The Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma’s Post

Last Tuesday I testified at the Georgia Public Service Commission about who will pay for Plant Vogtle cost overruns. I will admit I was angry. I still am. The reasons are simple:   1. Our taxpayer funded state commission is not protecting Georgians from predatory monopoly behavior in pursuit of profits. 2. The commission held hearings for the largest rate increase in Georgia history, $11.1 billion, for just 11 hours. That sum is too large for the human mind to grasp. It is insanity for one average size power plant. 3. GA Power will get to expand their rate base an astonishing 47% in exchange for 7.5% capacity, or just 1,020 megawatts. If that isn't proof that the commission is failing to protect Georgians I don't know what is. 4. That enormous sum is 10 times more expensive than any other generation source would have cost. That is unconscionable. That is predatory. That is nuclear energy.   Commissioners did not bother to order, or even discuss, a customer impact study that they have the budget and staff to do. Customer impact studies are routine in other states, especially for large rate increases, never mind the largest in U.S. history. It is literally their job to understand rate impacts. Do they not want to know, and thus don't have to create programs to assist vulnerable families? Where is the ratepayer in these discussions? Stipulated agreements should be illegal. They distort the public process, intervenors are hand selected by GA Power, and they always - always favor the utility. I testified for 20 minutes. If you want to see the whole thing here is that, but I recommend you pick and choose whichever is of interest. https://lnkd.in/deyW9Vrg.   1. Minute 5:35 - 8:13: I read a list of shocking Plant Vogtle construction incompetence from construction monitor filings to undercut Ga Power CFO Aaron Abramovitz false testimony that all costs were reasonable and prudent.   2. Minute 15:00 - 15:26 Most companies list great products or service as their value proposition. Southern Company lists commissioners as their value proposition.   3. Minute 16:35 - 16:55 No competitive business market would reward a corporation for a project 7 years late and $17 billion over budget. Yet the more Plant Vogtle was late and over budget, the more the commission allowed Ga Power to profit.   4. Minute 17:29 - 20:00 I close with a list of recommendations for commissioners.

Wow! #Chevron Is Dead, Deceased, Defunct In a 6-3 decision, split along ideological lines, the #SupremeCourt has overruled Chevron, the 40ish year old case that required the courts to “defer” to federal agency interpretations of statutes whenever those laws are deemed “ambiguous”. We may be on the cusp of a fundamental reworking of the #executivebranch-#judiciary relationship. Chief Justice #Roberts, writing for the majority: "Chevron is overruled. Courts must exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, as the [#APA statute, which governs review of agency action] requires”. Re: the original Chevron decision: it was a "judicial invention that required #judges to disregard their statutory duties." Ouch! Big news, people! #Justice #Kagan, obviously appalled, read portions of a stinging dissent from the bench to underscore her concerns. Wow! Just wow! #administrativelaw #federalagencies #hhs #cms #oig #doj #managedcare #lifescienses #scotus #potus #fda

I appreciated the opportunity to be interviewed by Marni Hughes on NewsNation Live about the Trump civil trial and his decision not to testify again. Watch the Full Segment Below

Not opposed to the idea - but what else have you got? Change for the sake of change is often not a good idea because it lacks a clear purpose and can lead to unintended consequences. Here are several reasons why: Disruption Without Benefit: Making changes without a strategic reason can disrupt workflows, processes, and routines that are already functioning well. This can lead to decreased productivity and morale among employees who may feel that the changes are unnecessary and burdensome. Wasted Resources: Implementing changes requires time, money, and effort. If the changes don't provide a tangible benefit or improve the situation, these resources are essentially wasted. It's important to ensure that any change has a clear goal and potential for positive impact. Resistance to Future Changes: When people experience frequent, unnecessary changes, they can become resistant to future changes, even those that are necessary and beneficial. This resistance can create a culture of skepticism and reluctance to embrace innovation. Loss of Focus: Constantly changing direction can cause a loss of focus on long-term goals and objectives. It can lead to a lack of continuity and make it difficult to achieve strategic milestones. Unintended Consequences: Changes made without thorough analysis and planning can have unforeseen negative effects. For instance, altering one part of a system without understanding its impact on other parts can create new problems. Lack of Stability: Stability is important for building a strong foundation in any organization or project. Frequent changes can create a sense of instability and uncertainty, which can be detrimental to long-term success.

🎧 From the impeachment of a statewide official and an expulsion of a legislator to raging policy fights and feuding state leaders, here's a look at the top 10 stories that defined Texas politics in 2023.

It was on March 2, 1836, when historians believe the original and five copies of the Texas Declaration of Independence were written and signed by 59 men at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Texans now know the day as Texas Independence Day. Though we are on the Guadalupe river is still historical river that runs throughout Texas. In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution led to the widespread use of coal-powered factories, which further polluted the air. In the 20th century, the invention of the automobile and the increase in vehicle emissions, fuel oils and natural gas to heat homes, by-products of manufacturing and power generation, particularly coal-fueled power plants, and fumes from chemical production are the primary sources of human-made error. Trying to capture, natural trees, and atmosphere with country music is my room mediation. Celebrating our Independence and celebrating life with our natural resources around us. #texasindependence #texasremediation #texasnatural #guadaluperiver #phoenixharvest #ecowarrior #advancealliance #ergofito

The phrase "I owed my soul to the company store" comes from the time of coal mining towns when the coal company controlled both your Income/Wages and your Cost of Living and never paid you enough to support yourself and family so you had to borrow money from the 'company store. for food, clothing, etc. The coal company determined how much your wage was; how much your rent was for the house that the company owned and rented to you; how much your food was at the grocery store the company owned; how much your clothes were at the supply store owned by the coal company; The coal company controlled your cost of living and your income and never paid you enough to cover your cost of living so you had to borrow from the company store for your food, medicines, clothes, necessities and the coal company made certain that you were ALWAYS IN DEBT to the 'company' store. The debt to the company store was inherited by your wife and children if you got killed in the mine and you could not leave the mine to go to another job unless you had paid off that debt The company funded no schools; no health care; no retirement; and no public services whatsoever. That's what the wealthy want us to return to - an uneducated slave labor imprisoned by debt and owning nothing. All of which is directly controlled and caused by those in government failing to use the government power for the general welfare of us all by refusing to raise minimum wages; increase taxes on the higher income and corporations; lower taxes on the workforce, moderate and lower income; increase investment in public education, public services, public health care Don't return to the Coal Town days. What future are you leaving our children?

Eric Scorsone and I have another article using our Legal-Economic Performance Framework out today in the Journal of Economic Issues! In this piece, we consider the jural relations (and their implications) present in the Supreme Court decision in PennEast Pipeline Co. v. New Jersey.

The Congleton Link Road project involved clearing a 5.7km bypass including many tributaries and tie-in sections from end to end. https://zurl.co/Jjax #treesurgeon