GableGotwals advised Integrated Utility Services (IUS) in its acquisition of Paragon Industries, a long-standing Oklahoma-based manufacturer of high‑quality steel pipe products, through a Chapter 11 restructuring process, preserving a strategic domestic steel pipe manufacturing platform and positioning the company for long-term growth.

July 16, 2026 | GableGotwals recently advised Integrated Utility Services (IUS) in its acquisition of Paragon Industries, a long-standing Oklahoma-based manufacturer of high‑quality steel pipe products.

The Houston-based IUS – owned and led by Tulsa natives Trinity Dawson, Co-founder, President & CEO, and Dustin Ketchum, Co-founder & Executive Vice President – acquired substantially all of the assets of Paragon Industries through a Chapter 11 restructuring process, preserving a strategic domestic steel pipe manufacturing platform and positioning the company for long-term growth.

The transaction provides the capital, operational expertise, and industry relationships necessary to restart operations, retain and create jobs, and re-establish Paragon as a leading supplier of high-quality steel pipe products to energy, utility, infrastructure, and industrial customers throughout North America.

The transactional team was led by Shareholders Nathan H. Atkins, Stephen W. Lake, Jeffrey D. Hassell,  Sidney K. Swinson, and James M. Scears, who provided tax support, with assistance from associate, Francesca A. Walentynowicz. 

Click here to view the official press release.

About GableGotwals

GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

Ranked Band 1 in Corporate/Commercial and Energy & Natural Resources by Chambers USA, 2026, with clients stating “GableGotwals is a full-service firm which provides excellent communication and a strong team.”

July 15, 2026 | By: Tim Sowecke and Tyler A. Self

The Department of Justice has renamed its Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) the Energy and Natural Resources Division. Same acronym. Different signal. DOJ announced the change on June 29, 2026, after Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson previewed the move in a Wall Street Journal op-ed titled “New Name, New Mission at the Justice Department.” DOJ framed the change around a blunt proposition: “Energy security is national security.”

The rename is not just a branding exercise. It aligns DOJ’s environmental and natural resources litigation shop with the Administration’s broader energy program: domestic production, grid reliability, critical minerals, expedited permitting, defense of federal energy actions, and affirmative challenges to state policies DOJ views as anti-energy or federally preempted. Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy,” directs agencies to identify and address actions that burden domestic energy development and instructs the Attorney General to consider litigation positions tied to those policy changes.

Why the Name Change Matters

ENRD has always handled more than traditional environmental enforcement. It defends federal permitting decisions, public lands decisions, energy infrastructure approvals, tribal and natural resource matters, and agency action across the federal environmental docket. DOJ’s announcement places that work squarely within the Administration’s broader energy-security agenda.

That is the point for regulated industry. DOJ is signaling that infrastructure, production, and reliability are not peripheral to environmental litigation—they are central to it. In practical terms, that means DOJ will be staffed and directed toward lawyers who understand the operational side of regulated facilities: pipelines, power generation, production, transmission, refining, waste management, permitting timelines, and the constant work of fitting square operations into the round hole of layered federal and state regulation.

But that does not mean environmental enforcement disappears. DOJ expressly stated that ENRD’s environmental enforcement work will continue. The better read is narrower and more useful: facilities should expect an enforcement philosophy that gives more weight to compliance, correction, operational reality, and energy reliability, while still reserving penalties and criminal enforcement for serious, repeated, and fraudulent conduct.

Compliance First Overlay

The DOJ rebrand also fits with EPA’s recent “compliance first” orientation vis-à-vis its “Reinforcing a ‘Compliance First’ Orientation for Compliance Assurance and Civil Enforcement Activities.” For industry, “compliance first” should not be read as “enforcement last.” EPA and DOJ are signaling a preference for correcting violations efficiently, achieving timely compliance, and resolving matters without unnecessary punitive drag where the facility is acting in good faith. Companies still need to monitor, maintain, and update their permits, monitoring, reporting, corrective action records, and audit results—while communicating all of this to regulators in a disciplined, documented manner.

But these two actions, among others, signal a tone shift within the agencies. A compliance first program should favor getting facilities into compliance and keeping them operating lawfully, rather than allowing disputes to become endless penalty exercises detached from environmental outcome—and reality. The best regulated entities will use that shift by moving quickly when issues arise.

