The Oklahoma Emergency Drought Committee will meet on Friday, November 8th at 11:30 a.m. in Oklahoma City at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (2800 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK). There will be an opportunity for public comment. Information regarding the Emergency Drought Committee can be found and an agenda for the meeting can be found here: Oklahoma Emergency Drought Commission and Drought Resources – ODAFF
Oklahoma’s Emergency Drought Commission, enabled through passage of Enrolled House Bill 1923 in 2013, provides funding for drought mitigation and related projects in Oklahoma in conjunction with a formal gubernatorial drought declaration. The Emergency Drought Commission consists of the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
The Emergency Drought Commission shall determine the expenditures to be made from the Emergency Drought Relief Fund, totaling up to three million dollars as appropriated by House Bill 2959, and shall determine the appropriate agency to expend the funds. The activities of the Emergency Drought Commission shall continue until it is determined by the Governor that a drought emergency no longer exists in the state. Specific assistance projects are limited to the affected counties and must be approved by the Oklahoma Emergency Drought Commission. The Emergency Drought Commission also serves as a permanent drought advisory panel to the Governor and appropriate state agencies.
The Emergency Drought Commission shall have the authority to consider requests for use of Emergency Drought Relief Funds from proposed projects located, or operating, within one, or more, of Oklahoma’s 77 counties, in accordance with EO 2022-23.
