LEGISLATIVE COLUMN Green Touts His “Behind the Meter” Bill

By Sen. Grant Green, SD 28

One of my top legislative priorities this year is already boosting economic development across the state. A new industrial park is under development in Chickasha. Through a partnership with Lightfield Energy, businesses at the park will be able to use behind-the-meter power generation to meet their energy needs. This development will be a huge win for the Chickasha community. It’s also the first example of how my Behind the Meter bill from this session will help grow businesses across Oklahoma. As demands on the energy grid increase nationwide, I introduced Behind the Meter legislation to allow businesses to develop and manage their own power and electric infrastructure. I’m optimistic that this new initiative in Chickasha is just the beginning of Behind the Meter innovations driving economic development in communities throughout the state. I was proud to work on this legislation with Rep. Brad Boles, who leads the House Energy and Natural Resources Oversight Committee.

In my role as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, I recently attended the Oklahoma Petroleum Alliance’s annual meeting alongside Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton. This meeting brought together many industry leaders to discuss ways to continue growing Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas industry. I was honored to join Paxton, Boles and House Speaker Kyle Hilbert for a panel discussion at the conference. We discussed key energy bills the Legislature passed this year and our legislative priorities on the horizon for next year. Even with the Legislature out of session, I know that we will continue to have discussions throughout the interim about how Oklahoma can remain a major player in restoring and protecting America’s energy dominance.

Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing for interim studies. Study requests must be filed by the end of the month. The Senate Energy Committee is expected to host several studies, although I’ll have more details when Paxton announces which studies have been approved. These sessions are a great opportunity to dig into complex policy topics by inviting local and national experts to speak on specific issues.

Lastly, I want to thank the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for its recent investments in local water infrastructure. The OWRB recently approved a $135,382 Rural Economic Action Plan grant for the town of Sasakwa to update one of its water towers. Another grant will help the Konawa Public Works Authority evaluate its existing water wells, drill new test wells and analyze local water quality. These REAP grants go a long way toward helping small communities invest in critical infrastructure, and I’m grateful that rural areas in Senate District 28 are reaping the benefits.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to serve the people of Senate District 28. Don’t hesitate to contact my office if I can be of assistance. Call 405-521-5547 or email Grant.Green@oksenate.gov