Video & Transcript : 'spent fuel' :
Page 47 of 500
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee Apr 8th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I've spent a lot of time with this bill. We've gone round and round.
- We spent extensive time conducting workshops educating our public.
- Providing a minimum of 100 feet of defensible space between a structure and fuel bed continuity.
- In 2025, it's estimated that $5 million will be spent litigating the GSP.
- I've spent the last 10 years, frankly, walking many GSAs throughout the state through this process.
Summary:
The committee heard several water, wildlife, conservation, and local government bills. AB 362, by Assembly Member Ramos, would add tribal water uses as a statewide beneficial use and strengthen tribal consultation in water planning; tribal representatives and conservation groups supported it as a long-overdue correction, while water agencies, business groups, and agricultural interests raised concerns about CEQA, regulatory uncertainty, and impacts on existing water planning. The bill was moved on a due pass motion to Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, with some members noting ongoing stakeholder discussions and one abstention.
AB 1089, by Assembly Member Carrillo, would expand local permitting authority under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act to include commercial and industrial projects. The author and the City of Adelanto argued it would speed housing and economic development in the high desert while preserving the overall conservation framework, but environmental groups opposed it as premature and potentially weakening protections for Joshua trees. The committee approved the bill on a due pass motion to Appropriations. AB 1024, by Assembly Member Harabedian, would require a regional black bear mitigation plan for the San Gabriel Valley and related areas; Sierra Madre officials described rising bear intrusions and the need for state help, and the bill passed to Appropriations.
AB 846, by Assembly Member Connolly, would streamline permitting for local wildfire preparedness and vegetation management projects in local responsibility areas by creating a faster review process at Fish and Wildlife and improving mapping coordination with Cal Fire. Local government, fire service, and agricultural witnesses supported the bill as a common-sense wildfire prevention measure, and it passed to Natural Resources with no opposition. AB 263, by Assembly Member Rogers, would extend emergency minimum-flow regulations for the Scott and Shasta Rivers for five years or until permanent rules are adopted; supporters said it protects salmon recovery, tribal subsistence, and the fishing economy during a transition period, while opponents argued it bypasses normal regulatory process and harms farmers. The committee approved it on a due pass as amended motion to Appropriations, with one abstention and two no votes. AB 1044, by Assembly Member Bains, would create a new Tulare County groundwater sustainability agency for undistricted lands after other local agencies split off; the bill passed to Local Government. AB 1426, by Assembly Member Arambula, began testimony on creating a Diablo Range Conservation Program to fund habitat protection and restoration across the range.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- And so as they do it they find out that not only is it fuel pump skimmers It's in ATM machines and other
- to law enforcement, and reducing adapted intelligence to industry as well, such as the banks, the fuel
- I'm the Director of Government Relations. for the Texas Food and Fuel Association here to testify in
- The Texas Food and Fuel Association, our members, own the Texas Food and Fuel Association, and we operate
- I've spent about three nights at home. in the last three to four weeks.
Committee:
Senate Criminal Justice
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- , we now have fuel depots that are just being established left and right, right on the border.
- And they transfer whatever they have, whether it's fuel or oil, from one tanker to another tanker.
- a little over 30 FTEs across the division, and typically that is for tax compliance, whether it's fuels
- Glenn Hager: ...typically for tax compliance, you know, whether it's fuels, whether it's cigarettes,
- Typically, say for example, with stealing, not paying taxes on dyed fuels, using off-road fuel on-road
Committee:
Senate Finance
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Senate in Special Session E May 29th, 2026
Florida Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And could you compare that to how much we spent in last year's budget on vouchers?
- There's almost half a billion dollars left that hasn't been spent.
- And so for those programs that haven't been spent down to zero, in future years, we're very hesitant
- And that those monies can be spent for the purposes you just described to enhance the college.
- taxes, The two houses on Senate Bill 2506E, same being an act relating to fuel taxes, having met and
Summary:
The Senate took up the conference report on House Bill 501E, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026-27, with Chair Hooper and the appropriations chairs walking through the $114.5 billion budget. Major highlights included pay increases for state law enforcement, firefighters, park rangers, and correctional officers; funding for teacher salary increases and K-12 enrollment stabilization; workforce and university funding in higher education; major Medicaid, nursing home, waiver, and opioid-related investments in health and human services; corrections and prison-capacity funding; transportation, housing, and emergency management spending; and large environmental appropriations for Florida Forever, Everglades restoration, and water quality projects.
