BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Gov. Brad Little has received Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Chairman Kevin Dickey's resignation after a potential conflict of interest.
"Today I asked for and accepted the resignation of the Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission chairman," Little said in a statement Tuesday to the Idaho Statesman .
Little says his office "will work to fill the vacancy on the commission as quickly as possible."
Little ousted Dickey because of an ethics issue that appears related to the chairman's recent purchase and sale of stock in the oil and gas company Alta Mesa Resources, the Statesman said.
Little would not say exactly what happened and would not comment further on the matter.
Dickey provided the Statesman with a letter that he sent to Little on Tuesday detailing his recent purchase of stock in Alta Mesa Resources, which is connected to Alta Mesa Idaho.
Dickey states he purchased 2,500 shares of stock in Alta Mesa Resources on Dec. 26 and another 2,500 shares on Jan. 4. He said he believed there was no conflict of interest because "AMR is a publicly traded company that focuses on developing oil and gas resources in Oklahoma," not Idaho.
"That being said, the relationship between AMR, AM Idaho LLC, and Alta Mesa Services, LP is not entirely clear and there could easily be an appearance of a conflict," Dickey told Little in the letter.
The state has been investigating Alta Mesa for discrepancies involving production records in Idaho, according to the Statesman. The company has repeatedly missed deadlines to provide information requested by the state, the newspaper reports.
Little says he plans to require all members of the Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to undergo ethics training going forward.
