The EPA’s defending its move to dismiss a dozen members of the agency’s advisory board of scientists, saying Administrator Scott Pruitt wants more diversity on the board. That “diversity” includes the possibility of naming researchers from the industry the agency oversees. Members removed from the Board of Scientific Counselors had three-year terms that expired late …
A U.S. Senate committee will explore cyberthreats in a Wednesday hearing in Washington. Cyberthreats aren’t just a worry at government agencies but also at all private industries, including energy. U.S. Sen. James Lankford’s a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee. It will be a full-committee hearing studying “Cyber Threats Facing America: An Overview …
Longtime Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony continued his efforts on Monday to breathe life into the refund case involving the 1989 Southwestern Bell bribery litigation. Commissioner Anthony urged the House General Government Oversight and Accountability Committee to pursue reopening the case which was recently dismissed by the same regulatory agency of which he is a …
Oklahoma developer Grant Humphreys, a man who founded his own town at Lake Eufaula will be one of those testifying Tuesday before a U.S. Senate Subcommittee hearing exploring water resources. He will go before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee subcommittee in a hearing to be chaired by Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe. The …
Oklahoma gasoline prices dropped again in the past week, reaching an average of $2.07 a gallon, the lowest average since late March, according to AAA Oklahoma. In its weekly release of price average, AAA Oklahoma reported the state continued having the nation’s second lowest average. Only South Carolina has a lower average at $2.06 …
Scott Pruitt is recusing himself from lawsuits that he filed against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency while he served as Oklahoma’s Attorney General, according to a report by CNN. His voluntary decision applies to two significant legal challenges – the Clean Power Plan and a Waters of the United States rule. “To demonstrate my profound …
Legislation prohibiting public protests on sites with critical infrastructure was signed into law by Governor Mary Fallin last week. The bill, authored by Rep. Scott Biggs of Chickasha, was advanced as a preventative measure to impede disruptive protests. Under House Bill 1123, anyone trespassing on critical property would be charged with a misdemeanor, resulting in …
Much of the snow that fell in the weekend blizzard in the Oklahoma Panhandle is gone, but the power outages remain. However, Tri-County Electric Cooperative based in Hooker indicates progress in restoration of power has been quick. As of Thursday morning, the Cooperative reported 2,155 customers in Texas County still were without electrical power. Cimarron …
With less than two weeks remaining in the legislative session and still no budget agreement, the State Transportation Commission decided this week to put the hold on new construction projects. “Suspending current highway construction due to a proposed reduction in state funding is not something ODOT has ever been faced with,but we are preparing for …
Two big energy companies in Kansas denied a merger by the Kansas Corporation Commission filed a Petition for Reconsideration on Thursday. Great Plains Energy and Westar Energy announced Thursday the petition had been filed after the KCC issued an order April 19 denying Great Plains Energy’s purchase of Westar. The two firms are asking the …