See http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/osage-shareholder-matters-november-2015.html to view previous Shareholder comments with regard to the specific points to bring up to include on the correct Comment Card you will have to use to raise objections as to the new EIS and time is running out: http://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xregeasternok/documents/text/idc1-032702.pdf
Your comments should be snail mailed by December 12, 2015 because December 24, 2015 is the deadline!
A question has come up about commenting rules on the Osage Blog: If you want to respond to a comment by another poster, click on the reply link and enter your comment. If you're introducing a new topic, click on the Add comment link.
7.4 million from the Land by back program was allocated to our Tribe by the Cobell suit..Where is it? Our Courts are not so busy..what is going on with 5 man board suit? Wind farm suit?
op-ed by Sen. Jim Inhofe in The Tulsa World pointed out that oil production is now 97 percent higher in Oklahoma than it was just five years ago. When you break it down 20% a year is not that much of a increase right? And we are not seeing it here with our M.E.
Strippers Suffering From Low Oil Prices A good article, worth the read... http://finance.yahoo.com/news/strippers-suffering-low-oil-prices-225403708.html
Pretty good article. As the former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Marginal Well Commission I can state that this is a critical situation for the state of Oklahoma in regards to Gross production tax if the stripper wells are shut in. It is even more critical for the Osage Mineral Estate and Shareholders since most of Osage production is marginal or stripper production. The state of Oklahoma does have a law in place to assist Stripper well operators in the case that oil prices drop below $15 a barrel, the operator does not have to pay the 7% Gross Production tax. This helps but its an old law that I tried to get changed by raising the amount to $25 a barrel price but was not successful in doing so. I would suggest that the OMC consider some type of incentive for the Osage stripper well operator in order to keep their wells on line, such as a reduced Royalty rate based on a sliding scale. i.e. if oil is under $30 bbl the Royalty is one price, if oil is under $25 - 20 is another reduced Royalty price etc. Food for thought. A reduced Royalty is better than no Royalty at all.
I think it is time we revisit the law. Considering the times and where we are at with our economy considering the chance we may hit 20 dollars a barrel.
Go here and read the comments on today's committee meetings. THIS IS WHY the Osage Nation has no business running the Osage Mineral Estate. I mean it. Really --->>> http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/conversation-november-2015.html
The question is whether it will be good for the current set of headright owners. The minerals income will accrue directly to the Osage Nation prior to distribution. In short, it will bust the OME Trust and the Feds will only have a sideline involvement and I doubt when guys like Gentner Drummond puts out an open call to the land owners to lock their gates if the BIA will step up legally to open them legally. Osage Nation would be stand alone. How well do you think that will work? It will be good for the Osage Nation and whoever it deems is fit to receive a pro-rata share of minerals income. How well is that per-cap doing for you with gaming funds right now? Past is prologue with the Osage Nation and don't you ever forget it.
Not so sure it will bust the OME given our trust is held by the Federal Government considering the circumstances are much different for us compared to other tribes, such as the UTE and Navajo? Still working to get that Per-cap to all Osages..let the Owners not comply with the lease agreement, then penalties will be assessed and then they will pay for their bad choices right? Theres got to be besides the BIA a clause t b at will protect the assets interest if not something is very wrong.
The 1906 Act as to the Trust itself will fall away and we will be stand alone to run the OME under a TERA that I am going ahead to presume will be the actually working program out in the field under this new legislation. The trust we have is specific to the trust created by the provisions of the 1906 Allotment Act as amended and to this particular set or group of headlight trust beneficiaries. If this trust is busted, so also is the group of associated beneficiaries right along with it. The Nation will tell you they can't take your headright away but if nothing is being paid into the trust account from generated minerals income, how much will your payment be quarterly? If the trust account balance is $0.00. The quarterly headright payments will be also be $0.00. It stands to reason.
In regard to the poster's comment about the surface owners locking-out the producers and whether or not the BIA will get involved and assist the producers, I can tell you first hand that the BIA will not assist. I was locked out of one of my leases two years ago and asked for BIA assistance. I was told they could not help and suggested that I go to the district court to obtain an injunction. I followed their advice and six months later and at a cost of legal fees exceeding $20,000. I was able to enter my leased premises. I purchased a lease at the September, 2014 lease sale and I have been locked-out going on 17 months. The BIA and Mineral Council can't or won't help. Really nice and friendly place to operate, right?
Thank you your comment has been noted. Two years and when did you notify the M.C your complaint about a lease you purchased and were locked out? There are right of way laws and if they are not being followed by the BIA or M.C dis you notify local authorities? Cause and action. If the property owners renig on there agreement regarding the leases they signed with the M.E then time to put leans on their property and recover the losses?
Good comment. The Shareholders really need to know what is happening in the field so they can assess what is really going on. It's a shame the BIA isn't stepping up because they are the only ones that can prevent this from happening. Reservation or not, they need to be protecting the interests of the Trust beneficiaries. It used to be they did so until after the HPP lawsuit was settled. I don't believe that having a reservation or not changes the nature of the Trust relationship. You should have gotten back your legal fees and this should put landowners on notice that this is what they too will face if they prevent the oil and gas producers from entering the property.
Well the council sees fit to communicate with the Shareholder's when it benefits them and not the Majority is common knowledge which will change. We have a future and this is not where we should be at..we should be 25 years a head of our selves and our M.E has become a mecca for lawsuits. Though the GOVERNMENT knows they have screwed up royally they will pay dearly. From their outright and blatant poor judgement...who gave all this power to the BIA? HISTORY was back in the day the BIA were a liason to the Government to now they are an agency with no regard and to much power..The BIA will always be on the losing end if they dont get their head out of their arse..From the HPP tot he fletcher case and the accounting that will take place and my bet the Interior already has those figures and it will be more than the HPP for sure..The shit is about to get real here and the money trail will be followed and those caught in between the corruption I suspect of course does not want us to know..I want all accounts that derives a royalty should be paid to the Shareholder's...This will happen and I want to know how are Million dollar drawdown is spent as well and the M.C will be paid 75 hr..this will happen or there of in that price range...not just that our voting rights restored.
OMC3 member Talee Red Corn has posted a lengthy message on Face Book where he attempts to justify his ranting at the Council meeting on 12/11/2015. He closes with the following statement. “So, Osage people, join me in rejecting the EIS or support it if you must. But for goodness sake lets demand that the BIA consider the official will of the Osages before they roll out an environmental system that impacts us all!” What Mr. Red Corn doesn’t understand is that the BIA is GOING to put out this EIS which will make it much easier to approve and issue drilling permits and work over permits in the future. Several months ago, the council voted 6 to 2 to NOT PARTICIPATE in the drafting of the EIS. This was blatant dereliction of the council’s duty represent the shareholders and their producers. The ONG was also invited to participate and you can bet your boots they accepted. They had Andrea Hunter from cultural and the director of the ENR agency both there representing their interests. The Minerals Council’s interests include a several billion dollar mineral estate that many of us depend on for our livelihood but that 6 to 2 vote to ‘not represent’ indicates that they didn’t care much about that. This is where the “official will of the Osages” Talee speaks of could have been heard in the proper forum where it would have carried some weight. Now, all the Council can do is write letters and make suggestions like the rest of us. I hope our MC was in full attendance at the last EIS meeting making statements supporting the shareholders and our producers.
That may be true but it will let in the door right along with it, a number of other provisions that will make it financially impossible for the small producers to work their leases who provide 65% of the income to the Shareholders. We don't need any more regulations period and certainly not 300 + pages of more of them. Are you for real? The BIA needs to go back to work and stop dragging their feet on getting these permits approved and out the door. If you approve a lease and you know you are doing something to make it impossible to work on and it's the BIA that's doing this, isn't that a kind of bunko which is a type of fraud that can be investigated by the FBI. Yes? You might even be able to add bait and switch as well.
Then they should have been there to try to hold that 'door' closed as much as possible. That idiotic decision to not attend nailed that 'door' wide open. The EIS is coming, and if that draft is not modified, it could be a disaster, and it will be partly because of MC3's bullheaded attitude.
Though I do not like the DEIS, yes it will impact the Producers and development. Especially now thw that the prices of oil dropping possibly to 20 dollars a barrel. Who are you kidding? I do not believe adding more regulations is not going to help with the incompetence at the BIA..or by the M.C and I do believe there is another agenda here..The problems at the Administrative level is not going to fix the long over due concensus we need so very much..I do agree with you that the M.C needs to be front and present at all meetings..and you are right their failure is our failure..and this is why when said and done we will replace each and everyone of them..its no accident where we are at..had the diligence been applied this could have all been prevented had we had a working council a functional petroleum office. There is no reason we can not accomplish what needs to be done today and build that future together as opposed to sitting around waiting for the egg to hatch.
They did have one member of the MC attend at the behest of the Osage Nation government and of what value was that? The idea is that in attending and participating as a body, they damage their legal level of standing to seek an injunction at a later point after the EIS is finally published and put in effect.
I agree with the MC not participating in the EIS process. The EIS is a death sentence for the producers and Shareholders. Why would they want any part of that? The Obama administration needs to butt-out and quit looking for ways to punish the Shareholders. The EIS will totally shutdown all oil and gas operations. Why would the MC want any involvement in that? They should be prepared to file another lawsuit the day the EIS is implemented. Also, why didn't the MC file suit or join in the producer's suit regarding the permits? Why hasn't the MC filed suit for being restricted in viewing well records and production records? Where are they and what , if anything, are they doing? Pathetic!
For those of you that are not familiar with the workover permitting process, please be advised that the new permits being approved now come with eight (8) pages of nonsense. Until July, 2014, the permit was one page and was either approved or not approved. Now the ones that are approved have numerous restrictions and some are contrary to the governing CFR's. The permits they claim are being approved are not actually approved. They are just going through the motions. I recently permitted a well to perforate, acidize and simultaneously sand-frac the zone. The first page of the 8 page approval stated all was in order and my procedure was approved. The following 7 pages restrict me from frac'g the zone and also has about 40 new restrictions. How ridiculous is this? The Shareholders need to know these facts. Ask 6 of the 8 the Mineral Council members about this. I don't think any of them are aware that they are being deceived. Ask them anyway.
The Osage Law enforcement officers should escort the BIA's Superintendent and her staff and employees off the premises and invite the national press to document the event. Then, maybe we can be heard. The Osage Tribe of Indians is under attack by the US government again! Reign of Terror part II.
To 1:55 p.m. - I get confused on the many aspects of drilling oil, but have been learning a lot on this blog and oil-price website. But I came to a fast conclusion when I heard the vote on not going to that EIS meeting with the BIA. Even Robin Phillips said by attending we had the choice/option of expressing our feelings and comments of agreeing or not agreeing. Even though our comments have been overlooked for so long, we can't give up. My conclusion--that "no" vote did not represent the shareholders interest, it was like a child whinning, retaliating for not getting its way. Got to stay in the game.
By not entering into the MOU, the MC made a very loud "comment"; it tells the federal government we're not going to allow you to shove this crap down our throats. You impose this on us and we'll see you in court again and again and again.
If the Mineral Council is not going to fight the federal government then we Shareholders should contact the Osage Producers Association and support them in their legal battles. The producers are on our side and we need to assist them especially since 6 of our MC has abandoned us and 2 have betrayed us.
The M.C will fight these new Regs..only when the damage is done..and if you are asking me when? Let me tell you how the BIA will pay ..Robyn Phillips is nothing but a puppet on a string..after all the money that has been lost since 2014..and the prices of oil dropping to the tune of prices we have not seen since 2011 these regs are outdated already the way I see it..adding new regs to a defunct BIA is only adding more problems at the administrative level..was there ever a economic inpact statement and who at what level is authorizing the New Regs without direct influence from the M.C? Who wrote and who was the author of the Regs?
The Obama administration is the author of the CFR's and EIS. We are under attack again. We need to return to the procedures that were in place prior to Obama's July, 2014 death sentence.
Yes I get the big agenda by this administration but I would be more specific with names if you can? Or anyone for that matterif they can answer? Did anyone from Congess or anyone representing Congress sit on the panel representing the Shareholder's? The BIA is building a bigger bureaucracy as opposed to building a consensus for the betterment of the M.E. whomdrew up the formula for DEIS?
There are half a dozen names sited in the EIS document being identified as authors. There are other authors referred to but not named. Drink a few cups of coffee and take a handful of LA turnarounds like the college kids do and you will find the names buried in the death sentence document. Read the 322 pages. The Obama administration is expecting that you will not read it. They have to pass it before we can know what's in it, right? There is no doubt in my mind that the OMC will do nothing and depend on the Osage County Producers to act and make everything all better again like Humpty Dumpty. Losers! Deadbeats! Cowards! Too unfamiliar with the issues to know what to do. How could they know and understand, they are not qualified to oversee oil and gas matters and too arrogant to seek professional assistance. Just saying.
Funny..but so true.."you have to pass it before you read it will forever be in bedded in our heads..man did Pelosi walk into that one all by herself..I have read a lot of the 322 pages..in short you are right the M.C can be and well lol you said it all. And at this point I have to agree to agree.
Actually, I believe what she said was we need to pass the bill to find out what's in it. Staggering remark coming from the then Speaker of the Congress who took the gavel with a speech which noted that with such a landmark, that women were now fully out of the kitchen. I'm a woman and for the first time in my life, after hearing her make her perfect political gaffe, she's the first woman where I thought she should be sent right back into the kitchen.
Is there ANYONE that post or reads this Blog that can inform us where we can go to read or hear the Official Opinion of this Osage Mineral Council on all the critical issues facing the Shareholders, Producers and the Osage Mineral Estate? I read lots of comments, opinion and I have shared mine and I have criticized the OMC many times and its because not ONE Shareholder can tell you what the position of this Mineral Council is. No Newsletter with updates, no updates on the Osage website. So it leaves one to believe that they are siding with the BIA or are totally incompetent. This crap of we are working behind the scenes or we can't comment due to legal reasons just doesn't fly. They can state their position and game plan. Just one Osage Shareholders opinion. I am not afraid to express mine. Why are the 8 Council members scared? We sure have gotten our money's worth out of them huh?
And I two have expressed my opinion many times of my dissatisfaction of the performance of our OMC and the Chief as well. We know Mr. Waller built the wall of incompetence. He is fecless when it comes to communicating the advocacy for the Shareholder's. He reminds me of Obama. And thats bad at this point. The M.C will know as I have said before what can we do and we can do a lot. The word will be one day and that day is almost here replacement of them all voted by a unanimously by t by e Shareholder's.
Per the open OMC meetings they are expressly set against the EIS. Beyond that it is apparent, per the meetings, that they intend to fight the EIS in court. This seems beyond question to me. While I agree the OMC could more effectively communicate, saying they are siding with the BIA (to this shareholder) seems disingenuous and based solely on political or personal hatreds. Given the defeat of the CFRs and the court opinion, to this point I would say "yes" we have gotten our money's worth.
What is one to think? Corruption is rampant in so many ways and the M.C is fueling it to the point they do not know from up or down..had they not arm chair coach the M.E we would not be in knee deep do do. Thats a fact and are you delusional to think we got our Monies worth. Lol. Guess your not on the losing end of a hundred thousand dollars or more or more ,you would be singing the same tune.
@10:55, Have you ever tried to listen to the Mineral Council meetings on line? If so you would know that it is near impossible to understand what is being said due to the poor quality of auto. Does a Shareholder have to drive to Pawhuska in order to be informed? The reason I stated the question about them siding with the BIA is because of two members and the Chairman taking no action to remove these members and in fact when I asked him in a OMC meeting in November what the procedure is to take suck action Mr. Waller had no clue how to do this. He stated the procedure is in the CFR's. Clueless. All I am asking is for ONE of the EIGHT to speak publicly and state their opinion on this issues and what action is being taken by our Mineral Council.
Not much to ask for when they make $38,000 a year for a 2nd part time job.
Maybe you need to have your ears checked, or upgrade your computer, or add additional speakers. I hear the meetings just fine and have no problem whatsoever unless they start shuffling papers or start coughing.
You really are like one of the Press who demand that all military strategy of the USA be published so that in the end, the enemy knows exactly what action to take to defeat us. Grow a brain and quit mashing the Mineral Council members for following the advice of their legal council.
Disgusted Shareholder, I think you are disgusting. We Shareholders are the client and we should be made aware of our strategy and progress. We are the ones paying for the attorney not the numb nuts at the MC office. The MC does not communicate with the Shareholders about anything. I'm not really surprised as they have no communications skills. They damn sure don't know what's going on within the Mineral Estate. They do not have the qualifications needed to understand the issues. I am not able to clearly hear the conversations either. I shouldn't have to add amplifiers to my computer to have access to the information. They need to upgrade their equipment. They have plenty of our money to do so.
1:24, I listen to the OMC meetings every month, live or more often recorded. I have no problem hearing the meetings. Mr. Yates is the only one that is sometimes hard to hear because it sounds like he is leaning away from his microphone. All I have is a single cheap $20.00 speaker. The audio is apparently clear, or at least mostly so, to more than just myself, which tells me the problem is on the end of the person using it. I'm not sure how you expect the OMC to address the quality of the sound on your end. Again such non-issues just ring of personal animus and are non-productive toward the greater goal of educating people about the EIS.
With regard to Mr. Yates and Mr. Crum, there are probably few who would like to see those two gone more than I. They have done nothing but compromise the OME at every turn since the day they took office. I'm curious, when you asked your question and Chairman Waller told you the process for removal was in CFRs have you researched it? If you as an Osage shareholder feel so strong why not start a grassroots movement to get them removed? The CFRs aren't secret.
As for why the OMC hasn't sought to get rid of them I can think of a few well founded explanations, maybe they lack support, but that is for them to answer. Beyond that however, and whatever disagreement you may have with them, it seems counter-productive to so deride those that have brought "the two" in check as much as they have. Lest we forget where we were on the last council when Mr. Crum was Chairman. I still think they need to be removed but that takes more than you and I and third person on this blog to accomplish.
If your asking for a statement from the OMC regarding their thoughts on the EIS, I will agree with you. However I think given their discussions and resolutions in open meetings it is blatantly obvious they oppose it and are set to fight it. If you are asking for a statement about "the two" I disagree, politically I'm not sure anything good would come from it. I think all it would do is foster more negative feeling about what is frankly not the issue at hand.
My point is this, we need to be building alliances not ripping each other apart. This OMC is firmly set against the EIS and I am sure you know that. The OPA is firmly against the EIS. The common enemy is the DOI/BIA it is more productive to level our vitriol at them. We don't all have to like how the other fights the battle but as long as we are all picking up arms, who cares?
