Okeene Rep. Mike Dobrinski’s bill targeting Red Cedar trees was passed unanimously in a recent vote in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His House Bill 2239 was passed on an 89-0 vote to establish a pilot program to address the red cedar infestation throughout the state, beginning with a concentration on the North Canadian Watershed. …
Colorado legislators explore rising utility profits and soaring consumer bills
A special legislative committee exploring increased utility bills in Colorado recently held its first meeting in an attempt to learn more about the issue. “We have all heard from our constituents that their utility bills have gotten out of control,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg during a recent hearing for the Joint Select Committee …
Grain Belt Express line wins approval in Illinois
The Grain Bell Express high-voltage line, one designed to carry wind-powered electricity from Southwest Kansas to East Coast states recently won approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission. The ICC issued a final ruling granting a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Invenergy of Chicago to build the line to carry the electricity across …
Gas companies targeted for lack of transparency
Oklahoma isn’t alone in the controversy over the lack of transparency by some utilities over the high-cost of their natural gas. While the topic has brewed since the 2021 winter storm and the resulting increased energy bills for consumers, similar circumstances exist in other states. Illinois is one of them where Gov. J.B. …
Quick energy reads
** The Biden administration announced Sunday evening that it is indefinitely blocking 16 million acres of federal land and water in Alaska from future fossil fuel drilling. The Department of Interior (DOI) said it had initiated a rulemaking process to “establish maximum protection” for 13 million acres of land across the National Petroleum Reserve (NPR), an area …
Oklahoma blocks shipments of contaminated soil from Ohio train derailment
A few weeks after it was disclosed that some of t he toxic waste from the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio was being shipped to Texas, it raised the prospect that perhaps it was traveling through Oklahoma. Since then, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt revealed Sunday he blocked a shipment of the waste that …
Sen. Mullin suggests administration mishandled Ohio train derailment
Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin was critical of the Biden administration’s response to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. “The mixed messaging from this administration in the days and weeks after this tragedy has only added fuel to the fire. Actions have consequences,” he declared during a recent hearing by the …
Strong 4Q reported by Ascent Resources
“An extremely strong note,” is how leadership at Ascent Resources characterized the fourth quarter and full-year 2022 financial reports. Ascent had fourth quarter net income of $1.6 billion while its adjusted net income was $148 million and adjusted EBITDAX was $388 million. The company generated $106 million in Adjusted Free Cash flow during the …
Rig count steady in Oklahoma but national numbers declined
Oklahoma’s oil and gas rig count held steady in the past week while the national count dropped by 3 to 746 according to the Baker Hughes Co. report released on Friday. Oklahoma remained at 61 rigs. Nationally, the count included a decline of 2 oil rigs to 590 while the number of gas rigs …
Oklahoma Representatives voted to fight Biden’s new WOTUS rule
When the U.S. House voted recently to overturn the Biden administration’s expanded WOTUS rule, all five members from Oklahoma voted to fight the President’s latest environmental move. Reps. Bice, Brecheen, Cole, Hern and Lucas were among the 227 who voted to overturn the rule they contend is an example of the President’s environmental overreach …
