ok-2263: Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry — EMERGENCY DROUGHT COMMITTEE

Summary

The 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 determines the expenditures to be made from the Emergency Drought Relief Fund and the appropriate agency to expend the funds. The activities of the Emergency Drought Commission will 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 has 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. The new rules establish transparent criteria for determining drought conditions that prompt the Secretary of Agriculture to convene an Emergency Drought Committee Meeting, initiating emergency drought assistance programs, scheduling and conducting meetings, reviewing program actions, and presenting final reports. The rules also establish the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry as the primary agency responsible for ensuring compliance with the Open Meetings and Open Records Acts.

The agency’s own summary, as published.