The OPA is not doing itself any favors coming here running down everyone. It does show why the OMC wants to keep the OPA at arms length.
Exactly,the M.C is working for the Shareholder's interest, we are the owners as well..the M.C are Shareholder's deciding for all of us, we all of us in this boat together and yes the BIA knows exactly what the OMC is going to do if DEIS goes forward as planned..as I have said before..you can say whats going to happen and with no doubt gross negligence and once in court anyway becomes public knowledge anyway..it is no surprise that our Sovereign rights are being walked all over we are a State and a Reservation. Bottom line who authorized the consent and authored the DEIS and with and by whose instruction? And where was the vote by our authorized Congress on this matter? They are the authorized body? Mike Black said as much that using the 1979 EIS would be the alternative. Much contradiction that should not exist but it does..Much needs to happen and much will happen by the vote of the Shareholder's on great matters of concern..it is now the time the South East west and Nothern Osage Shareholder's come together and come to a focus and a concensus where we want and how we want a long much over due petroleum office. It is time we insist our rights be represented in the most ethical way. We are in the 21st Century and in the private sector you all know what would have happened a long time ago..
I totally disagree with you Poster at 408pm on most points..One this M.C couldn't look more incompetent and the Industry recognizes this. How you come to a resolve is you replace them all. And lets not put all the blame on Yates and Crum..there's alotta blame to go around. I am in management with huge back ground in accounting and Hospitality buisness...Jack of many trades and successful. If you do not have everyone on the same page you will not be successful. To many Chiefs sorta speak..the vitriol you speak of needs to be expressed and communicated how else is the M.C to know how dissatisfied the Shareholder's are or know what we expect of them? Like I said transparency should have been the priority. Alliances well, we will need someone who is great with Damage Control. Better building alliances with a new council and yes by the vote of the Shareholder's this can happen.
To the poster at 4:08, Without the producers you would be stuck with the New CFR's. The Producers are your partners and you treat them like an enemy and always have. Good luck without them and have fun plugging all the wells left abandoned. Hopefully, you don't depend on your headright to purchase your coolaid.
4:58, I think we will just have to disagree. I don't see incompetents from the OMC, what I see is an OPA that looks angry because the OMC isn't funding or helping fund the OPAs part of the lawsuit against the BIA. At least given the discussions taking place here that's how it appears to me. I agree the OMC's lack of effective communication with their constituency needs to be rectified, as does staffing (in as much as it doesn't breach any claim against the BIA). Beyond that however, I consider them a breath of fresh air, given what we had in the last several councils and what we could easily have again if we just "throw 'em all out".
- The OMC voted to reject the CFRs several times. The BIA ignored that. - The OMC held meetings with the Black, Hodge, and the acting superintends expressing their concerns. The BIA ignored that. - The OMC filed suit against the BIA and was victorious. - The OMC passed a resolution of no confidence in the Ms. Phillips. The BIA has ignored that. - The OMC has repeatedly asked questions of Ms. Phillips only to be told she has been instructed not to answer them do to pending litigation. It should be noted the OPA has done the same thing and been given the same answer. - The OMC has repeatedly passed resolutions objecting to the EIS. The BIA ignored that. - The OMC has retained an attorney to deal with the EIS, which anyone who has ever attended or listened to OMC meetings knows.
How would you deal with this, what would you have done different?
None of my argument is with the expressions of frustration but with the miss-characterizing statements, disingenuous questions, or the petty churlish claims. Everyone knows the OMC is against the EIS and has retained legal council regarding it. To suggest they are in line with the BIA (with the possible exception of Yates and Crum) is, I think, duplicitous at best and leads me to question the motive a person claiming such.
"I want Galen gone and they didn't do it. We need to throw them all out." Well, I'm sorry. Get a copy of the CFRs and a group together to force just that. It takes more than one person asking one question, regarding an undefined person, at one meeting, one time, to produce the desired outcome.
"I can't hear 'em on the computer. Throw 'em all out!" That just looking for something to be angry about, it's childish, and just ...go buy a speaker.
You can call the OMC, you can review the minutes, you can listen online (though God forbid, you may need a speaker).
As an Osage County producer, I do not expect the OMC to do anything for the OPA. I would like to see the OMC work with the OPA in fighting back the aggression of the Obama administration. I also expect the OMC, who executed our oil and gas leases as , Lessor, to assist in the Lessees being able to exercise their rights granted to the Lessees pursuant to the terms of the oil and gas leases. The DOI/BIA has interfered with the lease contract between the Lessor and Lessee. Both the OMC and OPA should jointly fight these actions together.
The 1906 Allotment Act has the BIA as the Trustee with the Secretary of the Interior and it's rep., the BIA with the final word. This acts much like a teenager with a legally responsible parent who has the real control over the entire situation. This is what the Osages have had to deal with and live under since the trust relationship began in the 1800's. What you suggest indicates you don't know how things really work. A child or young adult can rail at a parent but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will get what they want or have done what they want. This is the reality and that's the way it is now and I don't see this changing any time soon.
The OMC could provide a clerk to walk around the corner to check out well records for the producers so that the producers can further evaluate and develop their leases and offset leases with the use of this vital information. When the OMC held lease sales, the sale bulletins stated that the well records and maps were available for review. The OMC should honor this and make the records available. The OMC should also grant an automatic extension for any and all leases that are in jeopardy of expiring due to the Lessee waiting for permit approvals.
I will reiterate we need a working Council. There is so much the Council can do like take the reigns. what I hear is excuses not to. Trending is so elemental to a functional office. This is our baby we should put the right shoe on the right foot and be dictating to the BIA. They hold the trust and they should be advisors, time to seize the moment is now!we should be running a operating petroleum office.
They are locked down by the BIA tight as a tick and the relationship is legally defined and that's all there is to it. What you suggest is having the shareholders pay to duplicate services that are already provided by the BIA that we don't have to pay for now. You want a big job with the Nation, go and apply for one and stop showing your ignorance.
Sorry I disagree today with your comment..there's alot we can do..! Time for the M.C to take over some of these duties. Just because they the BIA own the regulations does not mean we cannot take over the Administrative duties, yes they are paid by the Government to do this so can we get paid to do the same thing and be better at it...no such thing hands tied is baloney. If we don't we can expect more of the same thing and I think that is insane.. Ask not what you can do for me, what can I do for you take needs to happen...
Sorry I disagree today with your comment..there's alot we can do..! Time for the M.C to take over some of these duties. Just because they the BIA own the regulations does not mean we cannot take over the Administrative duties, yes they are paid by the Government to do this so can we get paid to do the same thing and be better at it...no such thing hands tied is baloney. If we don't we can expect more of the same thing and I think that is insane.. Ask not what you can do for me, what can I do for you take needs to happen...
The Mineral Council had very little to do with delaying (not defeating) the proposed CFR's that were to go into effect August 10th, 2015. The Osage Producers were responsible for this temporary victory. The OMC attorneys were lame. The OMC has no oil and gas experience and they're in over their heads to be sure and they know it. Chairman Waller can't even get Councilmen Crum and Yates in line. The open meetings are not legible and nothing is ever followed up on. How many times do they have to ask the Superintendent for hard numbers regarding the pending permits before they will get an answer? The next time the Superintendent appears and provides a number, the question needs to be asked, were any addendums added to the one page Form 139 permit. The answer will be yes, eight additional pages that will take an attorney to interpret. The so-called approvals are not approvals at all. What a farce. The OMC won't even know what I'm talking about. They are not experienced enough to know what questions to ask or what actions to take. So very sad. Waiting for the next election will be too late to save the ME. The Shareholders should support the Osage Producers Association by donating funds for their legal defense. We can't depend on the OMC to save us and our ME. This is obvious.
I was in the court room and I disagree with your characterization of the OMC attorneys. I thought the overall legal assemblage worked well. The OPA lawyer was flashy, folksy and entertaining the OMC lawyers where legally astute and point driven. Both approaches have value in court and in my opinion the judges opinion reflected that.
The number of guffaws extracted from the audience do not equate to the desired ruling, it's not TV.
The judge in his opinion reiterated our Osage inherent sovereignty. I realize that may mean nothing to producer but it should and does to Osage shareholders. That was do to the OMC attorneys. The expert who provided the Economic Impact Assessment was retained and presented by the OMC and their attorneys. The judge reiterated our right to set royalties. That was do to the OMC attorneys. Just last Friday a producer came before the OMC seeking to keep a well scheduled for plugging open (I heard it on the brodcast). Part of what he needed was a royalty reduced (from "standard"). Thanks to the OMC attorneys and judges ruling we again have that right to address that.
The OPAs attorneys did a very good job of laying out the hardships that would be inflicted on the producers and how asinine most of the requirements were. But, they didn't carry the day alone. We won that battle. What's the problem?
This lawsuit is simply another manipulation on the part of some of the posters here to run down the Minerals Council to have them removed from the management of the Mineral Estate. A lot of totally ignorant comments from lazy people who refuse to discipline themselves to read the Osage Constitution and the provisions for removing members of the Minerals Council. The CFRs have nothing to do with it. Minerals Council of today are elected officials of the Osage Nation and come under the Osage Constitution period. This isn't open for interpretation as of the 2004 Reaffirmation Act of the U.S. Congress and the government reorganization that took place after the ratification of the Constitution. There is a Citizen's Recall process called out in the Constitution but I doubt the Osage Nation election office even has the application form for sponsors or the petition form for signatures for this process in print and available to the Osage members at this point in time. The Osage Nation has been woefully negligent and neglectful as to this process for the Osage Nation members --->>> Nothing listed for this process on the Forms link here https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/what-we-do/elections/elections-forms Link to the Constitution and the Rules and Regulations https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/what-we-do/elections/election-information
Said the same thing, the CFR's? I would hold off on calling those who post here lazy..I think what is happening here is something great here on the contraire. Weather someone has read the Constitution, you get a lot of elders who post here that would take offense. They or all who post here come to learn and might not understand entirely what our Constitution means...does not make them ignorant. Change is hard to accept and we must adapt to the 21st Century..We do not need to be in a State of Crisis 24/7. Since we became a State/Government is not what our elders wanted for big Government political correctness. I call a spade when I see one. Yes you are right about the removal process exists for the M.C. you see history still predicates our future and silence is not golden on any level of ethics in regards to keeping the Shareholder's comprised. This is nothing new and this must change as much as we need to grow. I get what others are saying...I see a bigger future and picture and what is very necessary long over due are policies with in the council are long over due...and? We as voters and as Shareholders have the right to decide how are body, the council should operate with no less than or expect less than exceptionalism. The Shareholder's need and want representation and should. If the M.C would step maybe most would not feel so inclined to replace them..My opinion is at this point,the meaning to insanity is to, you dont know what your going to find in a fortune cookie.when it comes to our M.E. You cannot run a multi-billion estate this way..as the facts as they are weather true or not you dont get a response from the M.C again. Overall the performance speaks for itself but how would we know? Not seeing it.
@ 12:32 That was my point...Mr Chairman Waller seems to think the CFR's is the tool used to remove a MC member. So I suggest you educate your Chairman.
@6:20 It is apparent what my point was in asking the Chairman about the procedure to remove a Council member but I guess I have to spell it out for you. It was to get the Chairman to take charge and start the process of removing Mr. Galen Crum from the Council for insubordination. As you see our Chairman has no clue as to what the procedure is and no desire to take action. Its more of the same from this no action MC.
Mr. Revard, I don't think it can be ascertained with any certainty what you are after. What I remember from the recording is you simply asked what the procedure was for removing a council member. You did not ask about removing anyone specifically or anything beyond that. It was one question and a ten second exchange. As I stated, if you want change, it takes more than asking one question, one time, without specificity. It certainly gives the appearance that there was never any real intent to remove Mr. Crum. Rather, the entire point was, as someone else said, a "gotcha" question.
If you want to remove Mr. Crum you can get a copy of the CFRs or try the Nation way. You're not doing either. That tells me you don't really care and you only want to use Mr. Crum as a platform to exercise your personal hatreds.
Auditors: EPA broke law in social media blitz on water rule. Read this article no surprise. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/14/auditors-epa-broke-law-in-social-media-blitz-on-water-rule.html?intcmp=latestnews
Osage Minerals Council meeting on Friday is now available for on demand listening online. Click on the text Osage Nation: 3OMC_11_DEC_15 at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/
A lot of people were saying the complete opposite would happen..does not mean that we should not be drilling and pumping and moving forward..hopefully the new steak "ground beef" supported by a interest hike will bring the 87% mark up and will bring all commodities down.
None of the operators are able to drill or workover their wells due to the DOI/BIA actions. The few permits being approved are not really approved due to the restrictions attached to the approval instruments. My most recent permits included a cover letter that states my proposed operations are approved; however, the additional pages attached include conditions that restrict me from performing the work. There will not be any development until we can obtain permit approvals. As far as I know, the OMC has not addressed this issue. The OPA has filed a lawsuit which may take years to resolve.
We did not have these problems til Sally Jewel and Gina McCarthy came into the picture. The additional conditional 8 pages attached to the approval is just more of a bureaucracy of B.S and will only hamper the streamlined process already in place. The failure of the BIA to perform their duties is that more cumbersome and will not benefit the M.E..or Producers is a fact..I want to see the economic impact put forward by these green monkeys.
Why hasn't the OMC filed suit against the DOI/BIA regarding the permit approvals? If they were to file suit or join in the OPA's suit, it would add credibility to the OPA's claims and might also attract national coverage that could put a little heat on the DOI/BIA.
What I do not understand is why we can't go forward with the 1979 EIS till all is resolved or comes to a resolve? However we should be fighting tooth and nail.
The Mineral Council failed to ask the Superintendent about the workover permits. She stated that 25 permits were approved but she lied. The permits are not approved. I have two of them and the cover letter says that the permits are approved but subject to additional pages of restrictions that prevent the work. Our MC is clueless. Why didn't they challenge her on this lie? I know why and they reason is the MC does not know enough about the subject to inquire. This MC is not knowledgeable about the subject matter and should resign their positions for lack of credentials. They are in over their heads. We need to replace them with qualified representatives. This isn't rocket science. We have a group of popular Osages in office with no oil and gas experience and no gonads. It's not just very sad but devastating to the Shareholder's interest. I don't enjoy being critical but it is a reality. Very sad and with devastating consequences.
I am working diligently on this matter..most unfortunate the lies coming out of both ends and the M.C is looking so feckless. I am sorry to feel this way..it wouldn't be so bad but that $38,000 dollars a year they make in a area where the medium income is 30,000 dollars and this is part time work and their expertise is coming from a lawyer while they are pulling a headright check as well is almost like double dipping. In short, what goods are the M.C providing the Shareholder's is lip sevice..take away the incentive and watch what happens. We the Shareholder's decide what level of pay they deserve not the other way around. We should be the priority the M.E and we need a full working body a Petroleum office avail to the M.E. Simple.
I can't find the agenda either. I also don't think it's appropriate to go into executive session every time that there is something of any substance to be discussed. What is it that the OMC doesn't want us to know?
It's there if you would take the time to shift your lazy self and look for it instead of running down the Minerals Council every chance you get. If you want credibility from now on, you're going to have to earn it.
Well then change the attitude and get off your duffs and start perporting the truth about our M.E to all Shareholder's and we won't be having this conversation right? Those of us who understand the politics of the situation find at this point the M.C has failed grotesquely to the detriment of the M.E. The truth is that if everyone, all 5000 Shareholder's were comprised of our situation the Shareholder's would be demanding change...like replacement of all Council Member's for one. When leadership fails we all fail..simple why so many are disgusted!
Do the work or quit complaining. If an attorney gives you advice to shut it then you keep your trap shut. You expect too much of these people for actually being competent enough to follow the advice of their attorney. You wouldn't expect the Mayor of your city or town to confer with you or to blast out information against the advice of the attorney on proprietary information so why do you hold the MC to such a preposterous standard. You are bashing these elected officials because you want in the circus tent for a fat paycheck from he Nation and that's not going to happen until the Constitution is changed and the bar is too high. Unless they run their own elections and that's what's going to take place in the future when they buy and run their own election machines. You're belly aching on stupid things when your very position as a headright owner may well be turned on its head while you're looking the other way. Plus this Osage Nation membership maneuvering going between the Congress and the Chief. I'd be watching that situation carefully if I were you.
It won't be long until "independently run" elections are a thing of the past. It recently came out in a Congressional Committee meeting that anyone who contests an election has their votes counted only and not those of the other candidates in the election. Only the Osages would see nothing wrong ethically with that situation. "Rencountre said the office is pursuing the purchase of equipment and software for future elections and will move toward bringing more election day duties in-house once staff is trained on working with the equipment and software for future elections." http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2015/09/14/on-election-board-selects-texas-company-for-election-services-equipment/
The Chief has stated several times about "hiring qualified staff." The last MC election I read all resumes from the Osage paper and read all the ones mailed to me. I don't know the local people of Pawhuska and surrounding areas, so I chose from strictly from what was in front of me. No way of telling the outcome of any election. Maybe the ones I voted for were outsiders, maybe the local citizens didn't know them either. A question of trust. If the shareholders completed a survey saying they agree the MC needs improvement, with their comments, what would the next step be. Maybe like our Constitution--review, revise, vote? It's been mentioned about running 24/7. A survey would give ideas to that affect, like how could that really be? It's part-time now, would new staff be required not to have second job? If they were full time, what would they being doing in the office? How would it be set-up for 24/7? When producers, etc. come to a meeting (current set up) for approval, etc. when they get there, are they waiting, sitting there the whole time old and new business gets done first. All of meeting agenda is important to us. Do they have to wait two or three weeks till the MC meets again? If so, how and what would change to speed the process in the new MC? But with a new election passed, do we give the newly elected the provision of setting up their own procedure since we elected them because of their oil business knowledge in the first place? We are a fortunate tribe, hope it stays that way, many obstacles ahead of us.
Qualified people doesn't always mean having a degree. In my working career (clerical), I got several jobs bypassing the two year college degree requirement because of my years of experience. I was enthused in a meeting when T. Redcorn asked R. Phillips if he could go out with the BIA staff. I like some of the staffs' take control energy, even though I didn't vote for several of them, I would consider re-electing some of them because of their actions and regard to detail in the meetings.
