OPED: Oklahoma company owed $370M for work done in Puerto Rico years ago still seeks resolution
By Arty Straehla, Chief Executive Officer, Mammoth Energy Services
While Washington, D.C., moved quickly to rescue Silicon Valley's largest bank, a dynamic Oklahoma company owed money by the federal government continues to get overlooked. It is not right. The technicalities of the recent financial rescue may differ from 2008 when taxpayers footed the bill, but both episodes left a sour note and fueled distrust in our institutions.
Five years ago, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, killing nearly 3,000 people and upending life on the island. With the power grid destroyed, the island had no electricity, resulting in a heart-wrenching humanitarian crisis.
Mammoth Energy Services accepted the call to restore power through our subsidiary, Cobra Acquisitions. Within days, we mobilized 1,000 line crew members and dispatched heavy equipment. These men and women toiled in harsh conditions for 18 months, repairing the distribution and transmission infrastructure and restoring the island's light, power and everyday daily life.