Citing proper funding, regulatory reform and economic development among her top priorities, Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy will begin serving as chair of the Commission effective Jan. 3.  She follows Commissioner Bob Anthony as chairman.

Among the many challenges Commissioner Murphy anticipates the Commission will face in 2011 include ongoing budget shortfalls and federal environmental mandates imposed on Oklahoma dealing with regional haze, emission standards, and hydraulic fracturing,
 
"Two of my priorities will be working with the legislature, industry and my fellow Commissioners to create a plan to tackle the long-term funding shortfall of our Commission oil and gas division and to bring our state regulatory scheme into the modern technology age with electronic filing of all applications and forms by entities regulated by the Commission," Murphy said. 

"It makes no sense that the only agency charged with regulating the oil and gas industry—the industry which generates some of the most significant revenue for our state—fails to be provided with funding to hire a sufficient number of field inspectors and technical personnel to oversee regulation.  Moreover, electronic filing, which already exists in many of our surrounding states, is critical to bringing new business to the state and providing increased efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness to the public," she said.

Other challenges faced by the Corporation Commission include the EPA’s consideration of moves that would place expensive and unnecessary regulation on key sectors of Oklahoma’s economy. Murphy said the EPA is considering regional haze measures that would be devastating to Oklahoma’s utilities and their customers. Moreover, the EPA is continuing to consider whether to regulate hydraulic fracturing, a process used by the oil and gas industry, and one already closely regulated by the Commission.

Murphy said the development of Oklahoma’s wind power industry is also a key concern, particularly the expansion of transmission lines across Oklahoma as approved by the Southwest Power Pool.

Murphy began serving as a Commissioner in January 2009, following election to a two-year term, completing the unexpired term of former Commissioner Denise Bode.  On July 27, Murphy was elected to a full six-year term on the Commission in a primary election, as she faced no opponent on the general election ballot. 

Murphy will be sworn in for her full six-year term as Commissioner in a ceremony at the Jim Thorpe Office Building at 3 p.m., Jan. 10, following the gubernatorial inauguration.

Murphy is a fifth-generation Oklahoman, geologist, attorney and previously served as an administrative law judge at the Commission.  Among the areas regulated by the Commission are oil and gas drilling and development, public utility rates and services, petroleum storage tanks, motor carriers and pipeline safety.  

The Board of Directors of Oklahomans for Responsible Government has voted unanimously to close down the non-profit group, they announced in a press release provided to Tulsa Today. Effective December 31st, the transparency group is history, but they leave the field with a significant legacy.
 
“The combination of a tough economy and an election cycle that collected millions in donations has created a climate where a non-profit organization finds it hard to raise funds,” said OFRG Communications Director and Projects Manager Peter J. Rudy.  “While I believe that the cause of transparency and fiscal responsibility is important, contributions are needed to continue these causes and the support is not available for 2011.” 

OFRG was created in January of 2008.  Since then, it has helped bring the issue of open government to the forefront of discussions at the State Capitol.  It was OFRG that first advocated for an upgrade of the state’s spending website to Open Books 2.0.  Through projects like the Blueprint for Transparency series that looked at school district and municipal websites, taxpayers have benefited because more information is now available online.
 
In addition to improving transparency in state government, OFRG also helped defeat State Question 744 by creating the first website devoted to presenting the facts about the ballot measure and making presentations around the state.  Two ballot measures approved by voters were part of OFRG’s policy agenda: State Question 747 that imposes term limits on all statewide elected officials and State Question 750 which makes Oklahoma’s ballot access law less stringent.  We believe this shows that Oklahomans want a more transparent and responsible government.
 
“I am very proud of the work OFRG has done in such a short time,” said Rudy.  “It shows what can happen when dedicated people work together to make a difference.”

"Reporters and editors statewide will miss this conservative group," said David Arnett, Publisher of Tulsa Today and host of The David Arnett Show on AM 740 and FM 102.3 news, talk, KRMG.  "Transparency in government activity is increasingly important and significantly complicated.  While media filled the transparency gap between government and the public in the early days of the Republic, the ideology of newsrooms is increasingly shown to be left leaning if not Marxist and, therefore, selective in coverage.  Organizations like OFRG are necessary to fund investigations of issues media would prefer not to question and to take the public stands on controversial topics of public concern."

“It is not easy to stand tall in the storm of public debate and OFRG did so with honor,” Arnett added.

Starting January 3rd, Rudy will be the new editor of Oklahoma Watchdog, a non-profit investigative reporting and analysis website which will be the new home of the Blueprint for Transparency series.  Former Executive Director Brian Downs left OFRG last month to become Policy Director for the Oklahoma House of Representatives.