Community Partnerships

Environmental Partnerships

Our strong commitment to reduce our operational footprint involves proactive and purposeful partnerships on environmental issues with agencies throughout our communities.

OG&E has partnered with Euchee Butterfly Farm in Bixby, OK to provide wood chips to the farm for use in their conservation of native butterfly species and habitat restoration.  This partnership will help to reduce the amount of wood waste that is sent to landfills from OG&E’s vegetation management activities and provide a needed resource for a group dedicated to conservation, education and restoration of native butterfly species.

Wildlife Management and Preservation

OG&E’s 30,000 square mile service territory is rich in wildlife, and we understand that our operations interface with these inhabitants, which translates into opportunities.

Pollinator Habitat Conservation

OG&E is committed to conservation of pollinators by modifying mowing practices that reduce mowing during peak monarch migration periods in the spring and fall, which also allows other pollinator species to benefit from flowering plants and forbs. OG&E has created a 7 acre pollinator way-station at a substation which has been planted with native grasses and flowering plants and the company is using a solar powered autonomous mower to mow the perimeter fencing to reduce maintenance cost for the site and test the feasibility of using similar mowers at other locations. OG&E has also planted a two acre pollinator garden and seed bank at one facility in hopes to provide a native seed mix for outreach purposes and to enhance other pollinator projects throughout our service territory.

Lesser Prairie Chicken Protection

One of the central plains’ family of grouses, the lesser prairie chicken has been on the list of species of interest to the US Fish and Wildlife for many years. Since 2009, OG&E has helped state and federal agencies to commit more than 40,000 acres to lesser prairie chicken habitat conservation through agreements made with the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.

Power Line Collisions

OG&E has voluntarily taken measures to protect wildlife collisions with electrical equipment, a task that requires vigilance and innovation. The company is a member of the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC), and works with fellow members to develop best practices to prevent avian collisions with power lines.

Collared Lizard Project at Sooner Lake

Sooner Lake is home to the collared lizard which is an ongoing, 10-year project for the Department of Zoology at Oklahoma State University, which is studying the ecological evolution of lizards. The department selected Sooner because of the rocky areas around the lake (where the lizards like to “hang out”). Similar research is also being conducted in the Glass Mountains, the Wichita Mountains and at Arcadia Lake.

Invasive Species

Invasive species are non-native and adversely affect the habitats they invade. We’ve experienced operational challenges and expenses from an invasive species called zebra mussels. When zebra mussels attach themselves to hard surfaces, such as power plant water intakes, they clog pipes and can create ongoing and potentially expensive mitigation needs. In response to this challenge, we began testing a biological treatment option that doesn’t harm the ecosystem like other chemical treatment options and began using the treatment in March 2012 after receiving EPA approval.

OG&E has partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) to combat aquatic invasive species by posting signs at all boat ramps at Sooner Lake and Konawa Lake explaining the importance of cleaning all boating and fishing gear in order to stop the spread of invasive species. OG&E members are collecting water samples from Konawa Lake that are being screened for presence/absence of zebra mussels in order to help ODWC increase their statewide monitoring network and it serves as an early warning mechanism for Seminole Power Plant if zebra mussels are detected. Oklahoma State University has been performing zebra mussel population dynamics studies at Sooner Lake in hopes to help control the population within the lake and use this knowledge at other affected lakes.

Environmental Sustainability

Trees & Vegetation

Arbor Day Foundation OG&E is proud to partner with the Arbor Day Foundation in their “Energy-Saving Trees” program. This partnership puts trees directly into the hands of our valued customers so we can go green TOGETHER. The program offers a selection of trees designed to enhance our urban forests and to give customers choices in how they beautify their communities. The program also provides helpful tips on locating, planting and caring for each new tree. Planting the right tree in the right place is not only important for reliability of electricity, it can also reduce customer energy needs and makes our communities better places to live.

Tree Line USA For the last 21 years, OG&E has been an award recipient of Tree Line USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation. Although it’s not a requirement to maintain Tree Line USA status, we participate in the Energy-Saving Trees program and give several thousand trees to our customers in the spring and fall.

Oklahoma Department of Forestry Services Through a long-term partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, we’ve supported planting and growing trees throughout Oklahoma. Since 1998, we’ve partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Forestry Services (ODFS) to educate Oklahoma State Fair attendees annually as part of our “Right Tree, Right Place” vegetation management educational campaign. Over the years, OG&E and ODFS have distributed over 183,000 loblolly pine seedlings at the Oklahoma State Fair.

Progeny Propagation Facility OG&E is a major supporter of the Progeny Propagation Facility, a greenhouse in southeast Oklahoma dedicated to growing seedlings for educational purposes and species improvement. Since the facility opened in 2002, the company has supported its operations.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB)

OG&E was a founding member of KOB, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, and we remain an active member today. We annually provide small grants to Oklahoma communities to help jump start their Great American Clean-Up projects. Additionally, we’ve won numerous awards from KOB for our sustainability efforts.

Inter-Tribal Environmental Council

We regularly sponsor the Inter-Tribal Environmental Council’s annual conference. The organization’s mission is to protect the health of Native Americans, their natural resources and the environment. OG&E has also conducted outreach to tribal environmental groups about the pollinator conservation projects and Tree Line USA.

The Nature Conservancy

We’ve been a strong supporter of the Nature Conservancy, most recently supports the restoration efforts of a one-mile stretch of one of Oklahoma’s iconic rivers, the Blue River, through the Oka’ Yanahli Preserve in southern Oklahoma. Through these efforts, we hope to create a healthy water system along the river, serving as a template for restoration, sustainable use, education and protection.

Neighborhood Alliance – Create Great Neighborhoods

Create Great Neighborhoods is an annual 5-month program sponsored by OG&E and administered by Neighborhood Alliance. The program encourages neighborhoods to think about energy efficiency, resource conservation and sustainability by competing for Positive Energy cash grants of $2,500, $1,500 or $1,000. Click here for details and to apply.