I got confirmation last week from Luke Underwood, the rural fire coordinator for the Kiamichi Economic Development district of Oklahoma (KEDDO), that 26 certified fire departments in Leflore County received operation grants for Fiscal Year 2023 in the amount of $10,052.67.
Annually, the Oklahoma Forest Service distributes funding to rural fire departments serving communities with populations of less than 10,000 that depend either fully or partially on volunteer firefighters. These grants are authorized by Gov. Kevin Stitt and funded by the Oklahoma Legislature. Grant funds can be used for purchasing items such as firefighting equipment, insurance premiums, equipment maintenance and personal protective gear.
Two fire departments also received 80/20 grants from for FY23: Bokoshe, and Hodgen. Both applied for construction grants to improve their fire stations.
These grants are awarded and administered in much the same way as the operation grants and can be used for rural fire department equipment purchases or construction. The grants provide reimbursement of 80% of the total amount of the project. Grant recipients receive reimbursement only after the purchase or construction costs have been paid by the recipient and only after they have received a copy of the state purchase order issued by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
In total, Leflore County fire departments received $312,497.42 in funding from the Rural Fire Defense Program, which is administered by the KEDDO office. This help is much appreciated.
Also last week, the governor signed Senate Bill 613 into law, which bans all irreversible gender transition surgeries and hormone therapies for children under the age of 18. These treatments can lead to a host of medical problems later in life, including sterility. If I had my way, these life-altering procedures would be banned outright, but kids should at least reach the age of maturity before they make decisions they very likely will regret.
We also got word last week that the state treasurer has released a list of 13 major financial institutions that will be banned from state contracts as a result of their environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies.
These policies, embraced by certain companies, try to govern the population by boycotting the use of fossil fuels and punishing investors whose environmental and social governance policies don’t line up with liberal ideologies. I’m glad Oklahoma is pushing back. The oil and gas industry is vital to our state, making up 27% of our total economic activity. It also supports almost 200,000 jobs and more than $23 billion in wages. Companies like Blackrock, Wells Fargo & co., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, State Street and others are on the restricted list either because they are engaged in boycotts of fossil fuel companies or they failed to reply to a questionnaire inquiring about their ESG policies. The companies now have the opportunity to clarify their activities, and a step-down period is in place before complete divestment.
As always, if I can help you with anything, feel free to call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.
- Rick West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.
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