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Stray Gas Could Delay Pawhuska High School Classes Until Next Week
One state official suggests gas leaks might prevent the Pawhuska high school from resuming classes this week, leaks in part caused by the school system’s geo-thermal wells drilled to heat the buildings. Kent Wilkins, Chief of Planning Management Decisions at the Oklahoma Water Resources Board says it’s possible classes won’t be allowed to start until …
EPA to Study Ozone and E. coli Development in Texas and Kansas
The EPA’s announced the start of research projects in 14 states including Texas, Kansas and Nebraska. The various projects will address what the agency called “priority environmental and human health problems.” The research will be carried out through partnerships between the EPA’s research office, regional offices and states. One of the partnerships is between EPA …
BLM Shakeup Continues With Impact on Oklahoma
Three more top administrators of the Bureau of Land Management have been temporarily reassigned including one in charge of public lands in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. The move comes after the Interior Department removed three BLM state directors two months ago including New Mexico Director Amy Lueders. She and the Alaska Director Bud Cribley …
Most Colorado Oil and Gas Complaints Are About the Noise
A review of oil and gas complaints by residents to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission shows noise is what irks them the most. The Denver Post reports 419 complaints were filed with the commission in 2016 compared to 240 in 2010 and 252 in 2013. But the number is fast growing—704 already this year. …
Lawsuits Mounting against EPA Chief Scott Pruitt
State lawsuits are mounting up against Scott Pruitt and his Environmental Protection Agency, maybe reminding him of the days when he was Oklahoma Attorney General doing the same thing against the Obama administration’s EPA. As E and E reports, more than a dozen court challenges have been filed against the EPA since Pruitt took over …
EPA Says Air is Safe Around Pawhuska School Despite 2 Leaking Gas Wells
Some are describing a gas purge in Pawhuska as a “state of emergency.” And there is one, based on the executive order recently signed by Gov. Mary Fallin. State and federal agencies met Monday night with residents of the city after a gas leak was located last week in a well on the softball field …
Earthquake Prediction Study Gets More Media Attention
Our story earlier this month about predictions of a larger earthquake hitting Oklahoma has been picked up by Oklahoma City’s KWTV news. The story focuses on the U.S. Geological Survey’s belief that the state has an 80% chance of experiencing a 5.0-magnitude earthquake sometime this year. Oklahoma Geological Survey Director Dr. Jeremy Boak believes the 80% …
Sierra Club Accuses Pruitt of “Abandoning” Oklahoma to Help Texas Coal Plants
The Oklahoma Sierra Club is accusing EPA chief Scott Pruitt of abandoning his home state to help Texas polluters. Johnson Bridgwater, director of the Sierra Club’s Oklahoma Chapter made the accusation. “Scott Pruitt just made it clear that he plans to abandon the residents of his home state to placate Texas polluters who don’t give …
SE Oklahoma Gets New Wildlife District Chief
From the Oklahoma Wildlife Department: After serving as a supervising lieutenant for nine years, Game Warden Tom Cartwright has been promoted to Captain and Chief of District 4 in the Law Enforcement Division of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. He fills the position left by the retirement of Capt. Jimmie Henthorn. Cartwright, based in …
Permian Basin Oil Headed Overseas
The U.S. is becoming more and more of a competitor with Venezuela and the Middle East when it comes to oil exports. That’s because most of the new crude oil coming out of the Permian Basin in west Texas and southeast New Mexico will be shipped overseas. The oil will be transferred to Gulf Coast …