National Security Is Now Part of the Environmental Docket

The most important legal signal is the national-security framing. The Administration’s grid reliability order states that rising electricity demand from AI data centers and domestic manufacturing strains the grid and that reliability affects national and economic security.

That framing changes the litigation posture around energy facilities. Environmental permitting disputes, infrastructure challenges, and related disputes may increasingly be argued not only as environmental or administrative law questions, but also as reliability, defense, supply-chain, and economic security questions.

The same point is reinforced by global oil-market pressure tied to Iran and the continuing strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. Those external risks sharpen the domestic argument: energy infrastructure, reliability, and production are no longer being treated as ordinary regulatory subjects. They are being framed as national-security assets.

What Regulated Companies Should Take From This

The immediate takeaway is not that compliance risk has gone away. It has not. The takeaway is that the federal enforcement and litigation environment is becoming more operationally literate and more tied to energy security.

Companies should be prepared to show that they are operating responsibly, correcting problems quickly, and maintaining reliable service while complying with permits and environmental laws. That means compliance programs should be current, field-tested, and documented. It also means regulatory communications should be practical, technical, and tied to corrective action.

The new ENRD will likely be more receptive to arguments that lawful operations, energy reliability, and compliance solutions can coexist. But those arguments work only when the facility has the facts to support them.

The best posture is therefore simple: operate, document, correct, and communicate. The federal government may be moving away from enforcement for enforcement’s sake, but it is not moving away from compliance. It is reframing compliance as part of the work required to keep energy and industrial infrastructure moving.

For assistance with regulatory compliance, permitting, enforcement, and related matters, please contact Tim Sowecke or Tyler A. Self. GableGotwals’ Administrative & Regulatory, Energy, Oil and Gas, and Environmental and Natural Resources teams regularly advise clients on environmental, regulatory, and energy matters.

Tim Sowecke
405-568-3308
tsowecke@gablelaw.com

Tyler A. Self
405-235-5589
tself@gablelaw.com

This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. The information provided should not be taken as an indication of future legal results; any information provided should not be acted upon without consulting legal counsel.

June 29, 2026 | GableGotwals is pleased to announce the return of Motahareh H. Nickel to the Firm’s Oklahoma City office, where she will serve as Of Counsel.

Motahareh’s practice focuses on general corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, commercial agreements, real estate, and regulatory matters, with experience across a broad range of industries, including energy and aviation.

Prior to rejoining the Firm, Motahareh served as Corporate Counsel for a large company headquartered in Oklahoma City with operations throughout the United States, where she advised a diverse portfolio of business units and supported corporate development initiatives, including acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic partnerships. She also supported operations, fleet, and finance functions through the negotiation of commercial agreements and the delivery of strategic day-to-day business counsel.

“We are thrilled to welcome Motahareh back to GableGotwals,” said Amy Stipe, Managing Shareholder of GableGotwals’ Oklahoma City office. “Her in-house experience, transactional background, and familiarity with the Firm make her a valuable addition to our team and an asset to our clients as we continue to grow in Oklahoma City and across the Firm.”

Prior to her in-house role, Motahareh’s experience at GableGotwals included advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, syndicated lending transactions, and the acquisition, sale, financing, and operation of energy, gaming, and other business assets. She also participated in protest hearings before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

About GableGotwals
GableGotwals® is a full-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys and 70 other business professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges.

GableGotwals represented Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. in its acquisition of AllDale Minerals III, LP and AllDale Minerals IV, LP, an oil and gas mineral and royalty acquisition company that holds vast acreage across the Permian, Anadarko, Bakken, and Haynesville basins, for approximately $206.2 million.

GableGotwals represented OGE Energy Corp. (“OGE Energy”) and its subsidiary, Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (“OG&E”) in two credit facilities due June 12, 2031, with a combined $1.3 billion value.

June 18, 2026 | By: Win Colbert

The regulatory environment for energy, infrastructure, and other projects is undergoing a dramatic shift. New executive orders, evolving agency priorities, landmark court decisions, and pending federal legislation are reshaping permitting, enforcement, and environmental compliance across the United States.

For energy companies, developers, and investors, success in 2026 will depend not only on understanding the rules, but on strategically navigating a rapidly changing regulatory landscape.

