“Strong energy policy is strong environmental policy. In Col. Teague’s new role, his mission is to help develop policies that encourage energy exploration and production as well as responsible environmental stewardship. He is succeeding. His years of experience dealing with energy production and distribution, infrastructure development and water management are serving him well as
Oklahoma’s fi rst secretary of energy and environment. I’m proud to have him on my team.” - Gov. Mary Fallin
Establishing Goals As the fi rst secretary of energy and environment in Oklahoma, Teague has a two-fold vision for the state’s energy and environment landscape: “to look far into the future and pre- pare it for new generations.” “It’s all about what we want the state to look like for our kids. We are all striving for a growing economy, a vibrant workforce, and an environ- ment to grow, breathe, fi sh … ” Teague believes rules should be de- veloped from the bottom up. Recently, Teague hosted an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “listening session,” which focused on EPA’s new proposed rules for regulating greenhouse gases that result from generation at power plants. He is a proponent of local people working together to fi nd local solutions.
“It’s important to find common ground,”
Teague said. “As it was said before, ‘give us a glide path, but not a cliff.’ If you get the right people in the room you can really solve some issues. This is true in Oklahoma.” As an Army engineer with background in
policy, construction, and natural resources man- agement, Teague carries extensive knowledge that will aid him as he leads the state in a bal- anced approach that combines energy and environment.
“Strong energy policy is strong environmental
policy,” Gov. Fallin said. “In Col. Teague’s new role, his mission is to help develop policies that encourage energy exploration and production as well as responsible environmental stewardship. He is succeeding. His years of experience dealing with energy production and distribution, infra- structure development, and water management are serving him well as Oklahoma’s fi rst secretary of energy and environment. I’m proud to have him on my team.”
Speaking of teamwork, Teague is a supporter and friend of Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives. An advocate for strong rural communities, Teague believes electric co-ops are catalysts for
Then commander of the Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Teague, visits with Congressman Markwayne Mullin and his staff at Lake Tenkiller. Courtesy photo
FEBRUARY 2014 17
Left to right: Maj. Leo McGonagle, Maj. Tom Tickner, then Maj. Gen. David Petraeus, Teague, and Command Sgt. Maj. Lester McIntosh led the 52nd Engineer Battalion in Iraq. Courtesy photo
dialogue and community empowerment. “Co-ops give communities a voice at
Secretary Teague (far right) visits with Western Farmers Electric Cooperative personnel (left to right): Plant Manager Tommy Sparkman, Vice President of Generation Gary Gilleland, and Control Room Operator Joshua Massie. Photo by James Pratt
the table,” Teague said. “Offi cials from co- ops are knowledgeable representatives; they’re not extreme. What we really need are informed, common sense people, and co-ops do a great job in representing their folks. This country is made up of large municipalities, but the heartbeat is out- side the municipalities. You have to have both, but you can’t ignore either.” Generation and transmission electric cooperatives in Oklahoma take pride in maintaining a diverse fuel generation mix. Teague believes keeping options open is key to balanced electric generation sources. “You have to have a mix. It’s about ‘all-
of-the-above’ energy sources. We need diversity. If you ask people, they want affordable and reliable electricity, and they want it to be green,” Teague said. “Consumers want to fl ip the switch and turn the lights on. But, nobody is willing to double or triple the price of elec- tricity. When you start taking fuel sources off the table, your options become slimmer.” Teague has the ability to face complex issues with simplicity and common sense. He is a man of many values—many of which were ingrained in him as a boy watching his father serve in the Army. One of his great- est attributes is uniting people to reach compromise. Today, Teague and his wife Dawn are established in their home in Bixby, Okla., but he offi ces in Oklahoma City. In his spare time, Teague and his family enjoy his eastern roots by cheering on the Boston Red Sox. On the day prior to the interview with Oklahoma
Living, he had breakfast in Enid, lunch in Woodward, dinner in Oklahoma City, then went home to Bixby— but he would not have it any other way. His passion and dedication to Oklahomans and to the state’s en- ergy and environment are evident as he brings people from all walks of life together to fi nd common-ground solutions. He carries his mission today with just as much pride as he did while he served his country in the armed forces. To Teague, serving his fellow men and striving for a better quality of life is a calling he will never refuse to follow.
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