EDMOND —
Recently, I had the honor of representing Oklahoma at the “Natural Gas Nation” Conference hosted by the George W. Bush Institute and the Southern Methodist University Cox Maguire Energy Institute. I was given the rare opportunity to hear from and be heard by some of the best and brightest from the energy, government, economic, academic and transportation sectors. The consensus was that natural gas was a “game changer” when it comes to meeting this nation’s energy needs.
But what was equally apparent is that there are huge challenges to overcome in unlocking the promises of energy security and price stability in our abundant supplies. There are concerns when it comes to access to land and capital, regulatory barriers, infrastructure issues, and market demand, among others. And the fact is that the ultimate “game changer” when it comes to many of these challenges is Washington and what it does in terms of policy.
It’s important to remember that policy that comes out of Washington is the end result of a process, not the beginning. Like politics, all policy is local. Effective public policy is built one step at a time starting on the local level. As a corporation commissioner, I believe more “out of the box” thinking, facilitation of dialogue between the energy industries and the public across Oklahoma is what our state needs in terms of creating effective local and state policy with more openness, transparency and common sense.
It’s normal for people to react with fear and resistance to the unknown. Policymakers must remember this. To be defensive or arbitrary is counterproductive. Instead, let’s empower people. Give them the information they need and make them part of the decision-making process. For example, at my suggestion the commission’s approach to answering the critical questions posed by the vast increase in horizontal oil and gas drilling in Oklahoma is very much a “bottom up” approach. We formed working groups that included commission staff, industry, mineral owners, surface owners and other stakeholders. At the same time, the town hall meetings on horizontal drilling that I continue to help coordinate around the state include presentations by these various stakeholders to not only provide the public with information, but also to hear others’ perspectives on the matter.
This “bottom up” approach should apply to the current debate over America’s energy future in general. There is a fierce competition among various forms of energy, as each sector tries to gain a foothold in government policy and the marketplace. That’s self-defeating for the country. What’s needed is not necessarily more competition, but an approach based on the idea that the different types of energy can complement one another, as well as a commitment to work together to find the best way to do it. That would be the real “game changer.”
DANA MURPHY, an Edmond resident, serves on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
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