Members then asked detailed questions about specific items. Senators pressed on the Hamilton Center at UF, the difference between assistant state attorney and public defender pay, declining student enrollment funding, private school scholarship vouchers, mental health funding in schools, the lack of preeminence funding, APD’s iBudget waiver wait list and provider rates, ADAP premium assistance and the return of Biktarvy to the formulary, prison staffing and air conditioning, Florida Forever land-buying versus easements, SNAP and Sun Bucks funding, Hope Florida, election audit funding, and the IDD managed care program. Chairs generally explained the negotiated compromises, noted where funding was flat or omitted, and in several cases said items would be revisited next year or depended on agency implementation.
Several senators used debate to praise the budget while also criticizing major policy choices. Leader Berman argued the state should have expanded Medicaid, invested more in public schools instead of vouchers, and accepted federal summer EBT funds. Other senators highlighted local wins such as Biscayne Bay restoration, Tri-Rail, housing assistance, ADAP funding, and declining enrollment support. The transcript ends with debate remarks thanking Chair Hooper for his work on the budget; no final vote is shown in the excerpt.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Senate in Special Session E May 29th, 2026
Florida Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And could you compare that to how much we spent in last year’s budget on vouchers?
- There's almost half a billion dollars left that hasn't been spent.
- And so for those programs that haven't been spent down to zero, in future years, we're very hesitant
- And so for those programs that haven't been spent down to zero, in future years, we're very hesitant
- And those monies can be spent for the purposes you just described to enhance the college.
Summary:
The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved to the conference report on House Bill 501E, the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026-27. Budget chairs presented the major spending areas, describing a $114.5 billion overall budget that they said was fiscally responsible and below the prior year’s spending. Highlights included pay increases and retirement adjustments for public safety employees, education funding for K-12, higher education, health and human services, criminal justice, transportation, environmental programs, and agriculture/regulatory agencies.
Members then questioned chairs on several items. In education, senators discussed K-12 declining enrollment funding, teacher salary set-asides, private school scholarship spending, mental health funding, preeminence funding for universities, the Hamilton Center at UF, and charter school PICO funding. In health and human services, questions focused on the iBudget waiver waitlist, provider rates, ADAP/HIV funding and the return of Biktarvy to the formulary, KidCare, rural health funding, SNAP-related IT and error reduction efforts, and the IDD managed care program. In criminal justice, senators asked about correctional officer pay, prison staffing and infrastructure, air conditioning in prisons, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement recruitment, and court system funding. Environmental and transportation questions covered Florida Forever, water quality, state parks, water projects, housing, elections funding, and emergency management.
Several specific actions and explanations were given during debate: the budget includes $8.8 million for state attorney competitive area differentials but no funding for public defender CAD requests; assistant state attorneys will start at $70,000 and assistant public defenders at $65,000; the battery disposal issue was described as a temporary study/preemption approach; and the Senate said the budget does not fund Medicaid expansion, preeminence funding, or the SunBucks Summer EBT state share. Senators also noted that some proposals discussed in committee did not make it into the final budget. The transcript ends with debate statements from members praising the budget process and Chair Hooper, while also expressing concerns about public schools, health care access, affordability, and the lack of funding for certain priorities.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate - Tax, Business and Transportation Jan 29th, 2026 at 02:36 pm
Senate Tax, Business & Transportation
Transcript Highlights:
- . ...years ago, I spent more than 12 years as the city of Albuquerque's analyst of animal programs.
- Number three, money is being spent on items not authorized by law.
- Senator, what we're expecting is, Madam Chair, you recently passed the clean fuels program.
- So that demand we're expecting is... ...transportation fuels, but heating and so forth.
- We think there's going to be such a demand at this juncture for this clean fuel, clean air fuel, and
Committee:
Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation
Keywords:
tax credits, municipality, county property, industrial revenue bonds, economic development, qualified expenditures, solar energy, tax credit, renewable energy, photovoltaic, solar thermal, New Mexico, economic incentive, energy independence, SB40, Driver Privacy and Safety Act, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate reader, vehicle surveillance
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- want to see our taxpayer dollars being want to see our taxpayer dollars being spent<00:15:33.279><c>
- 00:15:34.160><c> can</c><00:15:34.480><c> so</c><00:15:34.639><c> that</c><00:15:34.880><c> we</c> spent
- the best way they can so that we spent the best way they can so that we can<00:15:35.680><c> grow</c
- </c> fiber, fuel or floriculture production. fiber, fuel or floriculture production.
