Governor Creates Committee To Review State Fire Fighting Strategies
Gov. Kevin Stitt’s fight with the state Forestry Services continues, as he purges agency leadership and sets up a “working group.”
The governor again accuses the agency of obfuscation and insubordination in a statement sent out Tuesday.
He does seem to tacitly acknowledge that numbers his office turned over on Monday were incorrect by virtue of providing different numbers in Tuesday’s statement.
The new numbers show Oklahoma’s Forestry Services did deploy its trucks, bulldozers and personnel during the March 14 fire event. But Stitt said forestry officials did not deploy them correctly, as many remained in the Forestry Services Protection Area in eastern Oklahoma.
In interviews with other news sources, Stitt said he has fired more Forestry Services employees, in addition to asking Director Mark Goeller to step down.
Stitt is creating a Wildland Fire Response Working Group to analyze the state’s firefighting resources and provide recommendations to lawmakers over the next six months.
Federal Government Revokes Visas for International Students at Oklahoma Universities
For weeks, stories of college student deportations have made national headlines. Oklahoma universities are now confirming some of their students have had their visas revoked.
In a statement to StateImpact, Oklahoma State University spokesperson Mack Burke confirmed eight OSU student visas have been recently revoked by the federal government.
He did not provide further information as to the reasons behind the revocations or if the students had been deported.
The University of Central Oklahoma said as many as four students have had visas revoked.
A spokesperson for the University of Oklahoma said due to student privacy laws, it is unable to confirm if any of its students have been affected.
A recent report by Inside Higher Ed found roughly 150 students at 50 institutions have had visas revoked, though the actual number is likely higher.
Federal Directive To Open More Logging in Oklahoma’s Public Lands
Hundreds of thousands of acres of forestland in Oklahoma could see increased logging in the coming years. A new federal memo targets national forests.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued an April 4 memo stating more than half of the country’s national forests are part of a new timber initiative.
National forests, which are different from national parks, already have some logging but are expected to see a major increase.
A map from the federal agency shows the policy applies to hundreds of thousands of acres in the Ouachita National Forest and what appears to be national grasslands.
In a statement, Rollins said trees in national forests face wildfire threats and logging will help reduce them. But advocacy groups say it sidesteps public input and could severely damage ecosystems.
USDA said it will work with states and tribal nations on the initiative.
As of Tuesday, Oklahoma’s Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry said it hasn’t received notice from the federal level.
Oklahoma City Holds Hazardous Waste Collection Event Saturday
Oklahoma City is holding a special hazardous waste collection this weekend at the fairgrounds.
Residents will be able to drop off unwanted computers, tires, ammunition and prescription medications from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Participants must prove their residency by bringing an Oklahoma City water bill.
More information about the collection event and items not accepted here.
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