Key Takeaways

1. The Fundamentals of Regulatory Success Haven’t Changed

Despite shifting political priorities, core project management principles remain essential:

• Develop deep, cross-functional project knowledge
• Identify short- and long-term project goals early
• Establish realistic permitting timelines and milestones
• Anticipate notice, review, and compliance requirements
• Prepare proactively for enforcement and dispute resolution
• Maintain both “macro” regulatory awareness and project-specific focus

2. Executive Orders Are Reshaping Energy and Environmental Policy

Since January 2025, the administration has issued numerous executive orders aimed at:

• Expanding domestic energy and mineral production
• Accelerating permitting timelines
• Reducing regulatory burdens
• Increasing federal support for fossil fuel and infrastructure development

Key initiatives include:

• EO 14154: Unleashing American Energy
• EO 14156: Declaring a National Energy Emergency
• EO 14270: Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting To Unleash American Energy

These directives are driving agencies to:

• Re-evaluate existing regulations
• Streamline approvals
• Prioritize domestic production and infrastructure reliability

3. Courts Are Limiting Agency Authority and Expanding Project Leverage

Recent Supreme Court decisions have fundamentally altered administrative law:

• In West Virginia v. EPA, the Court strengthened the “major questions doctrine,” limiting expansive agency action without clear congressional authorization.
• In Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Court overturned “Chevron deference”, requiring courts to independently interpret ambiguous statutes. Previously, the Chevron deference doctrine (established by the Supreme Court in 1984; see Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council) required federal courts to defer to a government agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute that the agency was tasked with administering, provided the agency’s interpretation was “reasonable” or “permissible”.

Agencies now face greater legal constraints, and regulated entities have stronger grounds to challenge aggressive regulatory interpretations.

4. NEPA Reviews Are Becoming Narrower and Faster

Recent case law is also reshaping the scope of environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act:

• Marin Audubon Society v. FAA limited the authority of the Council on Environmental Quality to impose binding NEPA regulations.
• Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County narrowed the scope of environmental review and reinforced judicial deference to agencies.

Result:

• Shorter environmental analyses
• Reduced review obligations for indirect impacts
• Greater agency discretion in defining project scope

However, courts may still invalidate reviews if they are deemed too vague or unsupported.

5. EPA Enforcement Is Shifting Toward “Compliance First”

The Environmental Protection Agency is signaling a major enforcement philosophy shift:

• Increased emphasis on:
  • Voluntary compliance
  • Self-reporting and corrective action
  • State-federal coordination
  • Tailored remedies rather than punitive enforcement

Enforcement actions are expected to require clear and well-supported findings of violation. In response to any enforcement action, proactive engagement and transparency may significantly reduce enforcement exposure.

6. Pending Legislation Could Dramatically Accelerate Permitting

Several federal bills propose to streamline environmental review and infrastructure development, including:

• Shortened litigation windows
• Increased permit certainty
• Digital and AI-assisted environmental review processes
• Faster infrastructure and critical mineral approvals

Proposed federal legislation includes the following:

• SPEED Act (The “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act” seeks to modernize NEPA by shortening environmental review timelines, limiting judicial review windows, and redefining what qualifies as a “major federal action”).
• Interactive Federal Review Act (would require U.S. DOT to encourage recipients of federal highway funding who are conducting environmental reviews under NEPA to  use of certain digital platforms and models.
• Streamlining Critical Mineral Permitting Act (would amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to allow an owner/operator of a critical energy resource facility to obtain an  interim permit subject to final approval by U.S. EPA).
• REPAIR Act  (goal is to enhance funding and support for critical repairs).

7. Energy Development Is Becoming a National Strategic Priority

Federal policy increasingly links energy production to:

• National security
• AI and data center growth
• Supply chain resilience
• Critical mineral independence

This broader policy alignment is creating:

• More favorable permitting conditions
• Increased government support for infrastructure expansion
• Greater emphasis on energy reliability and domestic production

8. Long-Term Stability Still Requires Caution

While current trends favor accelerated development:

• Regulatory priorities can shift with future administrations
• Agency interpretations may continue evolving
• Litigation risk remains significant

Best practices include:

• Maintaining strong compliance records
• Structuring projects to withstand policy changes
• Building flexible permitting and operational strategies
• Evaluating both short-term opportunities and long-term stability risks

The Bottom Line

The 2026 regulatory landscape presents a rare combination of opportunity and uncertainty for the regulated community. Executive orders, judicial decisions, and proposed legislation are creating new tools to accelerate permitting and reduce regulatory friction, but the environment remains politically and legally fluid.

