Sierra Club Criticizes Gov. Fallin’s Plan to Combine Energy and Environment Posts

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Gov. Mary Fallin on Friday announced plans to combine the secretary of environment and secretary of energy offices into one cabinet post.

Fallin’s decision was announced alongside Secretary of Environment Gary Sherrer’s resignation, and follows the May resignation of Secretary of Energy Mike Ming, who took a job at an OKC energy research center.

The two positions are unique among Oklahoma’s 15 cabinet positions because neither secretary directed a state agency. But the Oklahoma chapter of the Sierra Club called the merger a “troubling development” wrought with potential conflicts of interest, The Oklahoman’s Paul Monies reports:

“Gov. Fallin would be best served by having two voices in the room when it comes to energy and the environment,” Ocamb said. “Not having that does a disservice to the state.”