Formed January 1, 1993 Founded 1 January 1993 | Employees 10 unclassified Annual budget 15.7 million USD | |
Ministers responsible C. Michael Ming, Secretary of EnergyDavid House, Chair of the Board Agency executive Mindy Stitt, Executive Director Profiles |
The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (abbreviated OERB) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma. Funded voluntarily by Oklahoma's oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners, OERB conducts environmental restoration of orphaned and abandoned well sites, encourages the wise and efficient use of energy, and promotes energy education.
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The Board is composed of 21 members. 7 members are appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma, 7 are appointed by the President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, and 7 appointed by the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. All members are either independent oil or natural gas producers or representatives of major oil companies that do business in Oklahoma. The Board, in turn, appoints an Executive Director to serve as the chief administrative officer of the Board.
The current board chairman is David House, president of Jireh Resources, LLC in Tulsa, OK.
OERB was created by the Oklahoma Legislature and energy industry leaders in 1993 during the term of Governor of Oklahoma David Walters.
Mission
The stated missions of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board are:
Leadership
OERB is under the leadership of the Secretary of Energy, the Chair of the Board, and the Executive Director of OERB. Under Governor of Oklahoma Mary Fallin, C. Michael Ming serves as Secretary, David House serves as the Chairman and Mindy Stitt serves as the Executive Director.
Environmental restoration
Since its creation in 1993, the OERB has committed $69 million to restore more than 11,800 abandoned and orphaned well sites as part of its environmental restoration program. It has made restoration progress in 67 of Oklahoma's 77 counties and has a restoration budget of $6 million for the current fiscal year.
Unique is OERB's funding process – though it is funded by a 0.1% assessment on oil and gas sales (not uncommon among similar agencies), it is a voluntary assessment. Any producer or royalty owner may opt out of the program by requesting OERB (between January 1 and March 31 of each year) for a refund of previously paid assessments. OERB states that over 95% of participants remain in the program.
Education
Throughout its history, the OERB has reached more than 1 million Oklahoma students with energy curricula, classroom supplies, field trips, college scholarships and presentations. OERB reaches all academic grade levels – from kindergarten through college with its energy education programs, including:
Conservation
Through its Conservation Education Program, the OERB has contributed $1.75 million to help more than 800 Oklahoma families weatherize their homes and save up to 30 percent on their utility bills. In addition to providing weatherization assistance, the OERB provides tips on saving energy and money through advertisements, community events and a website, which includes a “Weatherize Your Home” video demonstration, conservation tips and information on how to apply for home heating assistance.