** President Donald Trump said Monday that he has spoken to U.S. oil companies about what happens after regime change in Venezuela. At a Mar-a-Lago press conference Monday to announce a new “Trump Class” of battleships, a reporter asked, if Trump had spoken to American oil companies “that have had their assets seized about what a post-Maduro regime …
Category: EPA
Governor Stitt criticizes Judge’s poultry ruling
The federal judge’s recent ruling which ordered poultry operations to pay millions of dollars in pollution cleanup of the Illinois River prompted Gov. Kevin Stitt to defend the poultry operations attacked by Attorney General Genter Drummond. After the Friday decision, the governor commented on Monday. “These family farmers did everything the right way. …
Energy Brief: Oil seizures, grid strain, travel surge
** The United States apprehended an oil tanker off Venezuela on Saturday, a move Caracas called a “theft and kidnapping,” according to U.S. officials. The action marks the second tanker interdiction in two weeks and follows President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade targeting sanctioned oil vessels entering or leaving Venezuela. ** Texas grid officials …
Legislator fears loss of family operations over poultry court order
Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, responded to a federal court order issued Friday that placed new restrictions on poultry litter use in the Illinois River watershed, a decision he said could have devastating consequences for poultry farmers and rural communities across several eastern Oklahoma counties. The ruling limits land application of poultry litter, imposes financial penalties …
Energy briefs
** The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told Reuters on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than a week. ** A second oil tanker was seized by the U.S. Coast Guard on Saturday off the coast of …
Judge fines poultry firms over Oklahoma pollution—orders remediation of lawsuit
A federal judge’s ruling in Oklahoma’s more than 20-year lawsuit against several poultry companies accused of polluting rivers and streams held the firms responsible for the pollution of the Illinois River in the eastern part of the state. The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frizzell was against Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, Cobb-Vantress, Cal-Maine …
Energy Briefs: Power outages, coal orders, global risks
Energy Brief: Power outages, coal orders, global risks U.S. Energy & Policy • Colorado wind shutdownsMore than 90,000 homes were without power across Colorado’s northern Front Range Thursday morning as Xcel Energy shut off electricity ahead of 90 mph winds and extreme fire danger. Schools closed, work was canceled, and residents expressed frustration over the …
Energy Brief: Coal Plants, EV Funding, Global Power Shifts
Energy Brief: Power, Coal and Grid Tensions Escalate United States Coal plants ordered to stay onlineThe Trump administration ordered the Centralia coal plant in Washington to continue operating beyond its scheduled Dec. 31 closure, even though state law requires utilities to stop burning coal at the end of the year. House backs authority to delay …
Western states urged to prepare for data center growth
Rapid data center growth expected across western states A new study examining the impact of data centers across western U.S. states, including Colorado and New Mexico, warns that artificial intelligence-driven development could expand more than four times faster than growth seen over the past decade. The analysis finds the surge will not only drive up …
Water District files suit over “forever” chemicals
The existence of so-called “forever chemicals” has led to a lawsuit filed by a Grady County rural water district against several manufacturers, including DuPont and 3M. The lawsuit was filed by Grady County Rural Water District #6, which serves parts of northern Grady County, including customers living near Chickasha, Amber, Tuttle, and Minco. The suit …