Okla. Admin. Code § 1:2021-3
Executive Order 2021-3
WHEREAS, Oklahoma has always embraced its role as a national and international leader in the production of oil & gas and other forms of energy. That tradition continues today;
WHEREAS, the energy industry in Oklahoma, for generations, has provided the energy to power and feed the world. Much of the global growth, and indeed America's growth can be traced to the energy innovations originating from Oklahoma;
WHEREAS, Oklahoma has fully embraced and implemented a successful "all of the above" strategy that has resulted in Oklahoma having the cleanest and most affordable energy in the country;
WHEREAS, since 2005, Oklahoma has reduced carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector by more than 34% while the national average is 12% all while producing the most affordable power in the country across all sectors for 8 of the last 10 quarters according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration;
WHEREAS, the energy industry accounts for hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Oklahoma. The industry pays billions of dollars of taxes to state and local governments assisting in providing schools, services and infrastructure to citizens throughout the state;
WHEREAS, a sensible regulatory framework along with the diversity of having abundant traditional fossil and new energy resources have made Oklahoma the model for providing the cleanest, most affordable, and most reliable power to its citizens in the safest and most environmentally friendly manner;
WHEREAS, America's energy independence is vital to our national security, our environment, and to our economy;
WHEREAS, President Biden's Executive Order 13990 is adverse to energy producers throughout the United States and Oklahoma. His decision terminates the Keystone XL pipeline and claims to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord while failing to seek ratification by the US Senate. These policies allow the world's powers to continue to increase CO2 emissions, causing the US to harm its own economy, threatening millions of jobs in states like Oklahoma, while making no meaningful difference in world's emissions. Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, admitted as much only days ago;
WHEREAS, Executive Order 13990 is in contravention of Article II Section 2 and the 10 th Amendment of the United States Constitution, preventing Oklahoma from exercising its ability to properly determine how best to steward and develop its natural resources; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, J. Kevin Stitt, Governor of Oklahoma, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Oklahoma, hereby direct every state agency to utilize all civil methods and lawful powers to protect its 10 th Amendment powers and challenge any actions by the federal government that would seek to diminish or destroy Oklahoma's ability to encourage job growth and the responsible development of our natural resources within the energy industry.
This Executive Order supersedes all previous orders that are inconsistent or in conflict with its terms and shall remain in effect and full force until it is modified, amended, rescinded or superseded by the Governor.
This Executive Order shall be distributed to all members of the Governor's Executive Cabinet and the chief executives of all agencies, who shall cause the provisions of this Order to be implemented by all appropriate agencies of State government.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma to be affixed at Oklahoma City, this 8 th day of February, 2021.
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
J. Kevin Stitt
ATTEST:
Brian Bingman
Secretary of State
Okla. Admin. Code § 1:2021-3