Our Latest Ag Perspectives Podcast Features Ron Hays Conversation with Oklahoma Energy and Environment Secretary Jeff Starling

Perspectives Podcast - Oklahoma Farm Report

Ron Hays introduces Governor Kevin Stitt’s Newest Cabinet Member to Oklahoma- Jeff Starling

Back in early December, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt fired his previous Secretary of Energy and Environment Ken McQueen- and almost immediately named Jeff Starling as his replacement. Secretary Starling has been on the job for about six weeks- including the Christmas holiday break, so he is still meeting key players within the Department that he oversees.

Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays sat down with the Secretary at his office in downtown Oklahoma City- and Starling talked about growing up in southern Virginia close to the North Carolina state line- studying law and eventually coming west to Oklahoma in 2012. He’s adopted our state as his own- has worked within the energy industry and was approached by Governor Stitt last fall about taking a role within his Administration.

That turned out to the Secretary for Energy and Environment.

Starling said he and his staff are starting to study bills that could impact the agency in the upcoming Legislature. He also says that one current longstanding piece of litigation for Oklahoma got his attention- as his position means he is named as plaintiff in the long standing poultry lawsuit that dates back twenty years when Drew Edmonson was Attorney General. U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell rejected a request in the final days of 2024 from poultry industry defendants to postpone it. Two years ago, Frizzell ruled in favor of the state of Oklahoma in a long-running federal lawsuit that alleged poultry industry practices were polluting the Illinois River watershed in eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas. Judge Frizzell is searching for a final solution to put that ruling to bed.

Hays and Starling also talked about Carbon Capture and how it should be regulated- he’s looking for a way for the state to regulate it instead of the EPA.

Click on the link above to hear the full conversation.

The post Our Latest Ag Perspectives Podcast Features Ron Hays Conversation with Oklahoma Energy and Environment Secretary Jeff Starling first appeared on Oklahoma Farm Report.