Success is a state of mind more or less..success for me was not in schooling, as I learned through the years rather it is built. That ladder I climbed was through experience. I also learned that you don't have to like the person you are sitting next to but you also can respect. Now that's balance. I got my first cert when I was 15 in retail industry and by the time I was 16 had my nurses aid license and went into Banking by the time I was 17..and just kept climbing. Did I have a degree to a degree I did challenges always there and nothing was out of reach, your success is in your ability to excel in what you are good at...funny thing..or story. I hated math, couldn't see the end and how I needed to get the result. Went to a hypnotist. And had a tutor a student aid from a near by college. After meeting with the hypnotist and met with my weekly session with the tutor. Lets put it this way,my nemesis was my best friend and my career ended in accounting. If you have the willingness and its funny someone said to me I should have been a Lawyer..maybe? I have friends who went to school and ended up doing something completely different so what does that tell you? Your success usually comes from the person who is next to you. My point, we have a flu with M.C. and we have a bone of contention equally..it has been my experience when you work with a group such as the M.C that has no bylaws and do not honor the Shareholder's with respect, how do think the majority is going to react...? Do you feel what I am saying? As much as they do not like to hear the criticism or you could say rhetoric at this point could have been spearheaded. Leaders will always be front ans center. Your suggestion has been suggested and maybe we should suggest more does this sound redundant? I have always said no challenge can't be met and thats the attitude we want to hear from our M.C instead we get nosed out. This is not to be precedent to our future M.E and we are in the 21ts Century where technically we are not..We have a body of people who authored their own pay scale..these would not be issues but they are now. Given the circumstances and where we are at we expect no more than exceptional behavior. So now we question why? And we have valid concerns non of which are being met. And I have always said nothing is a accident. You should read the book..the Shareholder's future is today! Reality is we are nit there. And my elder warned me this day woukd come. Change needs to happen and just because we are in litigation or about to does not mean we should not be excelling to that Goal..wheres the call to action? Mr. Waller care to take the floor?
Here is a question for all you Shareholders that continue to support this Osage Mineral Council. Is this Council going to make known to the Shareholders their Comments on the Draft EIS? The Osage Producers Association hired a consultant to review the Draft and the OPA has submitted their Comments on the Draft EIS and has shared with their members the Comments. I have been informed that the OMC didn't hire anyone to review the Draft due to lack of funding and the 8 members have not sat down to review and provide their own Comments. I am sure that the Shareholders will not be informed as to the Comments if any made by this Mineral Council. Looking forward to seeing or hearing their Comments on the Draft EIS.
Are you some kind of a dolt or what? They have voted as a body, numerous times to reject the EIS out of hand. What might this be telling you and the BIA? Why don't you think about what you type before you make such an incredible fool of yourself in public and online. I hope the moderator of this blog starts monitoring your your comments because you are bashing the MC to the point where it doesn't even make any sense and this isn't supposed to be tolerated here.
To the poster at 2:11 PM. The Shareholders have the right to make and submit comments about the DEIS and have until January 15, 2016 to do so. They each should cite what their objections are to each devastating regulation within the 322 page obituary. The MC should be providing information to the Shareholders as suggested comments to submit. Your love fest with the MC should not be tolerated by the monitor. The MC with the exception of Tallee Redcorn is incompetent. They're in over their heads. They should hire a consultant to assist them concerning this matter.
To the poster at 2:47: I am curious to know the name and qualifications of the consultant the MC retained to draft the MC's comments concerning the DEIS. If you know, please share with us. Thanks.
The OMC hired a company to help them review/analyze the DEIS during the December 11th meeting. I know that it was during the open meeting because I listen online. I'm sure you can go back and listen to the meeting or call the chairman if you want to know the name of the company.
Any comments from the Osage Mineral Council members on the Judgment against Chaparral yesterday? Case 14-CV-495-GKF-PJC google it if you are not aware of this case. This is very very bad for the Shareholders and producers if Judge Payne rules in the same manner. Pretty much the end of oil production by independents in Osage county.
This is what Robin Phillips and the BIA has been trying to tell everyone. We MUST have the EIS. It's Federal law! It should be ready shortly after Jan. 1, as I recall.
To the poster at 1:55: We do not need the EIS; won't even be implemented for several months. The 1979 EA is not outdated as the judge ruled. The judge is wrong and we need to fight back against this most recent "Reign of Terror" by our federal government. If the OMC does not get in the fight, then the Osage Nation should take control. The cost of doing nothing will be fatal, to be sure.
I have been very out spoken about the Mineral Council and what I have perceived as very little action or communication in regards to the huge issues facing the Osage Mineral Estate. While I have good reason to be critical I must be fair and acknowledge their efforts when justified. I do realize that the council cannot make everything public but they sure could do a better job of supplying information to the Shareholders on some level. It has been brought to my attention that Chairman Waller is working diligently on some matters on behalf of the Shareholders and Osage Operators and we look forward to when he is able to make the results of his hard work public. My hope is that he has some success and the operators can get back to work soon. I also realize that just like the Osage Operators this council has been faced with one issue after another from the BIA and Washington DC so the Council has been in reaction mode and most certainly feel like they are running from one fire to the next. Then there is the difficulty of not having a unified Council that hampers progress. Point is Mr. Waller and Council members I do acknowledge and appreciate your hard work and efforts on behalf of the Shareholders and Osage Operators. I am hopeful for a positive out come. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
This is reassuring and good to hear especially from you Mr. Revard, thank you.
This agrees with everything I have heard and have been saying. As I have stated before, I do agree with you that council needs to do more to communicate, but I do understand their situation in that regard and how hampered they must be not being able to trust some council members.
On Christmas Day, the top story on the front page of the Tulsa World is the Hayes lawsuit and the potential ramifications. This could be the roadmap for the conclusion of the Donelson lawsuit. If this suit goes against the producers, the Mineral Estate is finished. No drilling, no workovers and the enormous task of calculating royalties paid to the Mineral Estate that could be null and void and must be repaid. End of an era.
The Osage Nation is the Lessor of the leases. If the producers' leases are deemed invalid and void, then the Osage Nation should refund the lease bonus money paid to them by the producers and should also reimburse the producers for their drilling, completion and lease operating expenses. The BIA should also be exposed to this liability since they participated is selling the invalid leases and having approved same. The Osage Nation and BIA should also be responsible for plugging all of the 18,000 wells and restoring the surface back to its original condition prior to the drilling operations.
End of an era is right. It will be the end of the Mineral Estate, to be sure. The casino income will not come close to paying off this liability. The surface owners might also have recourse against the Osage Nation and BIA for selling bad leases and allowing the drilling activity to take place. The banks that loaned funds to the producers may be filing lawsuits to recover their losses as well as the producers' investors. This could be fatal to the Osage Nation and the Shareholders.
Where are the Mineral Council Members at this desperate time? Where is the Chief? Where is our legal representation? The lawsuits will be flooding the courts soon after the Donelson-Friend lawsuit is ruled on. I'm surprised that this matter has not been covered by the national media. The headline should read "US Federal Government at war with the Osage Nation; Reign of Terror Part II".
The BIA has done an incredibly poor job of managing our ME for decades. They should be run out of town. The MC needs to hire competent professionals to replace them and escort the BIA personnel off our premises with Osage Law enforcement officers. Invite the AP to film the event.
We shareholders should march in front of the Drummond homes for their instigation of this litigation. How shameful!
We Shareholders are doomed. We have no competent representation. I think it's time we band together and defend ourselves. We should unite and appoint someone with whom we all can trust to hire legal council for us to fight the US Federal government against their aggression towards us. The MC and Chief have failed us miserably. Do any of you Shareholders know whom we might consider hiring to assist us? Please share your recommendations.
It isn’t just the Shareholders that are doomed. The Osage government is going to be sued into oblivion by everyone who paid them money to drill. The Feds are going to clamp down on the Osage Nation until this government collapses. The Osage Nation government is in fiscal trouble, the casinos are lowering their wages for the employees, and the economy in Osage County is dying. But at least the political class of the Osages became wealthy from this government and that’s what’s truly important.
Where are the shareholders that have 4,5,6, headrights? Looks like they'd be the ones really upset. I have a cuz that has two and half H.R.s and they could care less what's going on. This is part of our trouble. We need their help. I can't think of anyone around the Osage I'd even trust.
A not so happy Christmas in the Osage: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/court-ruling-could-have-big-impact-on-osage-oil-industry/article_66aa0f47-362c-5260-aef1-3cf30dfca6d0.html
Thats exactly right the BIA and DOI will be sued into infinity is more like it..Sovereignty is at stake..and we know what is at Stake..but I am hearing some fear mongering. I will remain some what reserved as to where there is a will nothing can't be accomplished alone and until we know more on the subject you can't always trust the source not to be bias. It will be the Osage Shareholder's that will arise to the occasion.
Holster your attorneys guys and read the article in the Tulsa World: "Sicking finds hope for the future of the Osage oil industry in one of the judge’s footnotes, acknowledging that federal regulators could go through the process of issuing a “categorical exclusion” for the county, relieving at least some of the environmental burdens imposed by NEPA."
Just because the federal government could go through the process of issuing a "categorical exclusion" does not give me hope that they will. It is apparent to me that this continued attack on the Osages, one after another, by the federal government is intentional and with the their goal being to shut down all oil and gas activity within our ME. They've already accomplished their goal and I don't have any hope it can or will be reversed. The MC and the Chief are absent. They may be meeting with someone from Lankford's office tomorrow, but they've met before with no results. Of course, the meetings are secret and we Shareholders won't hear from them as usual. We will have to learn bits and pieces through leaks and rumors. This is not fear mongering as the poster at December 26, 11:17 AM suggested. It is reality and I'm living it. I am fearful that we have lost our ME for good. The lawsuits will be numerous. The Osage Nation, as Lessor, will be sued by many parties for selling bad leases and allowing the producers to spend their funds just to be run off the ME. Who is going to plug their wells? I guess it will be the surface owners because the producers will have no incentive to do so and I don't think the Osage Nation has budgeted for the plugging of 18,000 wells.
Has anyone filed a complaint against Judge Frizzell at Oklahoma Supreme Court level? This is an option that should be seriously considered. It kind of seems to me that he's as all over the place with his Federal Court rulings like he was with the Tyson case. Why let one group of regulations destroy the Osage mineral estate when there is an injunction against another group; the new CFRs.
In the FB post referred to above, Ben Daniels is quoted stating that the 1979 EA is invalid. Who deemed it invalid and if it is invalid, why didn't the federal government notify the Osage Nation, the BIA and the oil and gas producers that it was no longer valid? Exactly what date did this 1979 EA become invalid? Why weren't the affected parties notified?
If the BIA failed to perform within the regulations, then the EPA should sue the BIA and leave the Osage Nation out of their fight. The Osage Nation should not be penalized due to the federal government's negligence.
I think Ben Daniels is incorrect and so is Judge Frizzell. The lawsuits to follow will be many!
I also think that the federal government is deliberately seeking to destroy our Osage Nation and are off to a good start. We should rebel and also sue them seeking real damages this time. Billions of dollars. To hell with the US federal government. We need to continue to fight back. It's too bad that we have no competent representation.
To 9:28 am, you are exactly right about Fizzell. It appears that he has not done his homework..and or is bias can't put my finger on it. The Injunction that is in place ,fails me to understand why any of this is going forward and will go to the Supreme Court..
To poster 10:39 am..I had said the very same thing who is calling the shots Gina McCarthy or Sally Jewel? Can't be the BIA? T hotel e 1979 EIS. Let the Courts rule them inefficient? However we are not alone in this fight for our Sovereignty. And there will be repercussions and collateral damage for years to come..The DOI has failed again to represent as the BIA @ a Administrative level has failed grotesquely to foster the M.E. As to now the M.C looks like inept leaders..
The writing is on the wall mister clear for us all to see..tell me what it is that they the M.C is so eloquently doing? Other than arm chair coaching. Sorry but I am on the fence. Don't like being there but the he truth is the truth we are no better than we were in 2006..from many stand points. It took Senator Inhofe to point out what I have been saying all along. The M.C needs a working body and I am saying get a working council who will earn the full times pay or take a seat in the back and we will reduce the pay to $75 a meeting. Simple. Had we been in the know about the many complaints, had we had a compliance office a legal office, a professional secretary and receptionist, engineers with innovative experience most of the complaints on many levels could have been handled. As I have said and this goes without saying the many problems that exist probably wouldn't exist had we followed through. This did not happen because we have part time M.C members. Tell me what the council has done other than put our M.E in jeopardy that is positive?
Oh I do not want to hear that's what the BIA is getting paid for..because the truth of the matter is those administration cost that is being paid to the BIA can come to the M.C.
And then what? These guys can't do anything but run their business ventures into the ground. How many times do you have to be reminded of this clear and incontrovertable fact? You can see what the Osage Nation is doing with the membership. I heard one gal in the membership office in some Congress committee meeting saying that under the old Tribal government, all adopted children have the same rights and privileges as an Osage with heredity. Now they are hanging Asa Cunningham out to dry for registering for membership adopted children as Osage as in the past. DNA test are being test flown as an idea by the Chief's office. You let the BIA out of the barn on this and let the Osages run this thing you will have a business mess in nothing flat and probably lose your place as a shareholder who receives mineral income quarterly unless you live in Osage County. It will be every man, woman and child for him or herself. This has been done before a hundred years ago and if it can happen once, it can happen twice. You won't lose your headright but a new Osage Nation Mineral Estate trust account to replace the current one in the U.S. Treasury Department will mean no quarterly payment to you or any other headright owner where minerals income is concerned.
Perfect timing I would say..not, when it hits the fan and the domino affect it will have..the left will be blaming the right when all said and done..This is there mission, The Regional Directors report to the Deputy Director-Field Operations. They are responsible for carrying out the mission and goals of the BIA and the Interior Department in their regions. They provide overall leadership, direction and technical assistance in the implementation of BIA programs operated for the benefit of the Federally recognized tribes and individual American Indians and Alaska Natives who are eligible to receive services from the Bureau. These include protecting Federal Indian trust assets through effective natural resources management, supporting tribes in building sustainable tribal economies, strengthening tribal governments by protecting and preserving tribal sovereignty, and improving the quality of life in tribal communities. They also work with other Federal and state, local and tribal governmental entities to improve and strengthen interagency relations and intergovernmental cooperation and coordination. Each Regional Director is supported by a Deputy Regional Director for Trust Services and a Deputy Regional Director for Indian Services.I do not feel they have our Trusts interest.
Thank you for the chain of command and the representative's duties and obligations. We are being failed miserably and need to hold this Obama administration responsible for their deliberate failure to perform their duties and obligations. Not only are they not performing but, to the contrary, their intent is to punish us for the $380,000,000.00 settlement and to destroy us.
I think it's high time we fight back and not keep rolling over taking it where the sun doesn't shine. Who the F do they think they are?
We need competent leadership (lacking today) to hire an experienced attorney (which we do not have now)to initiate litigation to defend ourselves from this aggression. We need to get pro-active.
In the event our MC and Chief continue to fail us up and until now, we should consider a class action lawsuit against all of them.
Do I hear an Amen?
Our ME and sovereignty is in jeopardy of extinction.
If the MC and Chief are really meeting with Lankford tomorrow, I demand that they report the progress or lack thereof. Don't you want to know what, if anything, was discussed?
We're like mushrooms growing in the dark on you know what! Just say'n!
This is a new year for hope and change and will be governed by the Shareholder's for sure, who will decide which direction we go into..we cannot elect more of the same unless you want more of the same poor and inept leadership. No accountability which is so transparent and the lack of transparency is so evident. There will be always an issue of some sort but to sit and wait and see what happens before we know whats in it is a bunch of baloney. There is no reason we should not be operational and have a full functional petroleum office with a full working body of council members earning their $38,000 dollar a year salary and this probably is not the tip of the iceberg, we have yet to see the per diems and retirement and health benefits. I will reiterate as I have said before there is a lot we can do for ourselves and we must move and orchestrate our future and you do this by building. As long as we are able to do the work ourselves the better we will be kept in the know what is exactly going on with the estate the better we can demonstrate to the Shareholder's that we have a bright future and we do this by telling our M.C the Shareholder's, the Headright holders and the decisions by our M.C has been sub par for quite some time..The BIA can take a back seat make sure the regulations are being met. Why we are not there yet is telling..we take the bulk of the work load and start regulating our M.E. We either move the council to the back or we get a council who will comply with the demands by the Headright holders..Obama will be leaving and we will be in courts of opinion for a while in the mean time its business and back to business we should be..a class action lawsuit will not change the dynamics of what needs to happen..I don't care to criticize but we must because we are in a critical state and I do respect our council in so many ways. But the truth is before us and had we been kept comprised this could have been spearheaded.
The Shareholders need to initiate legal action against the federal government for the lack of permit approvals. The Superintendent got many of them out the door during the past few weeks but they are not actually approved. They come with eight additional pages of restrictions and special conditions. She did this hoping to be able to tell Judge Frizzell this month that there are no more unapproved permits. This is hogwash. We should have joined the Osage Producer's suit. We still can or file our own suit. No permits, no work on wells. I know of an operator who just recently received seven so-called approved permits but due to the attachments, is not able to work on even one of the wells. They are not "approved" permits at all. We need to fight this in court and soon. The producers have begged the MC to help but the MC is unwilling to for some unknown reason. How much of this information is the Chairman sharing with us? I've not seen or heard anything from the MC. Why not? Is it secret? It shouldn't be, they are silent because they are not doing anything "behind the scenes". Sneaking off to meet one of Sen. Lankford's people in private will not accomplish anything.
It's unfortunate that the DOI/BIA is so adversarial to the producers. They are hell-bent on shutting down all oilfield operations and having success in doing so. The Superintendent appears to be enjoying her notoriety and is always very defensive when addressing the Mineral Council. She seldom can answer the MC's questions and never gets back to them with the information. How many times have the MC asked for a hard number of pending permits? At every meeting! Still no count. We need the BIA to actually approve the permits and let the producers get back to work. The MC is being played like a fiddle. How embarrassing? If the MC isn't going to file suit, we Shareholders need to since we have dogs in the fight.
Poster 5:45 PM. Not so much they are indifferent in as much the truth has not been told and or not aware of the real politics that is in play here and really we should not be here in this situation as someone had said we were sold out before 2006 and the M.C is responsible and this is the after math of just plain ole poor management. I stumbled on the Osageshareholders site in 2006. Not long after this site went up..I had no Idea we were and had becime a Government and I know I am not alone and I being a a multiple headright owner and Osage to boot and come from a family with also as many, our name is already a legacy, got left out on this vote. So you tell me how this happened not by an accident. And have been a member for years and in the same home for years...my rights have been walked all over by our Tribe..I hope this sheds light why we the Shareholder's are asking for transparency and accountability.