- Well, as Professor Dudi mentioned, you know, for every dollar spent, the state will save $13.
Committee:
Senate Economic Development and Tourism
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on HB 449 relating to economic development, HB 1006 relating to the Agribusiness Development Corporation, and then began HB 1467 relating to housing resiliency. On HB 449, Director Wayne Enoy of the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation and several business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii Food Industry Association, testified in strong support. They said the measure would help local manufacturers and tech-focused businesses adapt to uncertainty around tariffs and federal funding pauses, diversify Hawaiʻi’s economy, and expand workforce training and apprenticeship efforts tied to innovation and manufacturing.
The bulk of the discussion focused on HB 1006 and proposed agritourism authority for ADC. ADC, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and other supporters said agritourism can be a value-added tool that helps farmers diversify income while keeping agriculture as the primary use of the land. One testifier opposed the bill’s direction without stronger guardrails, urging that a high percentage of revenue or land use remain tied to actual agricultural production. Committee members questioned ADC and Farm Bureau witnesses about how much land should remain in production, whether agritourism could expand on public lands, how enforcement would work, and whether responsibilities should be shifted from the Department of Agriculture’s marketing functions to ADC. Witnesses said ADC currently has no tenants engaged in agritourism, but would support standards, annual reporting, site visits, and the ability to reclaim land if production requirements are not met.
No votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided. After concluding HB 1006 testimony and questions, the committee moved on to HB 1467 and called the first witness, Luke Meyers, before the transcript ended.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Energy Finance and Policy Committee 2/18/25
Energy Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Most of my career was spent down there.
- </c><00:24:35.320><c> down</c><00:24:35.640><c> there</c> most of my career was spent down there most
- Can you help me understand whose money is being spent and who owns it?
- It goes down maybe one unit will go down every 18 months generally for fuel cycle, to put new fuel in
- And the amazing thing about marginal cost in renewables, it ties back to that zero fuel cost.
Bills:
HF75
Committee:
House Energy Finance and Policy
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and Xenophobia Mar 20th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- This unfortunate reality shows us that xenophobic rhetoric can fuel dangerous attitudes and actions against
- I spent the morning. to go forward on so many of its endeavors.
- I spent the morning, as a matter of fact, going through an internal survey that we're doing through our
- This includes using thoughtful, responsible language and actions, not trigger words that cause and fuel
- So as you can see, the rhetoric surrounding immigration has really fueled the fire here in many places
Summary:
The Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and Xenophobia met to hear from Los Angeles County officials and community advocates about rising hate, discrimination, and xenophobia, with opening remarks emphasizing the need for stronger anti-hate infrastructure, community-based reporting, and state support. Assemblymember Lowenthal noted the broader economic and social impacts of discrimination, and the committee framed the hearing around understanding local conditions and identifying legislative responses.
Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission Executive Director Robin Toma presented county hate-crime data showing record-high levels in 2024, with racial/ethnic hate crimes remaining the largest category and anti-Black hate crimes the most common. He also highlighted high levels of anti-Latino, anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-transgender hate, the role of underreporting, and the county’s L.A. vs. Hate system for reporting and victim support. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it uses hate-crime and hate-incident data to guide proactive patrols, community outreach, and training, and discussed the need to build trust amid immigration enforcement fears that discourage reporting.
Community organizations described how current political rhetoric and federal immigration enforcement are intensifying fear and underreporting. LULAC called for multilingual, culturally competent reporting systems, prevention education, and stronger support for grassroots organizations. The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles described severe anti-Semitism, increased security costs, and the need for safe worship protections, security grants, and Holocaust education. The NAACP emphasized the continuing impact of anti-Black racism and the need for cross-community solidarity, while the Los Angeles LGBT Center highlighted rising anti-trans violence and urged funding for gender-affirming care, LGBTQ centers, and reauthorization of California vs. Hate. CHIRLA and CAIR California both described heightened fear among immigrants and Muslims, workplace discrimination, and the need for stronger civil-rights protections, data collection, and community-based reporting.
