The thought of sending southeastern Oklahoma water to housing and commercial developments in North Texas for free doesn't sit well for most state residents. Oklahoma lawmakers agreed and put a moratorium on the sale of state water to out of state interests until a long-range study is completed.
The general manager of the Tarrant Regional Water District in Fort Worth says the state is playing a game of high-stakes water poker. James M. Oliver says if the Texans win a lawsuit against the state, the water could flow for free.
The lawsuit is expected to be heard in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City in December. Before it goes to trial, the water district says it will pay between $15 million and $60 million per year to transport water in southern and southeastern Oklahoma to fast-growing North Texas communities.
If Tarrant County wins the lawsuit, it would have access to free water but would have to pay for pipelines and pumping stations, Mr. Oliver told the Associated Press.
Oklahoma House speaker Chris Benge says legislation passed this past session should strengthen the state's position. It attempts to eliminate the appearances of bias against out-of-state water applicants.
The state shouldn't be selling water until it knows what the long-term needs of Oklahomans will be.
Opinion
Water sale lawsuit gamble pits Oklahoma and Texas
- Opinion
-
-
Outhouse enthusiast’s hobby more than a relief
Editor’s note: This previously-published column has been a reader favorite and is one of the most requested columns....
-
Homosexuals must convince themselves, God
Editor, The Transcript: I am not one of those in favor of same-sex anything. According to the Bible, homesexuality is a sin. Now maybe there is a new Bible out there — the homosexual Bible. I will check at Barnes & Noble....
-
Occupy movement built on principle
Editor, The Transcript: We the People Stand Tall! Bruce Kessler ends his letter to the editor “We the people must stand up — 8 May, 2012,” with a strong message: We the people — the very words that begin our Constitution — must work ...
-
Parents proud of two schools’ rankings
Editor, The Transcript: Norman parents are justifiably proud that U.S. News and World Report recently ranked Norman High School as No. 6 in our state and No. 862 in the nation and Norman North as No. 9 in the state and 1,096 in the nation ...
-
Reducing state rates would be of minor help
Editor, The Transcript: A Transcript editorial (May 22), in discussing the proposed reduction in income tax rates in HB 3061, states that the “trigger” mechanism is a good thing, citing the rate cut from 5.5 to 5.25 because of the 4 ...
-
Sykes trying to secure seat
Editor, The Transcript: By the time this reaches you, the issues surrounding HB 2440 may have been laid to rest. Based on your article of this date, let me make these observations....
-
Fallin proposes a flawed tax-cut plan
There was some relief in the tax-cut proposal negotiated with Gov. Mary Fallin and Republican legislative leaders, but it still calls for some difficult reductions to some necessary services....
-
Corporate deception rules
Editor, The Transcript: Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan Chase’s chief executive, said he does not know how the bank lost $3 billion (originally estimated at $2 billion) in a trading scheme. He called the trades “sloppy” and “stupid” but could not ...
-
What features create a cultural center?
The question has been raised whether an aquatic center somehow constitutes a cultural center. Although the more thorough response would be to ask, in turn, what features create a cultural center, this short treatise will simply focus on ...
-
Keep the capitol gun-free
Attorneys working for the state AG’s office are now able to carry handguns in their duties representing state agencies. They won’t need a concealed weapon permit. It’s the same as laws allowing U.S. attorneys, district attorneys and their ...
- More Opinion Headlines
-
Outhouse enthusiast’s hobby more than a relief
