Attorneys general meet in Oklahoma City to develop plan to protect states' regulatory authority

The event was organized by the Law and Economics Center at George Mason University and hosted by Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who has said fighting to make sure federal officials don't exceed their constitutional authority is one of his most important duties.

Pruitt said Thursday that federal regulations are threatening the country's growing oil and natural gas boom. He said the boom could lead the country to energy independence within the next 10 years.

“The only impediment we see on the horizon is ourselves,” Pruitt said. “We've placed legal barriers and regulatory barriers on our industry that are duplicative. You see the federal government seeking to displace the states when the states already have a regulatory framework in place.”

William F. Whitsitt, Devon Energy Corp.'s executive vice president of public affairs, was among the energy industry representatives who participated in part of the two-day event.

“Our message from the industry perspective was to be careful that we don't impede economic development and this energy revolution by misplaced reliance on the assumption that the federal government knows best or has authority over the states in these areas.”

Creating strategy