Does anyone here know whether or not the Chief and/or Chairman Waller met with Senator Lankford or anyone else from his office yesterday? If so, please share the subject matter with all of us.
Isn't it sad that we have to learn what little we know from our elected officials through rumors and word of mouth from our local Shareholders? Most of us rely on this blog for what little information we have.
That's why we're here and exactly what we're here for is to keep Osages informed as to what is happening in the Osage. You do us honor by making such a comment and reaffirm our commitment to continue forward. A prominent Osage we spoke with recently said he didn't know what he would do without us and we are very grateful for such remarks from the readership. Thank you.
You can read more on Osage Producers court that wasn't in the news paper on okenergytoday.com. There was only 39 wells drilled in 2015, but 145 wells in 2014. I think the judge got the picture what the BIA is doing. Does anyone know what's next?
Thank you. At least someone around here has respect and consideration for the Shareholders and other readers who come here, that take the time to reference by URL the articles they want us to read.
You can see and feel the affects the damage that has already come to our M.E. Really 39 wells drilled in all of 2015. Robyn Phillips care to answer why this is? Or should we now see the dotted line why the Head of the BIA is leaving? Overstepping the Authority of a injunction is, cause and effect. The outcome will be construed in favor of the Plaintiff. There is no other outcome the BIA is in conflict of interest and can be considered "Hostile". Robyn Phillips is "Hostile" by her own actions. The BIA has yet to prove the new Regulations will not harm production. The harm has happened, the question is, is Judge Frizzell going to require the BIA to enter a economic impact statement of both parties independent of each other of course and or has the Producers Association already submitted one already? In the NEPA statement from their own site says they have provided an economic statement of which, has all parties involved including the Shareholder's received such report before any decision was made to support expedition of the new regulations? Reality is a matter of perception. If and indeed the M.E was following the requirements of the 1979 EIS regulations and the findings on the M.E were minimal in damage and something that could not be remedied, how is the 1979 EIS is ruled outdated if we were for the most part in compliance? Because if I read it correctly somewhere we have some of the most prestine streams and water by ways in the county...? My question, will Judge Frizzell draw this out for years to come? And once again no thanks to the update on where we stand other than reading it in the News. I call this for what it is the M.C is feckless..I being a Shareholder and Osage am so disenchanted with our M.C. Man long over due is a statement. And start fighting for our Sovereignty! Long live the 1906 ACT as amended and long live the OSAGE tribe.
Can we get a copy of the Judge's ruling so we can read it on the internet without having to pay for it? These are public documents. Why can't we get hold of them without all this folderol and added expense? https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/4364534/Hayes_v_Chaparral_Energy,_LLC_et_al
Oh,I also wanted to say not so much this is in retaliation of the HPP settlement as it is a combonation of sorts. Green Energy has also threatened our way of life as well..and now by the Fletcher case of which the BIA will be asked to produce a accounting. And we all know where that is heading? And the BIA overstepping its authority, anything that would go before the Osage must be in front of Congress who has all Authority and last word for the Osage? Does Judge Frizzell know this and done his homework...where is the soundbite from the chairman of the M.C? What is Vince Logan response to all of this? You just can't make this up what is happening here? It's almost as if the BIA is wanting to sabotage the 1906 Act? Our trust is in the hands of the U.S not the federal government. The BIA cannot make these changes without the consent of Congress am I correct? And is to act in good faith for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
To poster 11:54 the only docket I can find on this is the original filing by the plaintiff. Today is the 29th of which maybe they have to file publicly in threes days of a order?
Again I ask, does anyone here know whether or not the MC or Chief met with Senator Lankford's office this week, as has been rumored? If they did, what was the subject matter and conclusions? It is a shame that we are not informed and are having to rely on hearsay and third-hand information. I suggest we appoint a few bulldog Shareholders to camp out at the ON and MC offices to learn what's going on and to report back to the Shareholders. The MC should be required to let the Shareholders participate in every meeting and should be required to answer questions from those attending. The meetings should be moved to a larger facility to accommodate at least 20 or 30 of us Shareholders.
After three days of inquiry on this blog, I have asked if anyone knows about a meeting between Senator Lankford's office and the MC and/or Chief. Not one of you have responded. If you know, please let the rest of us know if it took place and what was concluded. If not one of us know, that is pretty sad. We should know what our representatives schedules are. If they were posted and shared with the Shareholders then we would not be chasing possible rumors.
Did the MC and Chief meet with Senator Lankford or not? I guess no one here knows or is not willing to share the information. Was the meeting just a rumor?
The public comment period on the Osage Draft EIS (DEIS) has been extended through January 15, 2016, to accommodate requests for more time. Written comments must be received no later than January 15, 2016. You may mail, email, hand deliver, or fax written comments to Ms. Jeannine Hale, BIA Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office, P.O. Box 8002, Muskogee, OK 74402-8002, fax (918) 781-4604; email: osagecountyoilgaseis@bia.gov. The DEIS will be available for review at 813 Grandview, Pawhuska, OK 74820. It is also available online at
The MC should hire a professional consultant as did the Osage Producers Association to assist the Shareholders in their comments. Again, we have no leadership.
If you would do your homework or at least bother to read earlier posts on this blog you would have found this comment:
"The OMC hired a company to help them review/analyze the DEIS during the December 11th meeting. I know that it was during the open meeting because I listen online. I'm sure you can go back and listen to the meeting or call the chairman if you want to know the name of the company."
Bashing the MC over and over again with ignorant comments is getting to be a bore. Get up to speed and pay attention if you please.
If the MC hired a consultant where is the product? I asked on this post a couple of weeks ago about the consultant and not one of you shared the name. Where can I find the consultant's recommendations for our comments that are due within approximately two weeks. I'm not bashing the MC just want accountability, too much to ask I suppose. The Chairman should have a means to report to all of us rather than thousands of us calling the Chairman for information. Aren't you interested to utilize the results of the consultant for when you submit your comments?
Do your homework and listen online like those of us who take the time to do so. Do we have to do everything for you? Perhaps the review isn't complete. Have you e-mailed even one member of the Minerals Council to find out what's going on with issue that's only important for you to complain about and not do anything about. So typically Osage it isn't funny. Get up off your dead duff and get something done and then report back here with what you find out. Sheesh!
I think so too. I listened on-line and the consultant was not identified unless it was disclosed while all the MC was coughing and rattling papers and the audio was poor. Where is the product of this consultant? Wouldn't it be appropriate to post it on the MC website? Why isn't the MC pleading with the Shareholders to be sure to submit comments? Six of them are too lazy and incompetent and the other two are jumping up and down with glee!
@9:25 I can tell you for a fact that E mailing the Mineral Council members is a waste of your time because they DO NOT respond to your questions or request via E mail. Do you think these people will document anything in writing? You must be smoking what they are. If you would like I can supply you with a few examples of an operators E mails to EACH MC member asking for assistance and answers and not one of them have responded to the E mails. So Maybe you should get off your dead duff and do something about your MC!!!!
This by all means should not be made fodder or taking lightly Our situation is imminent no doubt about it and by all accounts it appears the BIA has failed the M.E once again over and over again..how mwny times must we go down this path again like a broken record. You would think that applied knowledge after the HPP case the M.C would have demonstrated in good faith for the Headright owners or on behalf explain as to, a sound bite as to, what in the day of light they coukd be doing? The lack of professionalism toward the Majority of headright owners from both parties..including the BIA as to our circumstances is telling..they the ..M.C and the BIA is copable. The dynamics of the state of being we are in will be to the detriment and must change. It does not take four years to install IT or to train how the system is designed to work or to hire professional engineers. You don't sit and watch and wait for the ball to drops again.This is why a good legal dept is so very important, a legal secretary is valuable in this day and age..having the latest technology installed is so paramount to the success of our M.E..this attitude the dangerous eight is playing,the cards are stacked not in their favor and is all the wrong approach and even commenter's 9:25 AM point becomes ineffective because this person does not know the name of the professionals who were hired by the M.C to help with the EIS could have said the name and be helpful but spent more time being critical of someone. Which is counter productive. We must be pro-active. I myself is critical on this site, because I know we can do better than what is already, is a has been and we need to get rid of the Cancer that plagues us all. What is not being done, as to once again praising the work the M.C for the work that has been done thus far..I'm not criticizing them alone on the failure to recognize that they are not just a council,they are headright owners as well and have a part time or full time jobs outside the M.E and are earning a substantial amount, so when you are in this type of situation leaders are open for criticism. Yes the M.C is doing everything they can do at this point..and we are here today because leadership has faild in a grotesque way to the detriment of the Headright owners. We are in the 21st Century and not having the latest technology where we can tract and map and be in tow with the regulations is beyond my comprehension and is just plain ole incompetence shining as bright as the north star..anyone saying differently your nose is growing, wink wink..In the private sector it would be a different story for them all. Once again, we have a multi billion estate and this is where we are at and we shoukd not be. Its almost as if once the BLM policies were adopted as an example all else went to pot..
I concur with James Revard..this entitlement attitude needs to disappear. So disappointed in Our Chief and Waller...and Redcorn. And or I do agree with a Council person is posting here as well. Might as well come out with it and reveal yourself..to obvious.
To the poster at 12:33. You are mistaken to state that "the MC is doing everything they can do at this point". They could be and should be communicating with the Shareholders which they are not. They could be consulting with their legal council and consider filing a lawsuit against the DOI/BIA for the permit back logs and maybe they have been but if so, they should let us Shareholders know the status. We are the clients and we deserve to know the status of any such legal consideration. It is not or should not be secret. The MC does not stand up to the Superintendent and hold her accountable for anything and they should. They should answer correspondence from the Shareholders and I can personally testify that they do not. The MC should be working with the producers and they do not, instead they are constantly belittling them and taking advantage of their plight and seem to enjoy exercising their authority over them. The MC is not doing all they can at this point. You are so wrong. You are clueless.
Not so. I'm the one and I'm not on the payroll of the Osage Nation in any way shape or form. Just get tired of you bull whipping the MC. It gets old. I believe they are doing the best they can with the nightmare we are all facing and you want the Nation to run things so you can get a fat salary and monthly paycheck from the Osage government. Some of you probably want the Osages out of the County altogether to get your mineral rights back which will never happen anyway so you're wasting your time and everyone elses too.
To poster at 1:23, they may or may not I do not know more or less it was an example of what we do not what they are up to. They may be working diligently we do not know right? And I have said in so many words the incompetence stinks to high to kingdom come but non the less we need to move forward with tact..remember there is a domino effect of what has or has not been accomplished goes with out saying what our prior councils were thinking..we didn't get here alone..I'm the one who didn't get to vote for the Nation becoming a Government and I am not laying down either..My hair long as the path streaking with gray will I see a future for our M.E through and through we will not fall this is our call..stand united long live the 1906 Act as amended. Long live the Osage Tribe our Sovereignty is at threat. I here you knocking but nobody's home with our M.C
Not so. I'm the one and I'm not on the payroll of the Osage Nation in any way shape or form. Just get tired of you bull whipping the MC. It gets old. I believe they are doing the best they can with the nightmare we are all facing and you want the Nation to run things so you can get a fat salary and monthly paycheck from the Osage government. Some of you probably want the Osages out of the County altogether to get your mineral rights back which will never happen anyway so you're wasting your time and everyone elses too.
You are clueless. I am a Shareholder and not looking for employment. I do not want the ON to take control either. I just want our MC to communicate with us Shareholders and they do not. As a Shareholder, I have not received one piece of correspondence from the MC since 2006. Their website is lame and lacking any information about the BIA aggression since the Superintendent's July, 2014 death sentence letter. Nothing about any of the lawsuits.
@2:00PM Don't feel bad about the comments from these fools. Every-time I am critical of the Mineral Council or the BIA I am attacked as well and told I want the Nation to take over in order to get a job or a fat pay check. The truth be known I had a job until the July 2014 letter went out and the lay offs began in the Osage. All I want is to be able to work for my money. Here in Pawhuska we have 3 to 4 out of work oilfield workers a week stop in looking for work. Most of us do not have full headlights much less 3 or 4 headlights like many that post here. We also don't get $38,000 a year for a part time job while having a full time job at the Nation. So my advise to 1:53PM is to go bitch at the MC members that are double dipping and sucking the Osage tit.
Double dipping ha ha is exactly right so is the Chief..1:53 We know the direction we must take, the status quo cannot be the same any longer. I want a accounting of all accounts. I want a Council that represents all of us not just the few, The Eight. Mistakes have to be accounted for and huge ones by far have gone unnoticed for quite some time this is a billion dollar estate, if you cannot see the writing on the wall this approach by the M.C can be construed as Hostile, however it appears does not matter. We need to be moving in the direction of building and all they are doing is pussy footing around is not working in the interest of yhe M.E. So yes I am qualified accountant my forte is conquering and problem solving with emphasis in customer service. And this is not happening. Instead the Nation is squandering our money on pet projects as opposed to getting into this fight right? Sic...Happy New Year.
So the Osagesnews.com came out with a article in the ruling of Hayes vs the Osage Agency the BIA was negligent in using the 1979 EIS and was ruled void as of 2000 and it is like I said and was suspected Robyn Phillips needs to be replaced she has brought harm by the Millions if not Billions in Revenue and not only as I said we had yet to see the repercussion of our M.C inability to understand what is necessary to build a consensus. And it sure looks like we are in trouble in retrospective in the end through all of this did the BIA have the best interest of the M.E it's looking bad for them all around how is experience working for us? Now given how inept this Agency is and has proven time after time to be and now you understand the dynamics of what we are dealing with has been revealed and I say this cautiously, we have yet to hear from our M.C of which I find myself bewildered, No Statement? Or response? Now knowing more of where we stand causes alarm bells and the cause and effect of poor management ah anything I say from tnis point would be ultimately a understatement. r
In addition to..Chief I hold you culpable as well..This happened on your watch even the judge recognizes our Constitution do you? This happened on your watch and pointing finger you know what that gets you. You are a sore eye so says I, sound familiar?
Why don't you ask one of our Mineral Council Members? I'm sure they will be able to provide a copy with an overview summary and their interpretation of same. Not!
I am an Osage County producer and have never heard of a 2000 final rule. We operate pursuant to the CFR Title 25, Part 226 and under the 1979 EA which is still in effect and has not expired. As an Osage County operator, I have never been advised of this final rule.
I'm confident that Chaparral will prevail in an appeal of Judge Frizzell's order. Judge Frizzell even made reference to frac'g being experimental. I couldn't believe he wrote that in his opinion. The oil companies have been sand frac'g since 1951 and before that the producers would frac with nitro glycerin very successfully since around 1918. Experimental, really? How many decades of use before something is no longer experimental?
See http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/osage-shareholder-matters-november-2015.html to view previous Shareholder comments with regard to the specific points to bring up to include on the correct Comment Card you will have to use to raise objections as to the new EIS and time is running out:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xregeasternok/documents/text/idc1-032702.pdf
Your comments should be snail mailed by December 12, 2015 because December 24, 2015 is the deadline!
Instructions:
http://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xregeasternok/documents/text/idc1-032703.pdf
A question has come up about commenting rules on the Osage Blog:
DeleteIf you want to respond to a comment by another poster, click on the reply link and enter your comment.
If you're introducing a new topic, click on the Add comment link.
Where is the add link?
DeleteIs it the add comment Link?
DeleteYes. It's the text window at the bottom of the page. The reply button is under the last comment in a topic thread.
Delete7.4 million from the Land by back program was allocated to our Tribe by the Cobell suit..Where is it? Our Courts are not so busy..what is going on with 5 man board suit? Wind farm suit?
ReplyDelete5 Man Board update:
Deletehttp://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2015/12/08/tribal-court-judge-refuses-dismiss-missing-pawhuska-village-money-cases/
Thk u. Saw tbe post after the fact.
Deleteop-ed by Sen. Jim Inhofe in The Tulsa World pointed out that oil production is now 97 percent higher in Oklahoma than it was just five years ago. When you break it down 20% a year is not that much of a increase right? And we are not seeing it here with our M.E.
ReplyDeleteSource your comments please. Thank you.
Deletehttp://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/othervoices/u-s-sen-jim-inhofe-time-to-lift-the-oil/article_8e6ce766-0ff2-5043-8dc9-d5877556d68a.html#user-comment-area
My source was from somewhere else thank you.
DeleteMC Meeting Agenda for Friday:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/minerals-council-meeting-2
Any report on this meeting? I keep trying to hear it and it not being broadcast online when I come in to try.
DeleteStrippers Suffering From Low Oil Prices
ReplyDeleteA good article, worth the read...
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/strippers-suffering-low-oil-prices-225403708.html
Pretty good article. As the former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Marginal Well Commission I can state that this is a critical situation for the state of Oklahoma in regards to Gross production tax if the stripper wells are shut in. It is even more critical for the Osage Mineral Estate and Shareholders since most of Osage production is marginal or stripper production. The state of Oklahoma does have a law in place to assist Stripper well operators in the case that oil prices drop below $15 a barrel, the operator does not have to pay the 7% Gross Production tax. This helps but its an old law that I tried to get changed by raising the amount to $25 a barrel price but was not successful in doing so. I would suggest that the OMC consider some type of incentive for the Osage stripper well operator in order to keep their wells on line, such as a reduced Royalty rate based on a sliding scale. i.e. if oil is under $30 bbl the Royalty is one price, if oil is under $25 - 20 is another reduced Royalty price etc. Food for thought. A reduced Royalty is better than no Royalty at all.
DeleteI think it is time we revisit the law. Considering the times and where we are at with our economy considering the chance we may hit 20 dollars a barrel.
DeleteGosh. Read that headline and sure was shocked. Read the article and got straightened out. :)
DeleteGo here and read the comments on today's committee meetings. THIS IS WHY the Osage Nation has no business running the Osage Mineral Estate. I mean it. Really --->>>
ReplyDeletehttp://osageblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/conversation-november-2015.html
S.209 - Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2015...
ReplyDeleteWill this act be beneficial foe our M.E?
The question is whether it will be good for the current set of headright owners. The minerals income will accrue directly to the Osage Nation prior to distribution. In short, it will bust the OME Trust and the Feds will only have a sideline involvement and I doubt when guys like Gentner Drummond puts out an open call to the land owners to lock their gates if the BIA will step up legally to open them legally. Osage Nation would be stand alone. How well do you think that will work? It will be good for the Osage Nation and whoever it deems is fit to receive a pro-rata share of minerals income. How well is that per-cap doing for you with gaming funds right now? Past is prologue with the Osage Nation and don't you ever forget it.
