Watch: Environmental Agencies Struggling With Tens of Millions in State Funding Cuts

  • Joe Wertz

Oklahoma’s four primary environmental agencies have lost more than $15 million in state appropriations and tens of millions of dollars in legislatively directed reductions to revolving funds, OETA reports.

The cuts are forcing the Corporation Commission, Conservation Commission, Department of Environmental Quality and Water Resources Board to limit, delay or cancel programs or services designed to regulate pollution and remove environmental dangers, according to the Oklahoma News Report piece by Bob Sands and photojournalist Aaron Byrd.

Projects being impacted include plugging of long abandoned oil wells, removal of thousands of tires from illegal dumping grounds, clean-up projects to remove hazardous chemicals and grants that help low income home owners improve their septic tank systems.