No formal votes were taken. The discussion focused on policy ideas and funding priorities, including improved law-enforcement training, alternative sentencing or diversion for hate offenders, protections for houses of worship, and continued or expanded funding for California vs. Hate, Stop Hate, and related programs. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly stressed that hate is underreported, that words and leadership rhetoric matter, and that California should continue investing in prevention, response, and healing.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- Because California consumes roughly 13 billion gallons of fuel a year.
- Because California consumes roughly 13 billions of fuel a year, 13 billion gallons of fuel year.
- And will these amendments have any effect on near-term fuel prices?
- So are you aware that those refineries refined roughly 20% of California's fuel? Yes. Okay.
- So as a result of those refinery closures, where do we source that fuel from?
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget Apr 6th, 2026 at 04:00 pm
Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget
Transcript Highlights:
- Will that be funding that the districts get to choose how it's spent?
- million dollars can you speak to whether that's being distributed to districts or if that's going to be spent
- And we've spent a lot of time talking about mental health.
- All of us have probably fueled up our vehicles this past week and we are at record levels of fuel.
Bills:
SB1177
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate - Rules Feb 16th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Members of the committee, I have spent my entire public career in the General Services Department.
- I have spent my entire public career in the General Services Department, first as a buyer, where I learned
- We have the most fuel-efficient and diverse fleet, incorporating electric and hybrid vehicles.
- I have spent my entire public career in the General Services Department. entire public career in the
- We have the most fuel-efficient and diverse fleet incorporating electric and hybrid vehicles.
Summary:
The committee first heard the nomination of Anna Silva to lead the General Services Department. Supporters, including the sponsor, former GSD officials, family members, the lieutenant governor, and other senators, praised her long career in GSD, her procurement and facilities management experience, and her work on e-procurement, veteran home construction, and other projects. Silva said her priorities would include stabilizing risk management positions for the transition to the next administration, ensuring continuity on construction projects, and protecting the department’s budget and operations. After questions and comments, the committee voted 7-0 to advance her nomination to full Senate confirmation.
The committee then took up House Bill 96, which would create a working group to study establishing a New Mexico Space Commission to support the commercial space industry. The sponsor and witnesses argued the state already has strong space infrastructure and should remain competitive with other states. Senators expressed support, and a friendly amendment was adopted to add a Senate pro tem appointee to the working group. The amended bill received a due-pass recommendation.
Next, the committee considered House Joint Resolution 5A, which would ask voters whether legislators should be paid based on median household income. The resolution received a due-pass recommendation. The committee also heard House Joint Memorial 3, which asks the Environment Department and Environmental Improvement Board to review the PFAS law passed the previous year in light of changing federal rules. The American Chemistry Council opposed the memorial, arguing it misstated aspects of the law and could complicate rulemaking, while the sponsor and Environment Department said the memorial was intended to help assess whether changes are needed. The memorial received a subcommittee due-pass recommendation, and the meeting adjourned.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 2/25/26
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- that sometimes fuels, um, or aids<00:12:26.399><c> in</c><00:12:26.720><c> the,</c><00:12:27.279><c>
- growth uh by kind of areas kind of fuel growth uh by kind of pulling<00:47:14.640><c> people</c><00:
- quite a bit of time working on I spent quite a bit of time working on census<00:48:04.400><c> um</c>
- </c><00:58:55.200><c> So,</c><00:58:55.680><c> I</c> the locality in which it's spent.
- So, I the locality in which it's spent.
Keywords:
workforce development, youth employment, internships, mentoring, job opportunities, digital platform, online portal, career pathways, youth workforce, employment and economic development, DEED, general fund appropriation, nonprofit grant, social media outreach, digital outreach, workforce opportunities, teen jobs, young adults, career exploration, Minnesota youth
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
February 20, 2025 - 01:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- They have fuel. They have another amount of lumber and aggregate there as well.
- Moving on to Everglades, which is one of the primary fuel ports in Florida.
- And again, it's one of the primary fuel ports.
- If you're getting fuel on the west coast, you're getting it from Port Tampa.
- If you're getting fuel on the west coast, you're getting it from Port Tampa.
Summary:
The Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee heard an overview from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue on the state’s transportation work program, with emphasis on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, major roadway projects, workforce needs, seaports, airports, spaceport infrastructure, and the role of MPOs/TPOs in planning. He said the $4 billion general revenue investment in Moving Florida Forward has been leveraged into a roughly $7 billion-plus program, with 20 projects underway and about 70% of the initiative expected to be under construction by year’s end. He highlighted I-4 as the centerpiece, describing a new procurement approach, phased delivery, and added lanes intended to provide congestion relief during construction. He also discussed a projected 38% growth in transportation workforce needs and proposed a Florida Transportation Academy and a research institute to support training and innovation.