DeleteNot so sure it will bust the OME given our trust is held by the Federal Government considering the circumstances are much different for us compared to other tribes, such as the UTE and Navajo? Still working to get that Per-cap to all Osages..let the Owners not comply with the lease agreement, then penalties will be assessed and then they will pay for their bad choices right? Theres got to be besides the BIA a clause t b at will protect the assets interest if not something is very wrong.
DeleteI do agree about the Past is Prologue.
DeleteThe 1906 Act as to the Trust itself will fall away and we will be stand alone to run the OME under a TERA that I am going ahead to presume will be the actually working program out in the field under this new legislation. The trust we have is specific to the trust created by the provisions of the 1906 Allotment Act as amended and to this particular set or group of headlight trust beneficiaries. If this trust is busted, so also is the group of associated beneficiaries right along with it. The Nation will tell you they can't take your headright away but if nothing is being paid into the trust account from generated minerals income, how much will your payment be quarterly? If the trust account balance is $0.00. The quarterly headright payments will be also be $0.00. It stands to reason.
DeleteIn regard to the poster's comment about the surface owners locking-out the producers and whether or not the BIA will get involved and assist the producers, I can tell you first hand that the BIA will not assist. I was locked out of one of my leases two years ago and asked for BIA assistance. I was told they could not help and suggested that I go to the district court to obtain an injunction. I followed their advice and six months later and at a cost of legal fees exceeding $20,000. I was able to enter my leased premises. I purchased a lease at the September, 2014 lease sale and I have been locked-out going on 17 months. The BIA and Mineral Council can't or won't help. Really nice and friendly place to operate, right?
DeleteThank you your comment has been noted. Two years and when did you notify the M.C your complaint about a lease you purchased and were locked out? There are right of way laws and if they are not being followed by the BIA or M.C dis you notify local authorities? Cause and action. If the property owners renig on there agreement regarding the leases they signed with the M.E then time to put leans on their property and recover the losses?
DeleteGood comment. The Shareholders really need to know what is happening in the field so they can assess what is really going on. It's a shame the BIA isn't stepping up because they are the only ones that can prevent this from happening. Reservation or not, they need to be protecting the interests of the Trust beneficiaries. It used to be they did so until after the HPP lawsuit was settled. I don't believe that having a reservation or not changes the nature of the Trust relationship. You should have gotten back your legal fees and this should put landowners on notice that this is what they too will face if they prevent the oil and gas producers from entering the property.
DeleteWell the council sees fit to communicate with the Shareholder's when it benefits them and not the Majority is common knowledge which will change. We have a future and this is not where we should be at..we should be 25 years a head of our selves and our M.E has become a mecca for lawsuits. Though the GOVERNMENT knows they have screwed up royally they will pay dearly. From their outright and blatant poor judgement...who gave all this power to the BIA? HISTORY was back in the day the BIA were a liason to the Government to now they are an agency with no regard and to much power..The BIA will always be on the losing end if they dont get their head out of their arse..From the HPP tot he fletcher case and the accounting that will take place and my bet the Interior already has those figures and it will be more than the HPP for sure..The shit is about to get real here and the money trail will be followed and those caught in between the corruption I suspect of course does not want us to know..I want all accounts that derives a royalty should be paid to the Shareholder's...This will happen and I want to know how are Million dollar drawdown is spent as well and the M.C will be paid 75 hr..this will happen or there of in that price range...not just that our voting rights restored.
DeleteLanguage!
DeleteOMC3 member Talee Red Corn has posted a lengthy message on Face Book where he attempts to justify his ranting at the Council meeting on 12/11/2015. He closes with the following statement.
ReplyDelete“So, Osage people, join me in rejecting the EIS or support it if you must. But for goodness sake lets demand that the BIA consider the official will of the Osages before they roll out an environmental system that impacts us all!”
What Mr. Red Corn doesn’t understand is that the BIA is GOING to put out this EIS which will make it much easier to approve and issue drilling permits and work over permits in the future. Several months ago, the council voted 6 to 2 to NOT PARTICIPATE in the drafting of the EIS. This was blatant dereliction of the council’s duty represent the shareholders and their producers. The ONG was also invited to participate and you can bet your boots they accepted. They had Andrea Hunter from cultural and the director of the ENR agency both there representing their interests. The Minerals Council’s interests include a several billion dollar mineral estate that many of us depend on for our livelihood but that 6 to 2 vote to ‘not represent’ indicates that they didn’t care much about that. This is where the “official will of the Osages” Talee speaks of could have been heard in the proper forum where it would have carried some weight. Now, all the Council can do is write letters and make suggestions like the rest of us. I hope our MC was in full attendance at the last EIS meeting making statements supporting the shareholders and our producers.
That may be true but it will let in the door right along with it, a number of other provisions that will make it financially impossible for the small producers to work their leases who provide 65% of the income to the Shareholders. We don't need any more regulations period and certainly not 300 + pages of more of them. Are you for real? The BIA needs to go back to work and stop dragging their feet on getting these permits approved and out the door. If you approve a lease and you know you are doing something to make it impossible to work on and it's the BIA that's doing this, isn't that a kind of bunko which is a type of fraud that can be investigated by the FBI. Yes? You might even be able to add bait and switch as well.
DeleteThen they should have been there to try to hold that 'door' closed as much as possible. That idiotic decision to not attend nailed that 'door' wide open. The EIS is coming, and if that draft is not modified, it could be a disaster, and it will be partly because of MC3's bullheaded attitude.
DeleteThough I do not like the DEIS, yes it will impact the Producers and development. Especially now thw that the prices of oil dropping possibly to 20 dollars a barrel. Who are you kidding? I do not believe adding more regulations is not going to help with the incompetence at the BIA..or by the M.C and I do believe there is another agenda here..The problems at the Administrative level is not going to fix the long over due concensus we need so very much..I do agree with you that the M.C needs to be front and present at all meetings..and you are right their failure is our failure..and this is why when said and done we will replace each and everyone of them..its no accident where we are at..had the diligence been applied this could have all been prevented had we had a working council a functional petroleum office. There is no reason we can not accomplish what needs to be done today and build that future together as opposed to sitting around waiting for the egg to hatch.
DeleteThey did have one member of the MC attend at the behest of the Osage Nation government and of what value was that? The idea is that in attending and participating as a body, they damage their legal level of standing to seek an injunction at a later point after the EIS is finally published and put in effect.
DeleteTo 3:52 PM---B.S.
DeleteI agree with the MC not participating in the EIS process. The EIS is a death sentence for the producers and Shareholders. Why would they want any part of that? The Obama administration needs to butt-out and quit looking for ways to punish the Shareholders. The EIS will totally shutdown all oil and gas operations. Why would the MC want any involvement in that? They should be prepared to file another lawsuit the day the EIS is implemented. Also, why didn't the MC file suit or join in the producer's suit regarding the permits? Why hasn't the MC filed suit for being restricted in viewing well records and production records? Where are they and what , if anything, are they doing? Pathetic!
DeleteFor those of you that are not familiar with the workover permitting process, please be advised that the new permits being approved now come with eight (8) pages of nonsense. Until July, 2014, the permit was one page and was either approved or not approved. Now the ones that are approved have numerous restrictions and some are contrary to the governing CFR's. The permits they claim are being approved are not actually approved. They are just going through the motions. I recently permitted a well to perforate, acidize and simultaneously sand-frac the zone. The first page of the 8 page approval stated all was in order and my procedure was approved. The following 7 pages restrict me from frac'g the zone and also has about 40 new restrictions. How ridiculous is this? The Shareholders need to know these facts. Ask 6 of the 8 the Mineral Council members about this.
DeleteI don't think any of them are aware that they are being deceived. Ask them anyway.
The Osage Law enforcement officers should escort the BIA's Superintendent and her staff and employees off the premises and invite the national press to document the event. Then, maybe we can be heard. The Osage Tribe of Indians is under attack by the US government again! Reign of Terror part II.
DeleteTo 1:55 p.m. - I get confused on the many aspects of drilling oil, but have been learning a lot on this blog and oil-price website. But I came to a fast conclusion when I heard the vote on not going to that EIS meeting with the BIA. Even Robin Phillips said by attending we had the choice/option of expressing our feelings and comments of agreeing or not agreeing. Even though our comments have been overlooked for so long, we can't give up. My conclusion--that "no" vote did not represent the shareholders interest, it was like a child whinning, retaliating for not getting its way. Got to stay in the game.
ReplyDeleteWhy participate in digging your own grave.
DeleteBy not entering into the MOU, the MC made a very loud "comment"; it tells the federal government we're not going to allow you to shove this crap down our throats. You impose this on us and we'll see you in court again and again and again.
DeleteIf the Mineral Council is not going to fight the federal government then we Shareholders should contact the Osage Producers Association and support them in their legal battles. The producers are on our side and we need to assist them especially since 6 of our MC has abandoned us and 2 have betrayed us.
DeleteThe M.C will fight these new Regs..only when the damage is done..and if you are asking me when? Let me tell you how the BIA will pay ..Robyn Phillips is nothing but a puppet on a string..after all the money that has been lost since 2014..and the prices of oil dropping to the tune of prices we have not seen since 2011 these regs are outdated already the way I see it..adding new regs to a defunct BIA is only adding more problems at the administrative level..was there ever a economic inpact statement and who at what level is authorizing the New Regs without direct influence from the M.C? Who wrote and who was the author of the Regs?
DeleteThe Obama administration is the author of the CFR's and EIS. We are under attack again. We need to return to the procedures that were in place prior to Obama's July, 2014 death sentence.
DeleteYes I get the big agenda by this administration but I would be more specific with names if you can? Or anyone for that matterif they can answer? Did anyone from Congess or anyone representing Congress sit on the panel representing the Shareholder's? The BIA is building a bigger bureaucracy as opposed to building a consensus for the betterment of the M.E. whomdrew up the formula for DEIS?
DeleteThere are half a dozen names sited in the EIS document being identified as authors. There are other authors referred to but not named. Drink a few cups of coffee and take a handful of LA turnarounds like the college kids do and you will find the names buried in the death sentence document. Read the 322 pages. The Obama administration is expecting that you will not read it. They have to pass it before we can know what's in it, right? There is no doubt in my mind that the OMC will do nothing and depend on the Osage County Producers to act and make everything all better again like Humpty Dumpty. Losers! Deadbeats! Cowards! Too unfamiliar with the issues to know what to do. How could they know and understand, they are not qualified to oversee oil and gas matters and too arrogant to seek professional assistance. Just saying.
DeleteFunny..but so true.."you have to pass it before you read it will forever be in bedded in our heads..man did Pelosi walk into that one all by herself..I have read a lot of the 322 pages..in short you are right the M.C can be and well lol you said it all. And at this point I have to agree to agree.
DeleteActually, I believe what she said was we need to pass the bill to find out what's in it. Staggering remark coming from the then Speaker of the Congress who took the gavel with a speech which noted that with such a landmark, that women were now fully out of the kitchen. I'm a woman and for the first time in my life, after hearing her make her perfect political gaffe, she's the first woman where I thought she should be sent right back into the kitchen.
DeleteIs there ANYONE that post or reads this Blog that can inform us where we can go to read or hear the Official Opinion of this Osage Mineral Council on all the critical issues facing the Shareholders, Producers and the Osage Mineral Estate? I read lots of comments, opinion and I have shared mine and I have criticized the OMC many times and its because not ONE Shareholder can tell you what the position of this Mineral Council is. No Newsletter with updates, no updates on the Osage website. So it leaves one to believe that they are siding with the BIA or are totally incompetent. This crap of we are working behind the scenes or we can't comment due to legal reasons just doesn't fly. They can state their position and game plan. Just one Osage Shareholders opinion. I am not afraid to express mine. Why are the 8 Council members scared? We sure have gotten our money's worth out of them huh?
ReplyDeleteAnd I two have expressed my opinion many times of my dissatisfaction of the performance of our OMC and the Chief as well. We know Mr. Waller built the wall of incompetence. He is fecless when it comes to communicating the advocacy for the Shareholder's. He reminds me of Obama. And thats bad at this point. The M.C will know as I have said before what can we do and we can do a lot. The word will be one day and that day is almost here replacement of them all voted by a unanimously by t by e Shareholder's.
DeletePer the open OMC meetings they are expressly set against the EIS. Beyond that it is apparent, per the meetings, that they intend to fight the EIS in court. This seems beyond question to me. While I agree the OMC could more effectively communicate, saying they are siding with the BIA (to this shareholder) seems disingenuous and based solely on political or personal hatreds. Given the defeat of the CFRs and the court opinion, to this point I would say "yes" we have gotten our money's worth.
DeleteWhat is one to think? Corruption is rampant in so many ways and the M.C is fueling it to the point they do not know from up or down..had they not arm chair coach the M.E we would not be in knee deep do do. Thats a fact and are you delusional to think we got our Monies worth. Lol. Guess your not on the losing end of a hundred thousand dollars or more or more ,you would be singing the same tune.
Delete@10:55, Have you ever tried to listen to the Mineral Council meetings on line? If so you would know that it is near impossible to understand what is being said due to the poor quality of auto. Does a Shareholder have to drive to Pawhuska in order to be informed? The reason I stated the question about them siding with the BIA is because of two members and the Chairman taking no action to remove these members and in fact when I asked him in a OMC meeting in November what the procedure is to take suck action Mr. Waller had no clue how to do this. He stated the procedure is in the CFR's. Clueless. All I am asking is for ONE of the EIGHT to speak publicly and state their opinion on this issues and what action is being taken by our Mineral Council.
DeleteNot much to ask for when they make $38,000 a year for a 2nd part time job.
Maybe you need to have your ears checked, or upgrade your computer, or add additional speakers. I hear the meetings just fine and have no problem whatsoever unless they start shuffling papers or start coughing.
DeleteIt flies with me because I for one want them to take the advice of the attorney they have hired who is being paid for with our Shareholder money.
DeleteYou really are like one of the Press who demand that all military strategy of the USA be published so that in the end, the enemy knows exactly what action to take to defeat us. Grow a brain and quit mashing the Mineral Council members for following the advice of their legal council.
DeleteDisgusted Shareholder, I think you are disgusting. We Shareholders are the client and we should be made aware of our strategy and progress. We are the ones paying for the attorney not the numb nuts at the MC office. The MC does not communicate with the Shareholders about anything. I'm not really surprised as they have no communications skills. They damn sure don't know what's going on within the Mineral Estate. They do not have the qualifications needed to understand the issues. I am not able to clearly hear the conversations either. I shouldn't have to add amplifiers to my computer to have access to the information. They need to upgrade their equipment. They have plenty of our money to do so.
Delete1:24, I listen to the OMC meetings every month, live or more often recorded. I have no problem hearing the meetings. Mr. Yates is the only one that is sometimes hard to hear because it sounds like he is leaning away from his microphone. All I have is a single cheap $20.00 speaker. The audio is apparently clear, or at least mostly so, to more than just myself, which tells me the problem is on the end of the person using it. I'm not sure how you expect the OMC to address the quality of the sound on your end. Again such non-issues just ring of personal animus and are non-productive toward the greater goal of educating people about the EIS.
DeleteWith regard to Mr. Yates and Mr. Crum, there are probably few who would like to see those two gone more than I. They have done nothing but compromise the OME at every turn since the day they took office. I'm curious, when you asked your question and Chairman Waller told you the process for removal was in CFRs have you researched it? If you as an Osage shareholder feel so strong why not start a grassroots movement to get them removed? The CFRs aren't secret.
As for why the OMC hasn't sought to get rid of them I can think of a few well founded explanations, maybe they lack support, but that is for them to answer. Beyond that however, and whatever disagreement you may have with them, it seems counter-productive to so deride those that have brought "the two" in check as much as they have. Lest we forget where we were on the last council when Mr. Crum was Chairman. I still think they need to be removed but that takes more than you and I and third person on this blog to accomplish.
If your asking for a statement from the OMC regarding their thoughts on the EIS, I will agree with you. However I think given their discussions and resolutions in open meetings it is blatantly obvious they oppose it and are set to fight it. If you are asking for a statement about "the two" I disagree, politically I'm not sure anything good would come from it. I think all it would do is foster more negative feeling about what is frankly not the issue at hand.
My point is this, we need to be building alliances not ripping each other apart. This OMC is firmly set against the EIS and I am sure you know that. The OPA is firmly against the EIS. The common enemy is the DOI/BIA it is more productive to level our vitriol at them. We don't all have to like how the other fights the battle but as long as we are all picking up arms, who cares?
The OPA is not doing itself any favors coming here running down everyone. It does show why the OMC wants to keep the OPA at arms length.
Exactly,the M.C is working for the Shareholder's interest, we are the owners as well..the M.C are Shareholder's deciding for all of us, we all of us in this boat together and yes the BIA knows exactly what the OMC is going to do if DEIS goes forward as planned..as I have said before..you can say whats going to happen and with no doubt gross negligence and once in court anyway becomes public knowledge anyway..it is no surprise that our Sovereign rights are being walked all over we are a State and a Reservation. Bottom line who authorized the consent and authored the DEIS and with and by whose instruction? And where was the vote by our authorized Congress on this matter? They are the authorized body? Mike Black said as much that using the 1979 EIS would be the alternative. Much contradiction that should not exist but it does..Much needs to happen and much will happen by the vote of the Shareholder's on great matters of concern..it is now the time the South East west and Nothern Osage Shareholder's come together and come to a focus and a concensus where we want and how we want a long much over due petroleum office. It is time we insist our rights be represented in the most ethical way. We are in the 21st Century and in the private sector you all know what would have happened a long time ago..
DeleteI totally disagree with you Poster at 408pm on most points..One this M.C couldn't look more incompetent and the Industry recognizes this. How you come to a resolve is you replace them all. And lets not put all the blame on Yates and Crum..there's alotta blame to go around. I am in management with huge back ground in accounting and Hospitality buisness...Jack of many trades and successful. If you do not have everyone on the same page you will not be successful. To many Chiefs sorta speak..the vitriol you speak of needs to be expressed and communicated how else is the M.C to know how dissatisfied the Shareholder's are or know what we expect of them? Like I said transparency should have been the priority. Alliances well, we will need someone who is great with Damage Control. Better building alliances with a new council and yes by the vote of the Shareholder's this can happen.
DeleteTo the poster at 4:08, Without the producers you would be stuck with the New CFR's. The Producers are your partners and you treat them like an enemy and always have. Good luck without them and have fun plugging all the wells left abandoned. Hopefully, you don't depend on your headright to purchase your coolaid.
