National Public Radio, the government-financed communications group with a reputation for its liberal approach to news, was caught in the act in its recent reporting about the oil industry financing anti-wind farm efforts in Wyoming. The Cowboy State Daily did some digging on what NPR claimed in its report and found big oil was …
Kansas legislators worry another Keystone pipeline oil leak could happen
Because of growing earthquakes in southern Kansas, state legislators are concerned of the possibility of another Keystone pipeline system oil leak like the one that occurred in northern Kansas in December. Their concerns arose during a legislative briefing made by TC Energy’s Gary Salsman, who is a vice president for field operations for the …
Treasurer reassures Oklahomans no state funds were in failed Silicon Valley Bank
Oklahoma State Treasurer Todd Russ said the state had no direct investments or holdings in the failed Silicon Valley Bank, the failure that shook the nation’s finance industry. In a statement Tuesday, the Treasurer explained some of the pension portfolios took minor changes as indexed funds adjusted to the market but remain on a …
A tough day for crude oil as it plunged more than 4% on Tuesday
Crude oil prices fell more than 4% in Tuesday’s trading, reaching a three-month low because of a new U.S. inflation report and recent bank failures. Oklahoma energy stocks managed to make moderate gains a day after suffering losses. West Texas Intermediate crude suffered a 4.6% drop on a $3.47 a barrel fall to $71.33 on …
Senate leader—Why isn’t Oklahoma being chosen in economic competition?
On the same day Oklahoma learned it lost in competition with Canada to land a new Volkswagen EV battery plant, the leader of the State Senate announced he was going to do something about the state always coming in a loser for such economic competition. “There is no reason for us to continuously lose …
How one ESG supporter defends the climate change effort
ESG has certainly stirred up legislators in Oklahoma and Texas and other oil and gas producing states. They responded with laws and bills attacking investment firms that discriminate in their financial support against the oil and gas industry. One defender of the ESG movement is Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of Kansas Interfaith Action, …
Scientists blame natural gas production for southern Colorado earthquakes
Recent earthquakes in southern Colorado are being blamed on wastewater injection wells—just like those in Oklahoma in years past and in the Permian Basin of West Texas in the past several months. The southern Colorado quakes are near the city of Trinidad, an area known as the Raton Basin. Scientists blame nearby natural gas …
New Mexico legislators fight storage of nuclear waste near Carlsbad
New Mexico legislators apparently are intent on blocking the storage of radioactive waste at a site near Carlsbad. A House Judiciary Committee voted this week in support of a bill to prohibit the storage of the high-level radioactive waste in the state without New Mexico’s consent according to the New Mexico Political Report. The …
Short energy reads
** A new nuclear reactor in the US started up last week — the country’s first in nearly 7 years. Georgia Power expects Vogtle Unit 3 to be fully in service in May or June of this year. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesperson Scott Burnell told CNBC that this marked the first nuclear reactor to achieve initial criticality …
Edmond Representative hopes to end shortage of commercial truck drivers
A bill, whose author contends will steer more commercial truck drivers to Oklahoma and end a shortage of drivers, won State House Approval this week. House Bill 2750, authored by Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, would make it earlier for more Oklahomans to receiver their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) by addressing inefficiencies in the current …