** Flooding on the Blue Earth River in Minnesota breached the Rapidan Dam Monday morning and it’s now in an “imminent failure condition,” officials said. Le Sueur County residents in low-lying areas of the Minnesota River Valley are advised to closely monitor the situation and potentially evacuate, according to the county’s emergency management office. ** US West …
Inflation slows Gulf Coast LNG projects
Rising inflation and a shortage of skilled labor are being blamed for delays in some LNG projects along the Gulf Coast. At least five liquefied natural gas projects in Texas and Louisiana and another 16 others are on the drawing board looking for investment and customers. Reuters reports however, that labor costs have …
Crude oil prices, stock prices start week mostly higher
Crude oil prices rose Monday with a lot of focus on Friday’s release of the US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index. West Texas Intermediate Crude futures gained 12 cents Monday to settle at $81.75 a barrel. Brent crude, the global benchmark, settled up 43 cents at $85.61 a barrel. Alliance Resource Partners, …
Schools could benefit from investing in clean, more-efficient energy
What are called “direct support” payments from the Internal Revenue Service could mean schools and other nonprofit organizations could see benefits from investing in clean, more efficient energy. Those tax breaks already existed for families and businesses. Now, school districts, churches, and other nonprofit organizations will be paid back for renovations that cut their energy …
Battle over Rio Grande water far from over
The battle over Rio Grande water isn’t done yet. The US Supreme Court has rejected a settlement between Texas and New Mexico. The high court sided with the Biden administration and its objections to the deal. Friday’s vote was 5-to-4. The suit was focused on how to account for water use in the Rio Grande …
Midwest has already seen double the average number of tornadoes
Sulphur … Bartlesville … Barnsdall. That’s just the start when you list the number of Oklahoma communities hit by tornadoes this spring. Barnsdall should be on there twice. More than 11 hundred twisters have been recorded in the Midwest US through May. That’s about double the 30-year average. Meteorologists says there are two key factors …
California: Oklahoma’s opposite when it comes to ESG investing
California is clearly Oklahoma’s opposite when it comes to ESG investing. ESG is the acronym for “environmental, social, and governance.” Basically, in Oklahoma, it means removing investments like the state pension plan from entities that oppose oil and gas. California is taking the opposite approach, but it’s not working yet. An effort to force two …
3 Oklahoma higher-ed institutions to offer degrees in AI this fall
Three of Oklahoma’s higher education institutions are planning to offer degree programs in artificial intelligence starting this fall. Oklahoma state regents have approved the programs at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Rose State College in Midwest City, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. The move is based on projections indicating more than 19 …
Corporation Commission administrator wants exemption from Open Records Requests
Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony plans a discussion on claims made last month by Brandy Wreath, the agency’s Director of Administration, that protests by ratepayers and the delay of the sale of winter storm 2021 securitization bonds led to higher costs. And in return, the Commission’s Director of Administration wants a pass on open …
Arkansas tries to keep its space efforts on NASA’s radar
As director of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, Constance Meadors believes she is putting Arkansas on the star chart and keeping it on NASA’s radar. The ASGC is “NASA’s arm into the state,” Meadors explained to Arkansas Business. She is in charge of partnerships with 17 four-year universities and colleges across the state all …