Delete4:58, I think we will just have to disagree. I don't see incompetents from the OMC, what I see is an OPA that looks angry because the OMC isn't funding or helping fund the OPAs part of the lawsuit against the BIA. At least given the discussions taking place here that's how it appears to me. I agree the OMC's lack of effective communication with their constituency needs to be rectified, as does staffing (in as much as it doesn't breach any claim against the BIA). Beyond that however, I consider them a breath of fresh air, given what we had in the last several councils and what we could easily have again if we just "throw 'em all out".
Delete- The OMC voted to reject the CFRs several times. The BIA ignored that.
- The OMC held meetings with the Black, Hodge, and the acting superintends expressing their concerns. The BIA ignored that.
- The OMC filed suit against the BIA and was victorious.
- The OMC passed a resolution of no confidence in the Ms. Phillips. The BIA has ignored that.
- The OMC has repeatedly asked questions of Ms. Phillips only to be told she has been instructed not to answer them do to pending litigation. It should be noted the OPA has done the same thing and been given the same answer.
- The OMC has repeatedly passed resolutions objecting to the EIS. The BIA ignored that.
- The OMC has retained an attorney to deal with the EIS, which anyone who has ever attended or listened to OMC meetings knows.
How would you deal with this, what would you have done different?
None of my argument is with the expressions of frustration but with the miss-characterizing statements, disingenuous questions, or the petty churlish claims. Everyone knows the OMC is against the EIS and has retained legal council regarding it. To suggest they are in line with the BIA (with the possible exception of Yates and Crum) is, I think, duplicitous at best and leads me to question the motive a person claiming such.
"I want Galen gone and they didn't do it. We need to throw them all out." Well, I'm sorry. Get a copy of the CFRs and a group together to force just that. It takes more than one person asking one question, regarding an undefined person, at one meeting, one time, to produce the desired outcome.
"I can't hear 'em on the computer. Throw 'em all out!" That just looking for something to be angry about, it's childish, and just ...go buy a speaker.
You can call the OMC, you can review the minutes, you can listen online (though God forbid, you may need a speaker).
7:22, what do you want the OMC to do for the OPA?
DeleteAs an Osage County producer, I do not expect the OMC to do anything for the OPA. I would like to see the OMC work with the OPA in fighting back the aggression of the Obama administration. I also expect the OMC, who executed our oil and gas leases as , Lessor, to assist in the Lessees being able to exercise their rights granted to the Lessees pursuant to the terms of the oil and gas leases. The DOI/BIA has interfered with the lease contract between the Lessor and Lessee. Both the OMC and OPA should jointly fight these actions together.
DeleteThe 1906 Allotment Act has the BIA as the Trustee with the Secretary of the Interior and it's rep., the BIA with the final word. This acts much like a teenager with a legally responsible parent who has the real control over the entire situation. This is what the Osages have had to deal with and live under since the trust relationship began in the 1800's. What you suggest indicates you don't know how things really work. A child or young adult can rail at a parent but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will get what they want or have done what they want. This is the reality and that's the way it is now and I don't see this changing any time soon.
DeleteThe OMC could provide a clerk to walk around the corner to check out well records for the producers so that the producers can further evaluate and develop their leases and offset leases with the use of this vital information. When the OMC held lease sales, the sale bulletins stated that the well records and maps were available for review. The OMC should honor this and make the records available. The OMC should also grant an automatic extension for any and all leases that are in jeopardy of expiring due to the Lessee waiting for permit approvals.
DeleteI will reiterate we need a working Council. There is so much the Council can do like take the reigns. what I hear is excuses not to. Trending is so elemental to a functional office. This is our baby we should put the right shoe on the right foot and be dictating to the BIA. They hold the trust and they should be advisors, time to seize the moment is now!we should be running a operating petroleum office.
DeleteThey are locked down by the BIA tight as a tick and the relationship is legally defined and that's all there is to it. What you suggest is having the shareholders pay to duplicate services that are already provided by the BIA that we don't have to pay for now. You want a big job with the Nation, go and apply for one and stop showing your ignorance.
DeleteSorry I disagree today with your comment..there's alot we can do..! Time for the M.C to take over some of these duties. Just because they the BIA own the regulations does not mean we cannot take over the Administrative duties, yes they are paid by the Government to do this so can we get paid to do the same thing and be better at it...no such thing hands tied is baloney. If we don't we can expect more of the same thing and I think that is insane.. Ask not what you can do for me, what can I do for you take needs to happen...
DeleteSorry I disagree today with your comment..there's alot we can do..! Time for the M.C to take over some of these duties. Just because they the BIA own the regulations does not mean we cannot take over the Administrative duties, yes they are paid by the Government to do this so can we get paid to do the same thing and be better at it...no such thing hands tied is baloney. If we don't we can expect more of the same thing and I think that is insane.. Ask not what you can do for me, what can I do for you take needs to happen...
DeleteThe Mineral Council had very little to do with delaying (not defeating) the proposed CFR's that were to go into effect August 10th, 2015. The Osage Producers were responsible for this temporary victory. The OMC attorneys were lame. The OMC has no oil and gas experience and they're in over their heads to be sure and they know it. Chairman Waller can't even get Councilmen Crum and Yates in line. The open meetings are not legible and nothing is ever followed up on. How many times do they have to ask the Superintendent for hard numbers regarding the pending permits before they will get an answer? The next time the Superintendent appears and provides a number, the question needs to be asked, were any addendums added to the one page Form 139 permit. The answer will be yes, eight additional pages that will take an attorney to interpret. The so-called approvals are not approvals at all. What a farce. The OMC won't even know what I'm talking about. They are not experienced enough to know what questions to ask or what actions to take. So very sad. Waiting for the next election will be too late to save the ME. The Shareholders should support the Osage Producers Association by donating funds for their legal defense. We can't depend on the OMC to save us and our ME. This is obvious.
ReplyDeleteAs a reminder, contributions can be made payable as follows:
DeleteOsage Defense Fund
P.O. Box 635
Hominy, OK 74035
Please include a note indicating that you are a Shareholder so they will know we care and want to help. Any amount of $ will be appreciated.
I was in the court room and I disagree with your characterization of the OMC attorneys. I thought the overall legal assemblage worked well. The OPA lawyer was flashy, folksy and entertaining the OMC lawyers where legally astute and point driven. Both approaches have value in court and in my opinion the judges opinion reflected that.
DeleteThe number of guffaws extracted from the audience do not equate to the desired ruling, it's not TV.
You may have been in the courtroom, but you must have been down the hall. We were before Judge Frizzell. Were you in Judge Judy's room?
DeleteThe judge in his opinion reiterated our Osage inherent sovereignty. I realize that may mean nothing to producer but it should and does to Osage shareholders. That was do to the OMC attorneys. The expert who provided the Economic Impact Assessment was retained and presented by the OMC and their attorneys. The judge reiterated our right to set royalties. That was do to the OMC attorneys. Just last Friday a producer came before the OMC seeking to keep a well scheduled for plugging open (I heard it on the brodcast). Part of what he needed was a royalty reduced (from "standard"). Thanks to the OMC attorneys and judges ruling we again have that right to address that.
DeleteThe OPAs attorneys did a very good job of laying out the hardships that would be inflicted on the producers and how asinine most of the requirements were. But, they didn't carry the day alone. We won that battle. What's the problem?
Thank you Poster..9:03 pm. We still have a ways to go..
DeleteThis lawsuit is simply another manipulation on the part of some of the posters here to run down the Minerals Council to have them removed from the management of the Mineral Estate. A lot of totally ignorant comments from lazy people who refuse to discipline themselves to read the Osage Constitution and the provisions for removing members of the Minerals Council. The CFRs have nothing to do with it. Minerals Council of today are elected officials of the Osage Nation and come under the Osage Constitution period. This isn't open for interpretation as of the 2004 Reaffirmation Act of the U.S. Congress and the government reorganization that took place after the ratification of the Constitution. There is a Citizen's Recall process called out in the Constitution but I doubt the Osage Nation election office even has the application form for sponsors or the petition form for signatures for this process in print and available to the Osage members at this point in time. The Osage Nation has been woefully negligent and neglectful as to this process for the Osage Nation members --->>>
DeleteNothing listed for this process on the Forms link here
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/what-we-do/elections/elections-forms
Link to the Constitution and the Rules and Regulations
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/what-we-do/elections/election-information
Said the same thing, the CFR's? I would hold off on calling those who post here lazy..I think what is happening here is something great here on the contraire. Weather someone has read the Constitution, you get a lot of elders who post here that would take offense. They or all who post here come to learn and might not understand entirely what our Constitution means...does not make them ignorant. Change is hard to accept and we must adapt to the 21st Century..We do not need to be in a State of Crisis 24/7. Since we became a State/Government is not what our elders wanted for big Government political correctness. I call a spade when I see one. Yes you are right about the removal process exists for the M.C. you see history still predicates our future and silence is not golden on any level of ethics in regards to keeping the Shareholder's comprised. This is nothing new and this must change as much as we need to grow. I get what others are saying...I see a bigger future and picture and what is very necessary long over due are policies with in the council are long over due...and? We as voters and as Shareholders have the right to decide how are body, the council should operate with no less than or expect less than exceptionalism. The Shareholder's need and want representation and should. If the M.C would step maybe most would not feel so inclined to replace them..My opinion is at this point,the meaning to insanity is to, you dont know what your going to find in a fortune cookie.when it comes to our M.E. You cannot run a multi-billion estate this way..as the facts as they are weather true or not you dont get a response from the M.C again. Overall the performance speaks for itself but how would we know? Not seeing it.
Delete@ 12:32 That was my point...Mr Chairman Waller seems to think the CFR's is the tool used to remove a MC member. So I suggest you educate your Chairman.
DeletePoint made. Point taken. He way too often shoots from the hip and it comes out his mouth.
DeleteDidn't say stupid. Said ignorant. Look up the actual meaning of the word.
DeleteSo the point of asking Waller about Galen was just a gotcha question? I don't know what your angle is anymore. But it looks suspect
DeleteVERY suspect. In fact, I'm pretty sure.
Delete@6:20 It is apparent what my point was in asking the Chairman about the procedure to remove a Council member but I guess I have to spell it out for you. It was to get the Chairman to take charge and start the process of removing Mr. Galen Crum from the Council for insubordination. As you see our Chairman has no clue as to what the procedure is and no desire to take action. Its more of the same from this no action MC.
DeleteMr. Revard, I don't think it can be ascertained with any certainty what you are after. What I remember from the recording is you simply asked what the procedure was for removing a council member. You did not ask about removing anyone specifically or anything beyond that. It was one question and a ten second exchange. As I stated, if you want change, it takes more than asking one question, one time, without specificity. It certainly gives the appearance that there was never any real intent to remove Mr. Crum. Rather, the entire point was, as someone else said, a "gotcha" question.
DeleteIf you want to remove Mr. Crum you can get a copy of the CFRs or try the Nation way. You're not doing either. That tells me you don't really care and you only want to use Mr. Crum as a platform to exercise your personal hatreds.
Amen to that!
DeleteLMFAO
DeleteAuditors: EPA broke law in social media blitz on water rule. Read this article no surprise. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/14/auditors-epa-broke-law-in-social-media-blitz-on-water-rule.html?intcmp=latestnews
ReplyDeleteOsage Minerals Council meeting on Friday is now available for on demand listening online. Click on the text Osage Nation: 3OMC_11_DEC_15 at http://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/
ReplyDeleteWe are now a exporting oil country...Yes! Where are we with production and development? And where should we be at? Does our M.C know?
ReplyDeleteEven with the oil exporting, the wall street traders ran the price of oil down another 1.5% this morning. Go figure!
DeleteCurrently down 3.2% for the day.
DeleteA lot of people were saying the complete opposite would happen..does not mean that we should not be drilling and pumping and moving forward..hopefully the new steak "ground beef" supported by a interest hike will bring the 87% mark up and will bring all commodities down.
DeleteNone of the operators are able to drill or workover their wells due to the DOI/BIA actions. The few permits being approved are not really approved due to the restrictions attached to the approval instruments. My most recent permits included a cover letter that states my proposed operations are approved; however, the additional pages attached include conditions that restrict me from performing the work. There will not be any development until we can obtain permit approvals. As far as I know, the OMC has not addressed this issue. The OPA has filed a lawsuit which may take years to resolve.
DeleteWe did not have these problems til Sally Jewel and Gina McCarthy came into the picture. The additional conditional 8 pages attached to the approval is just more of a bureaucracy of B.S and will only hamper the streamlined process already in place. The failure of the BIA to perform their duties is that more cumbersome and will not benefit the M.E..or Producers is a fact..I want to see the economic impact put forward by these green monkeys.
DeleteWhy hasn't the OMC filed suit against the DOI/BIA regarding the permit approvals? If they were to file suit or join in the OPA's suit, it would add credibility to the OPA's claims and might also attract national coverage that could put a little heat on the DOI/BIA.
DeleteWhat I do not understand is why we can't go forward with the 1979 EIS till all is resolved or comes to a resolve? However we should be fighting tooth and nail.
DeleteThe Mineral Council failed to ask the Superintendent about the workover permits. She stated that 25 permits were approved but she lied. The permits are not approved. I have two of them and the cover letter says that the permits are approved but subject to additional pages of restrictions that prevent the work. Our MC is clueless. Why didn't they challenge her on this lie? I know why and they reason is the MC does not know enough about the subject to inquire. This MC is not knowledgeable about the subject matter and should resign their positions for lack of credentials. They are in over their heads. We need to replace them with qualified representatives. This isn't rocket science. We have a group of popular Osages in office with no oil and gas experience and no gonads. It's not just very sad but devastating to the Shareholder's interest. I don't enjoy being critical but it is a reality. Very sad and with devastating consequences.
DeleteI am working diligently on this matter..most unfortunate the lies coming out of both ends and the M.C is looking so feckless. I am sorry to feel this way..it wouldn't be so bad but that $38,000 dollars a year they make in a area where the medium income is 30,000 dollars and this is part time work and their expertise is coming from a lawyer while they are pulling a headright check as well is almost like double dipping. In short, what goods are the M.C providing the Shareholder's is lip sevice..take away the incentive and watch what happens. We the Shareholder's decide what level of pay they deserve not the other way around. We should be the priority the M.E and we need a full working body a Petroleum office avail to the M.E. Simple.
DeleteI just love how the MC meeting agenda from Dec 11 and todays meeting isn't even posted on the Mineral Councils website. Way to keep people informed.
ReplyDeleteI can't find the agenda either. I also don't think it's appropriate to go into executive session every time that there is something of any substance to be discussed. What is it that the OMC doesn't want us to know?
DeleteI keep on saying tbe same thing as well.
DeleteOsage Nation: 3OMC_Dec_16_15
Deletehttp://mixlr.com/osage-nation/showreel/
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/3rd-osage-minerals-council-agenda-wednesday-december-16th
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/minerals-council/meeting-information
It's there if you would take the time to shift your lazy self and look for it instead of running down the Minerals Council every chance you get. If you want credibility from now on, you're going to have to earn it.
Well then change the attitude and get off your duffs and start perporting the truth about our M.E to all Shareholder's and we won't be having this conversation right? Those of us who understand the politics of the situation find at this point the M.C has failed grotesquely to the detriment of the M.E. The truth is that if everyone, all 5000 Shareholder's were comprised of our situation the Shareholder's would be demanding change...like replacement of all Council Member's for one. When leadership fails we all fail..simple why so many are disgusted!
DeleteDo the work or quit complaining. If an attorney gives you advice to shut it then you keep your trap shut. You expect too much of these people for actually being competent enough to follow the advice of their attorney. You wouldn't expect the Mayor of your city or town to confer with you or to blast out information against the advice of the attorney on proprietary information so why do you hold the MC to such a preposterous standard. You are bashing these elected officials because you want in the circus tent for a fat paycheck from he Nation and that's not going to happen until the Constitution is changed and the bar is too high. Unless they run their own elections and that's what's going to take place in the future when they buy and run their own election machines. You're belly aching on stupid things when your very position as a headright owner may well be turned on its head while you're looking the other way. Plus this Osage Nation membership maneuvering going between the Congress and the Chief. I'd be watching that situation carefully if I were you.
DeleteHere.
Deletehttps://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/news-events/news/chief-signs-negotiated-membership-bill
It won't be long until "independently run" elections are a thing of the past. It recently came out in a Congressional Committee meeting that anyone who contests an election has their votes counted only and not those of the other candidates in the election. Only the Osages would see nothing wrong ethically with that situation.
Delete"Rencountre said the office is pursuing the purchase of equipment and software for future elections and will move toward bringing more election day duties in-house once staff is trained on working with the equipment and software for future elections."
http://www.osagenews.org/en/article/2015/09/14/on-election-board-selects-texas-company-for-election-services-equipment/
Such a conflict of interest. Better not or the Osages will come together and sue!
DeleteThe Chief has stated several times about "hiring qualified staff." The last MC election I read all resumes from the Osage paper and read all the ones mailed to me. I don't know the local people of Pawhuska and surrounding areas, so I chose from strictly from what was in front of me. No way of telling the outcome of any election. Maybe the ones I voted for were outsiders, maybe the local citizens didn't know them either. A question of trust. If the shareholders completed a survey saying they agree the MC needs improvement, with their comments, what would the next step be. Maybe like our Constitution--review, revise, vote? It's been mentioned about running 24/7. A survey would give ideas to that affect, like how could that really be? It's part-time now, would new staff be required not to have second job? If they were full time, what would they being doing in the office? How would it be set-up for 24/7? When producers, etc. come to a meeting (current set up) for approval, etc. when they get there, are they waiting, sitting there the whole time old and new business gets done first. All of meeting agenda is important to us. Do they have to wait two or three weeks till the MC meets again? If so, how and what would change to speed the process in the new MC? But with a new election passed, do we give the newly elected the provision of setting up their own procedure since we elected them because of their oil business knowledge in the first place? We are a fortunate tribe, hope it stays that way, many obstacles ahead of us.
ReplyDeleteQualified people doesn't always mean having a degree. In my working career (clerical), I got several jobs bypassing the two year college degree requirement because of my years of experience. I was enthused in a meeting when T. Redcorn asked R. Phillips if he could go out with the BIA staff. I like some of the staffs' take control energy, even though I didn't vote for several of them, I would consider re-electing some of them because of their actions and regard to detail in the meetings.
