Legislative Alert! Heads Up!

Here is some valuable information from our contacts at the state capitol. Please act on this info regarding the pro-nuclear bills - They offer no protection for the citizens of Oklahoma from either the very real and dangerous health risks, nor the terrible financial burden that would be placed on the people.

After a relatively successful legislative session, things have heated up over the past few weeks with reintroduction of nuclear legislation (SB 831 and SB 1668) and the Oklahoma New Development Impact Fee bill (SB 805). After many long hours of lobbying and numerous phone calls, emails, and personal visits to legislators offices from many of you, SB 831, which was
amended on the House floor, passed overwhelmingly on party lines and is now in conference committee. The amended version of SB 831 no longer contains cost recovery language allowing for CWIP, but does establish an application process for the Corporation Commission to determine the need and feasibility of a nuclear facility in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, SB 831 contains no provisions requiring the Corporation Commission to consider an environmental, public health, and economic impact due to radioactive waste storage and/or disposal. On the whole, SB 831 is a woefully inadequate regulatory scheme literally drafted by utility lobbyists over the course of an hour without any stakeholder input.

Contact the members of the Conference Committee and ask them to disapprove SB 831 as it will have drastic impacts on Oklahoma's public health, environment, and economy. Oklahoma should be moving towards a clean energy economy based upon wind, solar, geothermal, natural gas, and energy efficiency. The Conference Committee members are as follows:

Bingman, Brian (C)
Senate
District 12
Republican
Room 424
(405)521-5528

bingman@oksenate.gov

Crutchfield, Johnnie C.
Senate
District 14
Democrat
Room 533B
(405)521-5607

bigger@oksenate.gov

Gumm, Jay Paul
Senate
Dristrict 6
Democrat
Room 535A
(405)521-5586

gumm@oksenate.gov

Johnson, Mike
Senate
District 22
Republican
Room 519
(405)521-5592

johnsonm@oksenate.gov

Mazzei, Mike
Senate
District 25
Republican
Room 413
(405)521-5675

mazzei@oksenate.gov

Myers, David
Senate
District 20
Republican
Room 414
(405)521-5628

ingraham@oksenate.gov

Yesterday, SB 1668 by Sen. David Myers (R-Ponca City) and Rep. Rex Duncan (R-Sand Springs) passed through the Senate on a vote of 27-19. Sen. Cliff Branan (R-OKC) filed a Motion to Reconsider and will have the next 2 days to request a revote after adequate lobbying against SB 1668. The following Senators voted against SB 1668, which amends the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority Act to allow municipal power authorities to own interests in
nuclear facilities, including: Sens. Ballenger (D), Bass (D), Branan (R), Burrage (D), Corn (D), Crutchfield (D), Ellis (D), Gumm (D), Ivester (D), C. Johnson (D), Laster (D), Leftwich (D), Lerblance (D), Marlatt (R), Nichols (R), Paddack (D), Rice (D), Sparks (D), and Wilson (D). Please contact Senators and either thank them for voting against SB 1668 or ask those who
voted in favor to change their vote on reconsideration.

HB 3028 by Speaker Benge (R-Tulsa) and Sen. David Myers (R-Ponca city) establishes the Oklahoma Energy Security Act and includes the Renewable energy goal of 15% by 2015, as well as a natural gas goal for no coal development until at least 2020, with natural gas as the stated preferred fossil fuel for Oklahoma. HB 3028 is currently in conference committee and
should advance within the next week! Passage of an RPS in Oklahoma has been a Chapter priority for two years and we're almost there!

On a positive note, Governor Henry signed HB 3015 into law, marking a victory for the local foods movement in Oklahoma! HB 3015 established the Healthy Cornerstore Market program, authorizing up to $350,000 in low interest loans for markets selling up to 90% of their goods as healthy, local foods!

Additionally, Governor Henry signed HB 2973 into law, which allows for the creation of Regional Transportation Authorities! With the creation of a regional transportation authority, our communities will be one step closer to realizing genuine, effective public transportation.

Finally, regarding the tumultuous and cumbersome agency consolidation process, HB 3173 by Rep. Hickman (R-Dacoma) and Sen. Brian Bingman (R-Sapulpa) which originally proposed consolidating the Scenic Rivers Commission into Tourism & Recreation and the Conservation Commission, the Senate remarkably passed an amendment filed by Sen. Wilson (D-Tahlequah)
which proposed the creation of a massive Department of Natural Resources including over 30 agencies and commissions. Clearly, this bill was headed to conference committee! Word outside of the authors and leadership has been very quiet. I've conversed with the Speaker's office at length regarding this and they've said discussions are very tight on which agencies will
actually be consolidated or not. Department of Mines is still on the table, but it doesn't look good for OSRC.

For your full report and more detailed links, click the link below. Thank you for all your help this session..it's not over yet.

To view your forwarded copy of our Capitol report now, please go to the following URL: http://www.ecapitol.net/email/email_1Y2H_2XL14TNPG.htm

It will be available to you online for the next 10 days.