On June 15, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) held an inaugural meeting of the Oklahoma Military Environmental and Energy Group in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. EPA Regions 6 and 7. The first-of-its-kind gathering centered on environmental compliance challenges and alternative energy solutions.
More than 50 state officials and federal military and civilian environmental and energy professionals convened at the Oklahoma State University Hamm Institute for American Energy. Together, they explored DoD mission needs, communicated innovative state initiatives, and identified key constraints and promising future technologies. Highlights of the meeting included presentations by all the military bases in the state, an executive leadership panel on the environment and energy transition led by DEQ Executive Director Scott Thompson, and a panel on regulatory updates led by DEQ Chief of Staff Rob Singletary.
Oklahoma Secretary for Energy & Environment Ken McQueen closed the meeting by signing a charter with Army and Air Force officials in support of continued collaboration.