Success is a state of mind more or less..success for me was not in schooling, as I learned through the years rather it is built. That ladder I climbed was through experience. I also learned that you don't have to like the person you are sitting next to but you also can respect. Now that's balance. I got my first cert when I was 15 in retail industry and by the time I was 16 had my nurses aid license and went into Banking by the time I was 17..and just kept climbing. Did I have a degree to a degree I did challenges always there and nothing was out of reach, your success is in your ability to excel in what you are good at...funny thing..or story. I hated math, couldn't see the end and how I needed to get the result. Went to a hypnotist. And had a tutor a student aid from a near by college. After meeting with the hypnotist and met with my weekly session with the tutor. Lets put it this way,my nemesis was my best friend and my career ended in accounting. If you have the willingness and its funny someone said to me I should have been a Lawyer..maybe? I have friends who went to school and ended up doing something completely different so what does that tell you? Your success usually comes from the person who is next to you. My point, we have a flu with M.C. and we have a bone of contention equally..it has been my experience when you work with a group such as the M.C that has no bylaws and do not honor the Shareholder's with respect, how do think the majority is going to react...? Do you feel what I am saying? As much as they do not like to hear the criticism or you could say rhetoric at this point could have been spearheaded. Leaders will always be front ans center. Your suggestion has been suggested and maybe we should suggest more does this sound redundant? I have always said no challenge can't be met and thats the attitude we want to hear from our M.C instead we get nosed out. This is not to be precedent to our future M.E and we are in the 21ts Century where technically we are not..We have a body of people who authored their own pay scale..these would not be issues but they are now. Given the circumstances and where we are at we expect no more than exceptional behavior. So now we question why? And we have valid concerns non of which are being met. And I have always said nothing is a accident. You should read the book..the Shareholder's future is today! Reality is we are nit there. And my elder warned me this day woukd come. Change needs to happen and just because we are in litigation or about to does not mean we should not be excelling to that Goal..wheres the call to action? Mr. Waller care to take the floor?
DeleteHere is a question for all you Shareholders that continue to support this Osage Mineral Council. Is this Council going to make known to the Shareholders their Comments on the Draft EIS? The Osage Producers Association hired a consultant to review the Draft and the OPA has submitted their Comments on the Draft EIS and has shared with their members the Comments. I have been informed that the OMC didn't hire anyone to review the Draft due to lack of funding and the 8 members have not sat down to review and provide their own Comments. I am sure that the Shareholders will not be informed as to the Comments if any made by this Mineral Council. Looking forward to seeing or hearing their Comments on the Draft EIS.
ReplyDeleteAre you some kind of a dolt or what? They have voted as a body, numerous times to reject the EIS out of hand. What might this be telling you and the BIA? Why don't you think about what you type before you make such an incredible fool of yourself in public and online. I hope the moderator of this blog starts monitoring your your comments because you are bashing the MC to the point where it doesn't even make any sense and this isn't supposed to be tolerated here.
DeleteIt was reported in the last meeting that they have retained someone to draft their comments on the EIS.
DeleteTo the poster at 2:11 PM. The Shareholders have the right to make and submit comments about the DEIS and have until January 15, 2016 to do so. They each should cite what their objections are to each devastating regulation within the 322 page obituary. The MC should be providing information to the Shareholders as suggested comments to submit. Your love fest with the MC should not be tolerated by the monitor. The MC with the exception of Tallee Redcorn is incompetent. They're in over their heads. They should hire a consultant to assist them concerning this matter.
DeleteTo the poster at 2:47: I am curious to know the name and qualifications of the consultant the MC retained to draft the MC's comments concerning the DEIS. If you know, please share with us. Thanks.
DeleteThe OMC hired a company to help them review/analyze the DEIS during the December 11th meeting. I know that it was during the open meeting because I listen online. I'm sure you can go back and listen to the meeting or call the chairman if you want to know the name of the company.
DeleteAny comments from the Osage Mineral Council members on the Judgment against Chaparral yesterday? Case 14-CV-495-GKF-PJC google it if you are not aware of this case. This is very very bad for the Shareholders and producers if Judge Payne rules in the same manner.
ReplyDeletePretty much the end of oil production by independents in Osage county.
Yep, sayonara Osage County. Gentner Drummond will have to have a lot of guts to show his face in Osage County.
DeleteThis is what Robin Phillips and the BIA has been trying to tell everyone. We MUST have the EIS. It's Federal law! It should be ready shortly after Jan. 1, as I recall.
DeleteYOU Google it and place the information about where to go and find it here as a courtesy to those who are reading you comments. JA!
DeleteIf the readers of the blog can't even Google an article then they don't need to even bother...I have my own children don't need to pamper some adult.
DeleteTo the poster at 1:55: We do not need the EIS; won't even be implemented for several months. The 1979 EA is not outdated as the judge ruled. The judge is wrong and we need to fight back against this most recent "Reign of Terror" by our federal government. If the OMC does not get in the fight, then the Osage Nation should take control. The cost of doing nothing will be fatal, to be sure.
DeleteIf we e lose this fight the M.C will lose there seats end of story!
DeleteJames, why do you always have to be so churlish to everybody?
DeleteIf we loose this fight, the only reason to even have a Mineral Council is for the sale of gravel as there will not be any oil production to manage.
ReplyDeleteI have been very out spoken about the Mineral Council and what I have perceived as very little action or communication in regards to the huge issues facing the Osage Mineral Estate. While I have good reason to be critical I must be fair and acknowledge their efforts when justified.
ReplyDeleteI do realize that the council cannot make everything public but they sure could do a better job of supplying information to the Shareholders on some level. It has been brought to my attention that Chairman Waller is working diligently on some matters on behalf of the Shareholders and Osage Operators and we look forward to when he is able to make the results of his hard work public. My hope is that he has some success and the operators can get back to work soon.
I also realize that just like the Osage Operators this council has been faced with one issue after another from the BIA and Washington DC so the Council has been in reaction mode and most certainly feel like they are running from one fire to the next. Then there is the difficulty of not having a unified Council that hampers progress.
Point is Mr. Waller and Council members I do acknowledge and appreciate your hard work and efforts on behalf of the Shareholders and Osage Operators. I am hopeful for a positive out come. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
This is reassuring and good to hear especially from you Mr. Revard, thank you.
DeleteThis agrees with everything I have heard and have been saying. As I have stated before, I do agree with you that council needs to do more to communicate, but I do understand their situation in that regard and how hampered they must be not being able to trust some council members.
Have a Merry Christmas
On Christmas Day, the top story on the front page of the Tulsa World is the Hayes lawsuit and the potential ramifications. This could be the roadmap for the conclusion of the Donelson lawsuit. If this suit goes against the producers, the Mineral Estate is finished. No drilling, no workovers and the enormous task of calculating royalties paid to the Mineral Estate that could be null and void and must be repaid. End of an era.
DeleteThe Osage Nation is the Lessor of the leases. If the producers' leases are deemed invalid and void, then the Osage Nation should refund the lease bonus money paid to them by the producers and should also reimburse the producers for their drilling, completion and lease operating expenses. The BIA should also be exposed to this liability since they participated is selling the invalid leases and having approved same. The Osage Nation and BIA should also be responsible for plugging all of the 18,000 wells and restoring the surface back to its original condition prior to the drilling operations.
DeleteEnd of an era is right. It will be the end of the Mineral Estate, to be sure. The casino income will not come close to paying off this liability. The surface owners might also have recourse against the Osage Nation and BIA for selling bad leases and allowing the drilling activity to take place. The banks that loaned funds to the producers may be filing lawsuits to recover their losses as well as the producers' investors. This could be fatal to the Osage Nation and the Shareholders.
Where are the Mineral Council Members at this desperate time? Where is the Chief? Where is our legal representation? The lawsuits will be flooding the courts soon after the Donelson-Friend lawsuit is ruled on. I'm surprised that this matter has not been covered by the national media. The headline should read "US Federal Government at war with the Osage Nation; Reign of Terror Part II".
Another headline might read "Obama gets revenge for the $380,000,000.00 settlement".
DeleteThis would shut down the BIA of taking care of minerals, and most would loose their jobs, I hope too.
DeleteThe BIA has done an incredibly poor job of managing our ME for decades. They should be run out of town. The MC needs to hire competent professionals to replace them and escort the BIA personnel off our premises with Osage Law enforcement officers. Invite the AP to film the event.
DeleteWe shareholders should march in front of the Drummond homes for their instigation of this litigation. How shameful!
We Shareholders are doomed. We have no competent representation. I think it's time we band together and defend ourselves. We should unite and appoint someone with whom we all can trust to hire legal council for us to fight the US Federal government against their aggression towards us. The MC and Chief have failed us miserably. Do any of you Shareholders know whom we might consider hiring to assist us? Please share your recommendations.
DeleteIt isn’t just the Shareholders that are doomed. The Osage government is going to be sued into oblivion by everyone who paid them money to drill. The Feds are going to clamp down on the Osage Nation until this government collapses. The Osage Nation government is in fiscal trouble, the casinos are lowering their wages for the employees, and the economy in Osage County is dying. But at least the political class of the Osages became wealthy from this government and that’s what’s truly important.
DeleteWhere are the shareholders that have 4,5,6, headrights? Looks like they'd be the ones really upset. I have a cuz that has two and half H.R.s and they could care less what's going on. This is part of our trouble. We need their help. I can't think of anyone around the Osage I'd even trust.
DeleteA not so happy Christmas in the Osage:
Deletehttp://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/court-ruling-could-have-big-impact-on-osage-oil-industry/article_66aa0f47-362c-5260-aef1-3cf30dfca6d0.html
http://www.law360.com/articles/733269/bia-oil-drillers-want-landowner-kept-out-of-permit-fight
DeleteIs this Frizzell dealing a straight deck or is the Joker wild?
http://www.illinoisriver.org/371132.aspx
Hepsi Barnett, we told you so over and over again. See what has come of your inferior little pipe dream while sitting in some class at Harvard.
DeleteThats exactly right the BIA and DOI will be sued into infinity is more like it..Sovereignty is at stake..and we know what is at Stake..but I am hearing some fear mongering. I will remain some what reserved as to where there is a will nothing can't be accomplished alone and until we know more on the subject you can't always trust the source not to be bias. It will be the Osage Shareholder's that will arise to the occasion.
DeleteHolster your attorneys guys and read the article in the Tulsa World:
Delete"Sicking finds hope for the future of the Osage oil industry in one of the judge’s footnotes, acknowledging that federal regulators could go through the process of issuing a “categorical exclusion” for the county, relieving at least some of the environmental burdens imposed by NEPA."
Just because the federal government could go through the process of issuing a "categorical exclusion" does not give me hope that they will. It is apparent to me that this continued attack on the Osages, one after another, by the federal government is intentional and with the their goal being to shut down all oil and gas activity within our ME. They've already accomplished their goal and I don't have any hope it can or will be reversed. The MC and the Chief are absent. They may be meeting with someone from Lankford's office tomorrow, but they've met before with no results. Of course, the meetings are secret and we Shareholders won't hear from them as usual. We will have to learn bits and pieces through leaks and rumors. This is not fear mongering as the poster at December 26, 11:17 AM suggested. It is reality and I'm living it. I am fearful that we have lost our ME for good. The lawsuits will be numerous. The Osage Nation, as Lessor, will be sued by many parties for selling bad leases and allowing the producers to spend their funds just to be run off the ME. Who is going to plug their wells? I guess it will be the surface owners because the producers will have no incentive to do so and I don't think the Osage Nation has budgeted for the plugging of 18,000 wells.
DeleteHas anyone filed a complaint against Judge Frizzell at Oklahoma Supreme Court level? This is an option that should be seriously considered. It kind of seems to me that he's as all over the place with his Federal Court rulings like he was with the Tyson case. Why let one group of regulations destroy the Osage mineral estate when there is an injunction against another group; the new CFRs.
DeleteFrom the Donalson woman about David P. Hayes:
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/martha.d.donelson/posts/10205655558051521
In the FB post referred to above, Ben Daniels is quoted stating that the 1979 EA is invalid. Who deemed it invalid and if it is invalid, why didn't the federal government notify the Osage Nation, the BIA and the oil and gas producers that it was no longer valid? Exactly what date did this 1979 EA become invalid? Why weren't the affected parties notified?
DeleteIf the BIA failed to perform within the regulations, then the EPA should sue the BIA and leave the Osage Nation out of their fight. The Osage Nation should not be penalized due to the federal government's negligence.
I think Ben Daniels is incorrect and so is Judge Frizzell. The lawsuits to follow will be many!
I also think that the federal government is deliberately seeking to destroy our Osage Nation and are off to a good start. We should rebel and also sue them seeking real damages this time. Billions of dollars. To hell with the US federal government. We need to continue to fight back. It's too bad that we have no competent representation.
To 9:28 am, you are exactly right about Fizzell. It appears that he has not done his homework..and or is bias can't put my finger on it. The Injunction that is in place ,fails me to understand why any of this is going forward and will go to the Supreme Court..
DeleteTo poster 10:39 am..I had said the very same thing who is calling the shots Gina McCarthy or Sally Jewel? Can't be the BIA? T hotel e 1979 EIS. Let the Courts rule them inefficient? However we are not alone in this fight for our Sovereignty. And there will be repercussions and collateral damage for years to come..The DOI has failed again to represent as the BIA @ a Administrative level has failed grotesquely to foster the M.E. As to now the M.C looks like inept leaders..
DeleteOh they do not! MC is doing the best they can under the circumstances.
DeleteThe writing is on the wall mister clear for us all to see..tell me what it is that they the M.C is so eloquently doing? Other than arm chair coaching. Sorry but I am on the fence. Don't like being there but the he truth is the truth we are no better than we were in 2006..from many stand points. It took Senator Inhofe to point out what I have been saying all along. The M.C needs a working body and I am saying get a working council who will earn the full times pay or take a seat in the back and we will reduce the pay to $75 a meeting. Simple. Had we been in the know about the many complaints, had we had a compliance office a legal office, a professional secretary and receptionist, engineers with innovative experience most of the complaints on many levels could have been handled. As I have said and this goes without saying the many problems that exist probably wouldn't exist had we followed through. This did not happen because we have part time M.C members. Tell me what the council has done other than put our M.E in jeopardy that is positive?
DeleteOh I do not want to hear that's what the BIA is getting paid for..because the truth of the matter is those administration cost that is being paid to the BIA can come to the M.C.
DeleteAnd then what? These guys can't do anything but run their business ventures into the ground. How many times do you have to be reminded of this clear and incontrovertable fact? You can see what the Osage Nation is doing with the membership. I heard one gal in the membership office in some Congress committee meeting saying that under the old Tribal government, all adopted children have the same rights and privileges as an Osage with heredity. Now they are hanging Asa Cunningham out to dry for registering for membership adopted children as Osage as in the past. DNA test are being test flown as an idea by the Chief's office. You let the BIA out of the barn on this and let the Osages run this thing you will have a business mess in nothing flat and probably lose your place as a shareholder who receives mineral income quarterly unless you live in Osage County. It will be every man, woman and child for him or herself. This has been done before a hundred years ago and if it can happen once, it can happen twice. You won't lose your headright but a new Osage Nation Mineral Estate trust account to replace the current one in the U.S. Treasury Department will mean no quarterly payment to you or any other headright owner where minerals income is concerned.
DeleteIt'll be just like the old saying, "Out of the frying pan, into the fire!"
DeleteThis is just the beginning the fall and rise of a new Council.
Deletehttp://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/head-of-us-bureau-of-indian-affairs-announces-resignation/
ReplyDeletePerfect timing I would say..not, when it hits the fan and the domino affect it will have..the left will be blaming the right when all said and done..This is there mission, The Regional Directors report to the Deputy Director-Field Operations. They are responsible for carrying out the mission and goals of the BIA and the Interior Department in their regions. They provide overall leadership, direction and technical assistance in the implementation of BIA programs operated for the benefit of the Federally recognized tribes and individual American Indians and Alaska Natives who are eligible to receive services from the Bureau. These include protecting Federal Indian trust assets through effective natural resources management, supporting tribes in building sustainable tribal economies, strengthening tribal governments by protecting and preserving tribal sovereignty, and improving the quality of life in tribal communities. They also work with other Federal and state, local and tribal governmental entities to improve and strengthen interagency relations and intergovernmental cooperation and coordination. Each Regional Director is supported by a Deputy Regional Director for Trust Services and a Deputy Regional Director for Indian Services.I do not feel they have our Trusts interest.
DeleteThank you for the chain of command and the representative's duties and obligations. We are being failed miserably and need to hold this Obama administration responsible for their deliberate failure to perform their duties and obligations. Not only are they not performing but, to the contrary, their intent is to punish us for the $380,000,000.00 settlement and to destroy us.
DeleteI think it's high time we fight back and not keep rolling over taking it where the sun doesn't shine. Who the F do they think they are?
We need competent leadership (lacking today) to hire an experienced attorney (which we do not have now)to initiate litigation to defend ourselves from this aggression. We need to get pro-active.
In the event our MC and Chief continue to fail us up and until now, we should consider a class action lawsuit against all of them.
Do I hear an Amen?
Our ME and sovereignty is in jeopardy of extinction.
If the MC and Chief are really meeting with Lankford tomorrow, I demand that they report the progress or lack thereof. Don't you want to know what, if anything, was discussed?
We're like mushrooms growing in the dark on you know what! Just say'n!
The quality of Tribal life in the Osage is sad and becoming desperate!
DeleteThis is a new year for hope and change and will be governed by the Shareholder's for sure, who will decide which direction we go into..we cannot elect more of the same unless you want more of the same poor and inept leadership. No accountability which is so transparent and the lack of transparency is so evident. There will be always an issue of some sort but to sit and wait and see what happens before we know whats in it is a bunch of baloney. There is no reason we should not be operational and have a full functional petroleum office with a full working body of council members earning their $38,000 dollar a year salary and this probably is not the tip of the iceberg, we have yet to see the per diems and retirement and health benefits. I will reiterate as I have said before there is a lot we can do for ourselves and we must move and orchestrate our future and you do this by building. As long as we are able to do the work ourselves the better we will be kept in the know what is exactly going on with the estate the better we can demonstrate to the Shareholder's that we have a bright future and we do this by telling our M.C the Shareholder's, the Headright holders and the decisions by our M.C has been sub par for quite some time..The BIA can take a back seat make sure the regulations are being met. Why we are not there yet is telling..we take the bulk of the work load and start regulating our M.E. We either move the council to the back or we get a council who will comply with the demands by the Headright holders..Obama will be leaving and we will be in courts of opinion for a while in the mean time its business and back to business we should be..a class action lawsuit will not change the dynamics of what needs to happen..I don't care to criticize but we must because we are in a critical state and I do respect our council in so many ways. But the truth is before us and had we been kept comprised this could have been spearheaded.