Tiffany King of the Florida Airports Council said Florida’s 128 public-use airports have about $5.7 billion in unfunded projects through 2029, and stressed that airport priorities include not only terminals and passenger capacity but also safety, security, gates, and environmental work. Michael Rubin of the Florida Ports Council said Florida’s 16 deepwater seaports now have a $195.9 billion economic impact, support about 1.2 million jobs, and generate $7.4 billion in state and local taxes; he noted that ports still have about $4 billion in project needs, including dredging and intermodal connections. Jeff Sheffield of the North Florida TPO described the value of regional, community-based planning and said his four-county TPO has helped align local priorities with FDOT funding.
Members asked about whether the state is planning for advanced air mobility and “flying cars,” whether Moving Florida Forward bypassed MPOs, how long major projects take, cost escalation, regionalization of MPOs, port governance, airport governance, and the contractor qualification system. FDOT and the witnesses said the state is working on policy and planning for advanced air mobility, that Moving Florida Forward did not bypass MPOs because the projects were already locally prioritized, and that the main delay is funding rather than the planning process. They said long-range plans are updated regularly and can be amended when priorities change, and that regional MPO structures can improve coordination. The committee took no formal vote; the meeting concluded after questions and comments, including discussion of workforce training opportunities for incarcerated individuals and a motion to adjourn by the ranking member.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Cmte on Rules - Subcommittee on the Federal Impact on Minnesotans and Economic Stability - 11/24/25
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:59:43.280><c> and</c> subsidized fossil fuels, they and subsidized fossil fuels, they and unsubsidized
- They spent the money and then the dollars were rejected.
- They spent the money and then the dollars were rejected.
- </c><01:35:04.639><c> and</c> their reliance on fossil fuels and their reliance on fossil fuels and slashing
- </c> fossil fuel industry. fossil fuel industry.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (Part II) Mar 26th, 2025
Health & Human Services
Transcript Highlights:
- I work primarily. ...in level three and four neonatal ICUs and have spent a significant portion of my
- We needed to get fuel out if there was no power.
- Our fuel has gone bad; the proper word escapes me right now, but you know it has sediment.
- The $100,000 that y'all spent, did you recoup it through FEMA? That's FEMA.
- She spent tens of thousands of dollars, not only on attorney's fees but on an expert witness.
Bills:
SB397 , SB481 , SB596 , SB760 , SB855 , SB1195 , SB1196 , SB1233 , SB1257 , SB1318 , SB1368 , SB1388 , SB1398 , SB1524 , SB1558 , SB1589 , SB1677 , SB1792 , SB2034
Committee:
Senate Health & Human Services
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Jun 18th, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Through his two space missions, Captain Glover has spent a total of 178 days in space and has become
- Through his two space missions, Captain Glover has spent a total of 178 days in space and has become
- That memory fuels our resistance, and it lives in our culture, activism, and presence.
- ancestors. nationwide protests, I am reminded of the resistance of our ancestors, that many in the memory fuels
- and since he's come in, for every 63 cents that has come into California, the Legislature and he has spent
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- purchase power based on cost and reliability and prevents special-interest lawsuits aimed at banning fuel
- purchase power based on cost and reliability and prevents special interest lawsuits aimed at banning fuel
- By local governments or by constituents, which is, where'd the money go and what did it get spent on?
- And Chair McLean, I appreciate your indulgence in the time you spent working on this issue with me and
- By local governments or by constituents, which is, where'd the money go and what did it get spent on?
Committee:
Senate Community Affairs
Summary:
The committee met with a quorum present and took up a series of local claims, public records, growth management, permitting, and nuisance bills. It first heard and approved SB 16, SB 14, and SB 24, all uncontested claims bills providing relief related to injuries or settlements involving the City of St. Petersburg and Miami-Dade County. The committee also approved SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, which narrows statutory language to protect co-op decisions on generation and power purchases while preserving consumer protections, and SB 830, which creates a public records exemption for certain personal information of county and city managers and their families due to reported threats against local officials.
