January 24, 2024 Issue, Page 4 of 12

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4- The Elk City News News January 24, 2024 Environmental law enforcement cause contamination of soil, groundwater, drinking water wells, streams and rivers. Other side effects include possible injury to children playing in or around the site, damage to plant and wild- life habitats, and a decrease in the quality of life for nearby res- is focus of free seminar idents and the local community. Participants will gain expertise in environmental crime investigations involving the following By Trisha Gedon environmental specialist with the Oklahoma Department of En- topics and more: STILLWATER, Okla. ~ To help combat the issue of illegal road- vironmental Quality, will instruct the class. He has been an in- Dealing with hazardous waste side dumps, Oklahoma State University Extension is partnering vestigator with the DEQ for 29 years and is a sergeant with the Danger at environmental crime scenes with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and Criminal Investigation Unit. Oklahoma and Federal Clean Air Acts the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development to host When and where: Feb. 29, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Meridian Technol- Open burning an Oklahoma Environmental Law Enforcement Training Seminar ogy Center for Business Development, 1414 S. Sangre Rd., Still- Responding to crime scenes in Stillwater, Oklahoma. water, Oklahoma. Testing and certification will take place from 4 Oklahoma's littering and dumping laws What: Law enforcement professionals, city officials, tribal envi- p.m. to 5 p.m. There is a one-hour break from noon to 1 p.m. for Participants will also learn more about identifying resources for ronmental representatives, county commissioners and anyone lunch on your own. improving local enforcement programs and have an opportunity interested in learning about environmental law enforcement are Why: Roadside dumpsites are not only unsightly and illegal, to network with others involved in law enforcement. invited to participate in the free workshop. Chad Keller, senior but they also wreak havoc on the environment. These sites can For more information or to register for the free workshop, con- tact Keima Borsuah at 405-744-9827 or keima.kamara@okstate. edu. OSU Extension uses research-based information to help all In ongoing effort to Oklahomans solve local issues and concerns, promote leader- ship and manage resources wisely throughout the state’s 77 counties. Most information is available at little to no cost. support groundwater industry, OSU hosts Cc Di = OGWA conference (STILLWATER, Okla., Jan. 18, 2024) — On Jan. 10 and 11, Okla- future groundwater personnel and thereby address a predicted homa State University once again welcomed state and regional shortfall in industry professionals. groundwater professionals to the annual Oklahoma Ground Wa- “Clean water is the No. 1 health product ever developed by hu- ter Association Conference and Trade Show. manity, and Oklahoma has led the way in both energy and water ‘This is the third year OSU has hosted the event, which provides worldwide,” said Dr. Todd Halihan, interim department head of education, training and networking opportunities for attendees. the Boone Pickens School of Geology at OSU. “NGWA University “The aim of the conference is to connect professionals across all has been training groundwater professionals in Oklahoma, the areas of the Oklahoma groundwater industry so that they may U.S. and worldwide with cutting-edge learning tools tailored for have a place to share ideas and learn through continuing educa- those who make a career ofproviding us with clean water, tion courses,” said OGWA President David Correll. “Whenever someone turns on the tap, they expect clean, Robert Keyes, a member of both the OGWA and National Ground high-quality water to be present for their needs. They rarely think Water Association boards of directors, added that they are “lift- about it, unless it is missing.” ing the abilities of everyone that participates in the courses. Halihan emphasized that OSU's collaborations with NGWA and “Oklahomans need to know that there is a group of hard-working OGWA are crucial to providing continued access to and protec- Oklahomans who are actively engaged in protecting everything tion of clean water, which in turn support areas of the univer- groundwater — from forever chemicals to water rights,” Keyes said. sity’s strategic initiatives. For example, OSU Polytech, which launched in December, expands STEM education access and en- According to Correll, attendance was at an all-time high since moving the conference to Stillwater, a testament to the impor- hances workforce development across the state through priori- tance of groundwater education. ties like NGWAU. “The members that make up OGWA are the professionals at the “{ don’t think anything illustrates OSU's land-grant mission bet- i make it a front lines of providing clean, abundant and safe water to the ter than hosting a conference where industry professionals and state of Oklahoma,” Correll said. “Through these groundwater academics get together to provide continuing education and to “9 my feet light unto learn about challenges an Oklahoma industry faces,” Halihan professionals and our partners in the academic, legislative and and will | 8 words in regulatory landscape, Oklahoma will remain a leader in the said. ~no& sin groundwater industry.” Echoing Halihan’s point, Keyes said, “OSU is positioned to be- ‘The conference, which featured seminars on a range of research come the groundwater university of the United States and be- and industry topics, complements OSU's established partnership yond. So, the motto should be ‘OSU is all about groundwater for with the National Ground Water Association, NGWA University today and tomorrow.” Powered by OSU. To learn more about OGWA, visit okgroundwater.org. To discov- NGWAU was formed in 2020 through the efforts of OSU's Col- er what OSU is doing in the groundwater industry, visit cas.ok- lege of Arts and Sciences, with a mission to train current and state.edu/ngwa. Drummond commends New York Stock Exchange In celebration of the 100th day of school at WOCS, a few sixth graders won $100 scholarships to CBA for next year or Crusader stocking hats! Prek students won CBA T-shirts in the drawing. Congrats! for withdrawing proposal aimed Only a few seats remain available for next year's 7th grade class before we will start a waiting list. Contact CBA at 580- 343-2262 to find out more! at halting oil, gas exploration Moran Equipment OKLAHOMA CITY - Attorney General a move would have had severe economic on the NYSE. consequences for Oklahoma. I applaud the In the comment letter spearheaded by at- 319 Industrial PAWY Elk City, OK 73644 Gentner Drummond is commending the New York Stock Exchange for listening NYSE for listening to the counsel of this torneys general in Utah and Kansas, the to him and his fellow attorneys general coalition of attorneys general and with- coalition had urged the U.S. Securities by withdrawing a proposed rule change drawing this ill-advised and illegal pro- and Exchange Commission (SEC) to dis- that would have allowed the listing of posed rule change.” approve the would-be change. They con- 980.225.2515 “Natural Asset Companies” (NACs) on NACs are a new, untested corporate struc- the exchange. NACs are a novel corporate ture created to lease so-called “ecological tended the proposal ran contrary to law, structure designed to take land off the performance rights” from landowners, exceeded the SEC’s statutory authority, market to prohibit productive economic including the federal government. NACs violated the major questions doctrine, and Kyle Zybach, CPA, MBA uses, which would have negative effects on manage “natural assets” in lieu of generat- was bad policy. [email protected] domestic oil and gas exploration and pro- ing revenue. Any “revenue-generating op- ‘The letter was also joined by the attorneys duction. erations” an NAC engages in must be both general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Drummond had signed on to a Jan. 9 “sustainable” and consistent with “its pri- Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, public comment letter joined by 24 other mary purpose” of protecting nature. states. Ultimately, NACs can lock up lands from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Mon- “The strict requirements for NACs would economic uses such as oil and gas explo- tana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Phone: 580.225.1883 have significantly halted the development ration, agriculture, logging or mining, The Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, 2302 W. Third St. Mobile: 405.406.8179 of natural resources, particularly ener- proposed rule change would have allowed Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyo- Elk City, OK 73644 Fax: 580.225.1897 gy exploration,’ Drummond said. “Such NACs to raise capital through listing stock ming. Elk City News Deadlines 3PM on Wednesday for Saturday