DeleteThe Shareholders need to initiate legal action against the federal government for the lack of permit approvals. The Superintendent got many of them out the door during the past few weeks but they are not actually approved. They come with eight additional pages of restrictions and special conditions. She did this hoping to be able to tell Judge Frizzell this month that there are no more unapproved permits. This is hogwash. We should have joined the Osage Producer's suit. We still can or file our own suit. No permits, no work on wells. I know of an operator who just recently received seven so-called approved permits but due to the attachments, is not able to work on even one of the wells. They are not "approved" permits at all. We need to fight this in court and soon. The producers have begged the MC to help but the MC is unwilling to for some unknown reason. How much of this information is the Chairman sharing with us? I've not seen or heard anything from the MC. Why not? Is it secret? It shouldn't be, they are silent because they are not doing anything "behind the scenes". Sneaking off to meet one of Sen. Lankford's people in private will not accomplish anything.
DeleteIt's unfortunate that the DOI/BIA is so adversarial to the producers. They are hell-bent on shutting down all oilfield operations and having success in doing so. The Superintendent appears to be enjoying her notoriety and is always very defensive when addressing the Mineral Council. She seldom can answer the MC's questions and never gets back to them with the information. How many times have the MC asked for a hard number of pending permits? At every meeting! Still no count. We need the BIA to actually approve the permits and let the producers get back to work. The MC is being played like a fiddle. How embarrassing? If the MC isn't going to file suit, we Shareholders need to since we have dogs in the fight.
DeletePoster 5:45 PM. Not so much they are indifferent in as much the truth has not been told and or not aware of the real politics that is in play here and really we should not be here in this situation as someone had said we were sold out before 2006 and the M.C is responsible and this is the after math of just plain ole poor management. I stumbled on the Osageshareholders site in 2006. Not long after this site went up..I had no Idea we were and had becime a Government and I know I am not alone and I being a a multiple headright owner and Osage to boot and come from a family with also as many, our name is already a legacy, got left out on this vote. So you tell me how this happened not by an accident. And have been a member for years and in the same home for years...my rights have been walked all over by our Tribe..I hope this sheds light why we the Shareholder's are asking for transparency and accountability.
DeleteDoes anyone here know whether or not the Chief and/or Chairman Waller met with Senator Lankford or anyone else from his office yesterday? If so, please share the subject matter with all of us.
DeleteIsn't it sad that we have to learn what little we know from our elected officials through rumors and word of mouth from our local Shareholders? Most of us rely on this blog for what little information we have.
Exactly always after the fact or via by way of rumors and this does not bode well..avter all we are all in this together right M.R Waller!
DeleteThat's why we're here and exactly what we're here for is to keep Osages informed as to what is happening in the Osage. You do us honor by making such a comment and reaffirm our commitment to continue forward. A prominent Osage we spoke with recently said he didn't know what he would do without us and we are very grateful for such remarks from the readership. Thank you.
DeleteThe writing is on the wall we cannot fall and we must stand tall we are The Osage. What we can accomplish together should be our call.
DeleteYou can read more on Osage Producers court that wasn't in the news paper on okenergytoday.com. There was only 39 wells drilled in 2015, but 145 wells in 2014. I think the judge got the picture what the BIA is doing. Does anyone know what's next?
ReplyDeleteThat would be okenergytoday.com/2015/8/osage-county-oil-producers-file-second-suit-against-bia/.
DeleteThank you. At least someone around here has respect and consideration for the Shareholders and other readers who come here, that take the time to reference by URL the articles they want us to read.
DeleteYou can see and feel the affects the damage that has already come to our M.E. Really 39 wells drilled in all of 2015. Robyn Phillips care to answer why this is? Or should we now see the dotted line why the Head of the BIA is leaving? Overstepping the Authority of a injunction is, cause and effect. The outcome will be construed in favor of the Plaintiff. There is no other outcome the BIA is in conflict of interest and can be considered "Hostile". Robyn Phillips is "Hostile" by her own actions. The BIA has yet to prove the new Regulations will not harm production. The harm has happened, the question is, is Judge Frizzell going to require the BIA to enter a economic impact statement of both parties independent of each other of course and or has the Producers Association already submitted one already? In the NEPA statement from their own site says they have provided an economic statement of which, has all parties involved including the Shareholder's received such report before any decision was made to support expedition of the new regulations? Reality is a matter of perception. If and indeed the M.E was following the requirements of the 1979 EIS regulations and the findings on the M.E were minimal in damage and something that could not be remedied, how is the 1979 EIS is ruled outdated if we were for the most part in compliance? Because if I read it correctly somewhere we have some of the most prestine streams and water by ways in the county...? My question, will Judge Frizzell draw this out for years to come? And once again no thanks to the update on where we stand other than reading it in the News. I call this for what it is the M.C is feckless..I being a Shareholder and Osage am so disenchanted with our M.C. Man long over due is a statement. And start fighting for our Sovereignty! Long live the 1906 ACT as amended and long live the OSAGE tribe.
DeleteCan we get a copy of the Judge's ruling so we can read it on the internet without having to pay for it? These are public documents. Why can't we get hold of them without all this folderol and added expense?
Deletehttps://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/4364534/Hayes_v_Chaparral_Energy,_LLC_et_al
Oh,I also wanted to say not so much this is in retaliation of the HPP settlement as it is a combonation of sorts. Green Energy has also threatened our way of life as well..and now by the Fletcher case of which the BIA will be asked to produce a accounting. And we all know where that is heading? And the BIA overstepping its authority, anything that would go before the Osage must be in front of Congress who has all Authority and last word for the Osage? Does Judge Frizzell know this and done his homework...where is the soundbite from the chairman of the M.C? What is Vince Logan response to all of this? You just can't make this up what is happening here? It's almost as if the BIA is wanting to sabotage the 1906 Act? Our trust is in the hands of the U.S not the federal government. The BIA cannot make these changes without the consent of Congress am I correct? And is to act in good faith for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
DeleteTo poster 11:54 the only docket I can find on this is the original filing by the plaintiff. Today is the 29th of which maybe they have to file publicly in threes days of a order?
DeleteAnyone have the phone number for Osage Independent Producers, OIP, in Hominy? Please post it. Some of them have posted on this blog before.
DeleteThe Osage Producers Association has a mailing address only:
DeletePO Box 635
Hominy, OK 74035
Thank You.
DeleteAgain I ask, does anyone here know whether or not the MC or Chief met with Senator Lankford's office this week, as has been rumored? If they did, what was the subject matter and conclusions? It is a shame that we are not informed and are having to rely on hearsay and third-hand information. I suggest we appoint a few bulldog Shareholders to camp out at the ON and MC offices to learn what's going on and to report back to the Shareholders. The MC should be required to let the Shareholders participate in every meeting and should be required to answer questions from those attending. The meetings should be moved to a larger facility to accommodate at least 20 or 30 of us Shareholders.
DeleteAfter three days of inquiry on this blog, I have asked if anyone knows about a meeting between Senator Lankford's office and the MC and/or Chief. Not one of you have responded. If you know, please let the rest of us know if it took place and what was concluded. If not one of us know, that is pretty sad. We should know what our representatives schedules are. If they were posted and shared with the Shareholders then we would not be chasing possible rumors.
DeleteDid the MC and Chief meet with Senator Lankford or not? I guess no one here knows or is not willing to share the information. Was the meeting just a rumor?
DeleteIn case you missed it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/RegionalOffices/EasternOklahoma/WeAre/Osage/index.htm
Announcements:
The public comment period on the Osage Draft EIS (DEIS) has been extended through January 15, 2016, to accommodate requests for more time. Written comments must be received no later than January 15, 2016. You may mail, email, hand deliver, or fax written comments to Ms. Jeannine Hale, BIA Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office, P.O. Box 8002, Muskogee, OK 74402-8002, fax (918) 781-4604; email: osagecountyoilgaseis@bia.gov. The DEIS will be available for review at 813 Grandview, Pawhuska, OK 74820. It is also available online at
http://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/RegionalOffices/EasternOklahoma/WeAre/Osage/OSAGEOilGasEIS
Wonder if our MC has sent in comments? The shareholders would be last to know if they did.
DeleteThe MC should hire a professional consultant as did the Osage Producers Association to assist the Shareholders in their comments. Again, we have no leadership.
DeleteIf you would do your homework or at least bother to read earlier posts on this blog you would have found this comment:
Delete"The OMC hired a company to help them review/analyze the DEIS during the December 11th meeting. I know that it was during the open meeting because I listen online. I'm sure you can go back and listen to the meeting or call the chairman if you want to know the name of the company."
Bashing the MC over and over again with ignorant comments is getting to be a bore. Get up to speed and pay attention if you please.
If the MC hired a consultant where is the product? I asked on this post a couple of weeks ago about the consultant and not one of you shared the name. Where can I find the consultant's recommendations for our comments that are due within approximately two weeks. I'm not bashing the MC just want accountability, too much to ask I suppose. The Chairman should have a means to report to all of us rather than thousands of us calling the Chairman for information. Aren't you interested to utilize the results of the consultant for when you submit your comments?
DeleteDo your homework and listen online like those of us who take the time to do so. Do we have to do everything for you? Perhaps the review isn't complete. Have you e-mailed even one member of the Minerals Council to find out what's going on with issue that's only important for you to complain about and not do anything about. So typically Osage it isn't funny. Get up off your dead duff and get something done and then report back here with what you find out. Sheesh!
DeleteI think we have an anonymous councilperson posting on this blog.
DeleteI think so too. I listened on-line and the consultant was not identified unless it was disclosed while all the MC was coughing and rattling papers and the audio was poor. Where is the product of this consultant? Wouldn't it be appropriate to post it on the MC website? Why isn't the MC pleading with the Shareholders to be sure to submit comments? Six of them are too lazy and incompetent and the other two are jumping up and down with glee!
Delete@9:25 I can tell you for a fact that E mailing the Mineral Council members is a waste of your time because they DO NOT respond to your questions or request via E mail. Do you think these people will document anything in writing? You must be smoking what they are. If you would like I can supply you with a few examples of an operators E mails to EACH MC member asking for assistance and answers and not one of them have responded to the E mails. So Maybe you should get off your dead duff and do something about your MC!!!!
DeleteThis by all means should not be made fodder or taking lightly Our situation is imminent no doubt about it and by all accounts it appears the BIA has failed the M.E once again over and over again..how mwny times must we go down this path again like a broken record. You would think that applied knowledge after the HPP case the M.C would have demonstrated in good faith for the Headright owners or on behalf explain as to, a sound bite as to, what in the day of light they coukd be doing? The lack of professionalism toward the Majority of headright owners from both parties..including the BIA as to our circumstances is telling..they the ..M.C and the BIA is copable. The dynamics of the state of being we are in will be to the detriment and must change. It does not take four years to install IT or to train how the system is designed to work or to hire professional engineers. You don't sit and watch and wait for the ball to drops again.This is why a good legal dept is so very important, a legal secretary is valuable in this day and age..having the latest technology installed is so paramount to the success of our M.E..this attitude the dangerous eight is playing,the cards are stacked not in their favor and is all the wrong approach and even commenter's 9:25 AM point becomes ineffective because this person does not know the name of the professionals who were hired by the M.C to help with the EIS could have said the name and be helpful but spent more time being critical of someone. Which is counter productive. We must be pro-active. I myself is critical on this site, because I know we can do better than what is already, is a has been and we need to get rid of the Cancer that plagues us all. What is not being done, as to once again praising the work the M.C for the work that has been done thus far..I'm not criticizing them alone on the failure to recognize that they are not just a council,they are headright owners as well and have a part time or full time jobs outside the M.E and are earning a substantial amount, so when you are in this type of situation leaders are open for criticism. Yes the M.C is doing everything they can do at this point..and we are here today because leadership has faild in a grotesque way to the detriment of the Headright owners. We are in the 21st Century and not having the latest technology where we can tract and map and be in tow with the regulations is beyond my comprehension and is just plain ole incompetence shining as bright as the north star..anyone saying differently your nose is growing, wink wink..In the private sector it would be a different story for them all. Once again, we have a multi billion estate and this is where we are at and we shoukd not be. Its almost as if once the BLM policies were adopted as an example all else went to pot..
DeleteI concur with James Revard..this entitlement attitude needs to disappear. So disappointed in Our Chief and Waller...and Redcorn. And or I do agree with a Council person is posting here as well. Might as well come out with it and reveal yourself..to obvious.
DeleteTo the poster at 12:33. You are mistaken to state that "the MC is doing everything they can do at this point". They could be and should be communicating with the Shareholders which they are not. They could be consulting with their legal council and consider filing a lawsuit against the DOI/BIA for the permit back logs and maybe they have been but if so, they should let us Shareholders know the status. We are the clients and we deserve to know the status of any such legal consideration. It is not or should not be secret. The MC does not stand up to the Superintendent and hold her accountable for anything and they should. They should answer correspondence from the Shareholders and I can personally testify that they do not. The MC should be working with the producers and they do not, instead they are constantly belittling them and taking advantage of their plight and seem to enjoy exercising their authority over them. The MC is not doing all they can at this point. You are so wrong. You are clueless.
DeletePardon my spelling, I meant to write legal counsel, not council.
DeleteNot so. I'm the one and I'm not on the payroll of the Osage Nation in any way shape or form. Just get tired of you bull whipping the MC. It gets old. I believe they are doing the best they can with the nightmare we are all facing and you want the Nation to run things so you can get a fat salary and monthly paycheck from the Osage government. Some of you probably want the Osages out of the County altogether to get your mineral rights back which will never happen anyway so you're wasting your time and everyone elses too.
DeleteTo poster at 1:23, they may or may not I do not know more or less it was an example of what we do not what they are up to. They may be working diligently we do not know right? And I have said in so many words the incompetence stinks to high to kingdom come but non the less we need to move forward with tact..remember there is a domino effect of what has or has not been accomplished goes with out saying what our prior councils were thinking..we didn't get here alone..I'm the one who didn't get to vote for the Nation becoming a Government and I am not laying down either..My hair long as the path streaking with gray will I see a future for our M.E through and through we will not fall this is our call..stand united long live the 1906 Act as amended. Long live the Osage Tribe our Sovereignty is at threat. I here you knocking but nobody's home with our M.C
DeleteNot so. I'm the one and I'm not on the payroll of the Osage Nation in any way shape or form. Just get tired of you bull whipping the MC. It gets old. I believe they are doing the best they can with the nightmare we are all facing and you want the Nation to run things so you can get a fat salary and monthly paycheck from the Osage government. Some of you probably want the Osages out of the County altogether to get your mineral rights back which will never happen anyway so you're wasting your time and everyone elses too.
ReplyDeleteYou are clueless. I am a Shareholder and not looking for employment. I do not want the ON to take control either. I just want our MC to communicate with us Shareholders and they do not. As a Shareholder, I have not received one piece of correspondence from the MC since 2006. Their website is lame and lacking any information about the BIA aggression since the Superintendent's July, 2014 death sentence letter. Nothing about any of the lawsuits.
Delete@2:00PM Don't feel bad about the comments from these fools. Every-time I am critical of the Mineral Council or the BIA I am attacked as well and told I want the Nation to take over in order to get a job or a fat pay check. The truth be known I had a job until the July 2014 letter went out and the lay offs began in the Osage. All I want is to be able to work for my money. Here in Pawhuska we have 3 to 4 out of work oilfield workers a week stop in looking for work. Most of us do not have full headlights much less 3 or 4 headlights like many that post here. We also don't get $38,000 a year for a part time job while having a full time job at the Nation. So my advise to 1:53PM is to go bitch at the MC members that are double dipping and sucking the Osage tit.
DeleteHappy New Year!
Double dipping ha ha is exactly right so is the Chief..1:53 We know the direction we must take, the status quo cannot be the same any longer. I want a accounting of all accounts. I want a Council that represents all of us not just the few, The Eight. Mistakes have to be accounted for and huge ones by far have gone unnoticed for quite some time this is a billion dollar estate, if you cannot see the writing on the wall this approach by the M.C can be construed as Hostile, however it appears does not matter. We need to be moving in the direction of building and all they are doing is pussy footing around is not working in the interest of yhe M.E. So yes I am qualified accountant my forte is conquering and problem solving with emphasis in customer service. And this is not happening. Instead the Nation is squandering our money on pet projects as opposed to getting into this fight right? Sic...Happy New Year.
DeleteSo the Osagesnews.com came out with a article in the ruling of Hayes vs the Osage Agency the BIA was negligent in using the 1979 EIS and was ruled void as of 2000 and it is like I said and was suspected Robyn Phillips needs to be replaced she has brought harm by the Millions if not Billions in Revenue and not only as I said we had yet to see the repercussion of our M.C inability to understand what is necessary to build a consensus. And it sure looks like we are in trouble in retrospective in the end through all of this did the BIA have the best interest of the M.E it's looking bad for them all around how is experience working for us? Now given how inept this Agency is and has proven time after time to be and now you understand the dynamics of what we are dealing with has been revealed and I say this cautiously, we have yet to hear from our M.C of which I find myself bewildered, No Statement? Or response? Now knowing more of where we stand causes alarm bells and the cause and effect of poor management ah anything I say from tnis point would be ultimately a understatement. r
ReplyDeleteIn addition to..Chief I hold you culpable as well..This happened on your watch even the judge recognizes our Constitution do you? This happened on your watch and pointing finger you know what that gets you. You are a sore eye so says I, sound familiar?
DeleteDoes anyone know where we can find the 2000 final rule on gas and oil regulations?
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you ask one of our Mineral Council Members? I'm sure they will be able to provide a copy with an overview summary and their interpretation of same. Not!
DeleteI am an Osage County producer and have never heard of a 2000 final rule. We operate pursuant to the CFR Title 25, Part 226 and under the 1979 EA which is still in effect and has not expired. As an Osage County operator, I have never been advised of this final rule.
I'm confident that Chaparral will prevail in an appeal of Judge Frizzell's order. Judge Frizzell even made reference to frac'g being experimental. I couldn't believe he wrote that in his opinion. The oil companies have been sand frac'g since 1951 and before that the producers would frac with nitro glycerin very successfully since around 1918. Experimental, really? How many decades of use before something is no longer experimental?
This thread is now closed. Go to: http://osageblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/osage-shareholder-matters-january-2016.html
ReplyDelete