Energy Legislation Amounts to a Solution in Search of a Problem

American energy dominance has been a winning issue for elected leaders up and down the ticket. Why then are Oklahoma legislators pushing measures that would diminish our state's energy leadership?

In his welcome remarks to Department of Energy staff last month, President Trump’s Energy Secretary Chris Wright laid out his primary objective for the department: “Our goal is to advance energy addition, not subtraction. More energy. More energy means better lives.” This neatly sums up Oklahoma’s energy strategy—and broader economic strategy—in recent years. 

By practically every metric, Oklahoma is winning the energy race. We rank in the top 10 states for total energy production, oil extraction, wind power and natural gas production. It’s no surprise then that we also rank in the top 10 for lowest residential, commercial and industrial electricity costs. Our exceptional grid infrastructure and power supply mean we have capacity for more manufacturers, transportation and logistics firms, university campus and hospital expansions, you name it.

Despite this success, the Legislature is barreling ahead with numerous bills that would—contrary to Secretary Wright’s goal—subtract energy and pick winners and losers in our energy sector. At a time of renewed optimism around the potential for federal permitting reform—a legislative achievement that has eluded Congress for decades—Oklahoma is taking a U-turn and proposing to saddle energy facilities with additional Corporation Commission permitting requirements. Other measures would forfeit our third-place ranking in wind production—a resource that provides over 40 percent of Oklahoma’s electricity—all but ending new wind projects in the state by imposing crippling setback provisions.

While leaders may be able to score quick political points, the long-term pain inflicted by these measures will be difficult to explain to voters down the road. Our dynamic energy sector has been one of the top economic development tools our state has deployed in recent years to lure a range of industries to our state, from advanced manufacturing to tech, sectors that are spurring new degree and workforce development programs at universities and trade schools across the state. Pushing these investments, workers, and students to neighboring states would deal a lasting blow to the Oklahoma economy.

Preserving our state’s robust energy supply and grid resilience is also a national security imperative. Relying too heavily on one resource is a recipe for shortages and price spikes when events like storms, transportation disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and cyberattacks roil energy markets. We have seen the consequences of misguided energy policy in parts of the U.S. and the world that have depended too heavily on a particular power source, leaving utilities and manufacturers scrambling for supply and leaving families looking for relief—and answers from their leaders.

It's not a coincidence that Oklahoma has been spared these crises. It’s the byproduct of a thoughtful energy strategy that has been developed for years, across presidential and gubernatorial administrations. The winners have been our families and businesses that have reaped affordable, reliable energy and know that the lights and machinery will come on when they flip the switch, while the losers have been high-cost states that have seen their residents pack up and put down stakes in the Sooner State.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” as the old saying goes. By pushing bills that tear down our state’s energy success, legislators are pushing solutions in search of a problem.

Destinee Weeks 

Development Director Allegiant Land Services