Special investigator appointed to review Oil and Gas Commission meeting

A former Lincoln city attorney has been tasked with reviewing complaints stemming from a meeting held by the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

Last month, the commission, based in Sidney, conducted a hearing on a proposed application for a commercial wastewater disposal well.

Terex Energy Corporation is seeking a permit to inject contaminated saltwater from oil wells in Nebraska and nearby states into a well near Mitchell.

The March meeting was divided into two parts: a public comment portion and a formal, quasi-judicial hearing.

Last week, the Nebraska Sierra Club and Bold Nebraska filed a complaint with state attorney general Doug Peterson alleging the commission violated open meeting laws during the meeting.

This week, Peterson announced he had appointed William Austin as a special assistant attorney general to handle the matter and determine if any action is warranted.

“Because the attorney general is the legal representative of the [Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission], and to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, the attorney general has determined it is appropriate to retain outside council to investigate the allegations in the complaint,” a release from Peterson’s office states.

A decision on the permit has yet to be handed down. The commission has until the end of next week to approve or deny the application.