma Power Line Modernization The U.S. Department of Energy approved a $1.6 billion loan guarantee for American Electric Power (AEP) to modernize 5,000 miles of high-voltage power lines. The upgrades will cross Oklahoma, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. This project will strengthen regional reliability and reduce outages linked to severe weather. …
Category: EPA
Energy briefs
** A fire ignited at BP’s 440,000 barrel-per-day oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana, before it was extinguished on Friday morning, the company said. The blaze at the largest refinery in the U.S. Midwest caused gasoline prices to spike in parts of the region. The fire resulted from an operational incident, and there were no injuries, the company said in …
Williams Cos. waits on a New Jersey pipeline decision
Williams Cos. awaits a decision from New Jersey regulators on its request for approval of its Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline project . The Oklahoma-based company complied with a recent September 25 deadline at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Before Williams can move ahead with the pipeline project, it will need …
New Mexico Senator accuses Energy Secretary of “stealing” energy grants
New Mexico U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich accused Energy Secretary Chris Wright of stealing federal funding for “fully legally compliant energy projects.” He’s also getting his state attorney general involved in fighting Wright’s move of cancelling nearly $8 billion in green energy grants. Heinrich might have some sway in the fight since he is the top …
Energy briefs
** Scientists at Missouri S&T University are hoping to make a major breakthrough in a new study that will examine how a high-enrichment-level nuclear fuel performs in small modular and microreactors. According to Interesting Engineering, the study will be undertaken in partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy. ** The Department of Energy has …
More Hydrogen Hub funding cuts coming?
Those Oklahoma leaders who sought government funding under the Biden administration to develop a regional hydrogen hub with Louisiana and Arkansas might be thankful they didn’t get it. Because after cutting more than $2 billion from 7 hydrogen hubs on the West Coast last week, the U.S. Energy Department reportedly has plans to …
New Mexico Advances PFAS Protection Rules for 2026
New Mexico Pushes Forward on PFAS Rules New Mexico is moving closer to enforcing its PFAS Protection Act.The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has asked the Environmental Improvement Board to approve new rules that will start in July 2026. These rules carry out House Bill 212, which bans or labels consumer products containing toxic PFAS …
Wyoming Oilfield Dumping Case Raises Environmental Concerns
Oilfield Waste Dumping Case Sparks Outrage in Wyoming A court case in Wyoming is stirring national outrage over how lightly environmental crimes are punished in the oil and gas sector. Two oilfield supervisors, Darwin Crawford and Mark Orchard of Baggs, Wyoming, were sentenced for ordering illegal dumping that federal prosecutors say permanently damaged public …
Bill Gates explores Kansas as site for his nuclear projects
TerraPower Considers Kansas for Advanced Nuclear Power Kansas could become home to one of the most advanced nuclear power plants in the nation. TerraPower, the nuclear energy company cofounded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, has confirmed it is exploring sites in Evergy’s service area in Kansas for one of its next-generation nuclear reactors. The announcement …
Greenest cities in America? Not Tulsa and not OKC
Tulsa and OKC Trail Behind in Green Rankings WalletHub, the personal finance company that likes to release all sorts of survey results nationally, is out with its latest–-a list of the Greenest and Least Greenest cities in the U.S. Based on the list, Tulsa is listed number 66 and Oklahoma City is ranked 89th greenest …