Companies that combine proactive planning, strategic regulatory engagement, and adaptable compliance strategies will be in the best position to capitalize on today’s opportunities while protecting long-term operational stability.

This series covers topics featured during GableGotwals’ Annual Energy Market Drivers and Current Legal Issues Seminar. To receive Alerts and information on future Firm events, subscribe to our mailing list.

Win Colbert

This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. The information provided should not be taken as an indication of future legal results; any information provided should not be acted upon without consulting legal counsel.

June 11, 2026 | By: Jason T. Seay, AIGP, CIPP-US

Cybersecurity and privacy are no longer back-office concerns for the energy sector; they are front-line legal and operational risks. With expanding federal directives, evolving threat tactics, and an increasingly aggressive privacy litigation landscape, some energy companies are rethinking how they manage cyber and data risk. This Alert highlights the latest developments and what they mean for your business.

Key Takeaways

1. Federal Cybersecurity Mandates Are Expanding Rapidly

• The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continues to roll out mandatory cybersecurity directives for critical pipeline infrastructure.
• These apply to designated pipeline owners and operators and are evolving annually.
• Expect more assets to be classified as “critical infrastructure,” increasing regulatory reach.

2. Compliance Now Requires a Structured, Documented Cyber Program

• TSA directives establish a two-layer framework:
  • Governance and Reporting (01 Series):
    • Designated cybersecurity coordinator (24/7 availability)
    • Mandatory incident reporting to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
    • Formal risk assessments and governance structures
  • Mitigation and Testing (02 Series):
    • Cybersecurity Implementation Plans
    • Incident response and recovery planning
    • Ongoing testing, validation, and documentation
• Key shift: Regulators now expect audit-ready evidence of compliance, not just policies.

3. 2025–2026 Updates Signal a Move Toward Continuous Oversight

• Recent TSA updates emphasize:
  • Performance-based compliance
  • Real-time monitoring and detection capabilities
  • Stricter reporting timelines and remediation tracking
• Implication: Cybersecurity is now an ongoing operational obligation, not a periodic exercise.

4. Threat Actors Are Targeting Identity, Not Just Systems

• Attack strategies are evolving quickly:
  • Help desk impersonation and social engineering
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) fatigue (“push-bombing”)
  • Identity provider (IdP) compromise (e.g., centralized access systems)
  • Exploitation of non-human identities (API keys, service accounts)
• Generative AI is accelerating:
  • Phishing sophistication
  • Malware development
  • Attack scale and speed
• Takeaway: Traditional perimeter defense is becoming obsolete.

5. Privacy Litigation Is Expanding Beyond Traditional Targets

• The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) is being applied to:
  • Website tracking technologies (cookies, pixels)
  • Chatbots and AI tools
  • Session replay and user interaction tracking
• Plaintiffs argue that third-party tools “intercept” user communications—triggering potential liability under California state law.
• Risk exposure: Up to $5,000 per violation, with broad applicability to any site accessible in California.

6. New Privacy Laws Add Another Layer of Compliance

• The Oklahoma Privacy Act (effective 2027) introduces:
  • Enforcement by the Attorney General
  • Penalties up to $7,500 per violation
• At the same time, updated California Consumer Privacy Act regulations require:
  • Risk assessments for high-risk data processing
  • Cybersecurity audits for covered businesses
• Notably: Sensitive data like precise geolocation is a key focus.

7. Proactive Risk Management Is Now a Business Imperative

• Leading practices include:
  • Comprehensive data and AI tool inventory (chatbots, analytics, tracking tools)
  • Vendor contract scrutiny (data use, model training, reuse rights)
  • Regular audits (at least every 6 months)
  • Stronger consent frameworks (clear disclosures and enforceable terms)

The Bottom Line

Legal, IT, and operations teams must work in lockstep as cybersecurity and privacy risks in the energy industry are converging and intensifying. Federal mandates, sophisticated cyber threats, and expanding privacy litigation, are creating a complex, high-stakes environment.

Companies that treat cybersecurity and data governance as core business functions, not just compliance exercises, will be best positioned to manage risk, maintain operational resilience, and avoid costly enforcement actions.

This series covers topics featured during GableGotwals’ Annual Energy Market Drivers and Current Legal Issues Seminar. To receive Alerts and information on future Firm events, subscribe to our mailing list.

Jason T. Seay, AIGP, CIPP-US

This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. The information provided should not be taken as an indication of future legal results; any information provided should not be acted upon without consulting legal counsel.