Members then considered SB 1138 on qualified contractors and development review, which would create a registry of licensed professionals to help local governments process pre-application reviews and plats more quickly. Local government groups raised concerns about preemption and preserving quasi-judicial authority, while private-provider supporters backed the bill; Senator Sharief voted no, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 168, expanding public nuisance law to include gambling houses and increasing penalties, and SB 686 on agricultural enclaves, which revises the enclave process, adds a public hearing path, limits it to certain residential projects in urban service areas, and was amended to change a date to June 30, 2026 before being reported favorably.
The committee next approved CS for SB 548 on growth management and impact fees, which clarifies plan-based methodology, extraordinary circumstances, interlocal agreements, and refund procedures for improper fee collections. Testimony reflected support for clearer standards but also concerns about fee increases and refund administration. Finally, SB 1234 on building permits and inspections was reported favorably; it would extend permit validity, exempt some low-value work from permitting, create a statewide residential permit form, speed review timelines, and expand private-provider use, drawing opposition from a Miami-Dade building official who argued for continued local oversight and support from private-provider advocates. Senator Jones requested to be recorded as voting affirmatively on several tabs and negatively on tab 9, and the committee adjourned after all bills were disposed of.
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- , uh, refined science, turns it into usable assets: clean, usable assets, clean electricity, clean fuel
- You can create SAF, you can create clean diesel, you can create light fuel.
- Our natural gas and fuels burn so clean they could burn in Vermont. Why is Qatar up here?
- I turned that sludge into biochar and hydrochar and fuel and clean electricity.
- So... fuel, that's clean diesel, light gasoline, RFO, and SA, Biochar and hydrochar, which are, which
Committee:
House Agriculture
Summary:
The committee hearing focused on biosolids, sewage sludge, and PFAS contamination, with the opening remarks and first three presenters arguing that land application of municipal sludge poses serious risks to soil, water, livestock, and human health. Representative Shaw cited EPA and state data on detected pollutants and PFAS in biosolids, while Denise Travick Poyer described her background in chemical engineering and PFAS work and said the EPA’s draft sewage sludge risk assessment shows unacceptable risk at very low PFOS/PFOA levels. She urged source reduction, more testing, and consideration of total organic fluorine, and noted examples from Michigan where industrial pretreatment and source reduction reduced PFAS in biosolids. Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Larry Woolley and Investigator Dana Ames presented a case study of alleged runoff from land-applied biosolids affecting a ranch, with high PFAS readings in soil, water, fish, cattle tissue, and a stillborn calf, and said the county and state had pursued investigations, lawsuits, and legislative responses. Sandra Trawick of Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches argued that Oklahoma’s biosolids program relies heavily on Class B sludge, that current rules are outdated, and that land application exposes farms and rural communities to pathogens, chemicals, odors, flies, and runoff; she cited examples from Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma to support calls for stronger regulation or a ban.
After the testimony, members asked about sampling methods, lab testing, EPA limits, and whether the cited PFAS blood levels were comparable to the soil and sludge measurements. Witnesses said the Johnson County samples were collected by a Texas A&M PhD contractor and tested at a single lab, and they explained that the EPA’s 4 parts per trillion figure applied to municipal drinking water standards. Questions also addressed whether sludge is incorporated into soil; Trawick said it had often been left on the surface, though she had seen better disking after public scrutiny. Members asked how biosolids compare with manure and feedlot waste, and witnesses responded that municipal sludge is more contaminated because it includes industrial, hospital, and household waste streams, unlike animal manure. The committee then moved to alternative solutions, hearing from Doug McKinney of Advanced Microbial Solutions, who promoted biological sludge removal using bacteria to reduce sludge volumes and avoid land application, citing cost savings for wastewater plants and correctional facilities. Jason Jepsen of Eden Energy followed with a pitch for an eight-stage waste-to-energy system that converts mixed waste into clean energy, biochar, and reusable products, framing waste as an asset and presenting his company’s technology as a no-land-application alternative.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations and Budget Transportation Subcommittee Mar 30th, 2026 at 10:00 am
A&B Transportation Subcommittee
Transcript Highlights:
- Right now, we are currently in the design of the fuel system in the terminal building.
- Of that $5.4, we'd spent about $2 million on the new engine manufacturing facility.
- And that'll be spent probably at the end at the end of next month. SOAR PA will be done.
- To encumber, and that will be encumbered and spent probably by June.
- We've spent about a million dollars tearing down or buildings out there.
Committee:
House A&B Transportation Subcommittee