Sen. Brent Howard (R-Altus) launched Senate Invoice 1341, which goals to permit extra regulation and understanding of how industrial irrigators use Oklahoma's underground water shops.
“Floor water is principally owned or regulated by the state,” he informed the committee. “Groundwater is owned by people, however it’s topic to regulation by the state. We are attempting to get some enamel behind it, some coordination between these two.”
Though irrigators have rights to the groundwater beneath their land, they will solely use it to cowl their property in two ft of water per 12 months.
However when it comes time to report their use to the state, irrigators merely write their greatest estimate in good religion.
Howard stated that leaves the Oklahoma Water Sources Board with out key knowledge or the flexibility to implement limits.
“No matter quantity you write in your renewal software or your annual report is all of the Water Sources Board has to depend on,” Howard stated. “They don't have the flexibility to exit and examine.”
Howard's invoice would require some irrigators to put in meters on their wells. Particularly, those that draw from aquifers in peril of drying up. To qualify as a kind of “vital groundwater administration areas,” an aquifer would wish a scientific research by a federal or state company.
To start with, Howard stated this invoice would solely apply to the Higher Crimson River Basin in Southwest Oklahoma. Howard stated many irrigators within the area are already measuring groundwater use to optimize effectivity. He estimated that the laws would require about 400 irrigators to put in new meters on their wells, which might price them about $300-$500 per properly.
“I don't wish to overregulate,” Howard stated. “I simply wish to guarantee that everybody follows the identical guidelines and that we’ve this info as these guidelines are utilized.”
The committee voted unanimously to place SB1341 earlier than the total Senate.
One other mission to extend measurement necessities – Senate Invoice 1352 by Sen. David Bullard (R-Durant) — was met with extra pushback.
This mission will put additional scrutiny on water use by industrial hashish growers. These whose water consumption will not be already measured by a public water provide can be obliged to measure it themselves.
If the invoice passes, a municipality or county may additionally require hashish growers to pay a further payment of $1.25 for each 1,000 liters of water they use, whether or not from a properly or a public provide. A few of that cash will go to the municipality or county that collects the payment, and most will assist the state keep its lakes and reservoirs.
“A typical marijuana plant wants six gallons of water a day,” Bullard stated. “We wish to make certain we're measuring and utilizing these funds to have the ability to retailer and seize extra of that water.”
However different committee members requested for extra details about how these charges would have an effect on native enterprise house owners.
Sen. Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) voted in opposition to the invoice. He stated he thinks this laws will harm small enterprise house owners with out doing a lot to cease dangerous actors.
“People stealing water from farms, utilizing fireplace hoses and siphoning beneath the darkish – these persons are not going to pay these charges,” Jett stated. “These are the mothers and dads who had been already struggling to remain open after sinking their life funds as a result of they thought this was the following financial growth coming for Oklahoma.”
Finally, the invoice handed the vitality committee 10-2. Each measures now go to the total Senate.
https://www.kosu.org/energy-environment/2024-02-12/oklahoma-lawmakers-consider-water-metering-requirements-for-irrigators-cannabis-growers
