NOAA Research Programs At University of Oklahoma At Risk For Elimination
A new document from the Trump administration proposes deep budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the removal of its research office.
Multiple reports say the nation’s preeminent weather and climate agency could see its budget slashed from about $6.1 billion to $4.5 billion.
The document also suggests eliminating NOAA’s research arm and all cooperative institutes.
That would include OU's Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations, which employs 227 workers.
Other programs operating in Norman could also be terminated.
The Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program helps communities draft hazard mitigation plans and assisted in Oklahoma City’s 2023 heat mapping project.
OU said it’s in contact with its federal partners about its shared research goals.
The office of Oklahoma U.S. Representative Tom Cole - who chairs the House Appropriations Committee - did not respond to a request for comment.
State Legislative Leader Joins 2026 Oklahoma Governor’s Race
State Representative Cyndi Munson is now a candidate for Oklahoma Governor in the 2026 General Election.
The house minority leader made her official announcement just outside the Oklahoma State Capitol Tuesday.
Munson is the only Democrat so far to announce candidacy for governor or any other statewide office in 2026.
First elected in 2016, she represents northern Oklahoma City’s House District 85.
Surrounded by her close family and a few supporters in front of the statehouse, Munson made her case as to why Oklahomans should vote for her.
“I know I'm not what you would call a typical candidate for governor. I work for a living. I pay my student loans. I rent my house,” Munson said.
“I'm not beholden to any political party. I'm not an extremist. I have a proven track record of working across the aisle to get things done and won't pander to Washington, D.C. politicians who only want to continue deepening our political divide.”
Among her promises are cutting taxes for middle-class families, revamping public school funding, and repealing state abortion bans.
So far, Munson is up against former House Speaker Charles McCall, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, and two other Republicans.
Oklahoma Mental Health Department Requests $6.2M to Sustain Services Through July
Oklahoma’s state department of mental health is asking the legislature for an additional $6.2 million.
The request comes amid confusion for the future of mental health services in the state.
The state’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said it needs the extra funding to keep essential services going through the end of the fiscal year in July.
The request comes just days after the state abruptly canceled contracts with three behavioral health clinics in Tulsa.
Across the state, concerns about a lapse in care are at an all-time high.
Whether the department gets the newly requested $6.2 million is up to the state legislature.
Gov. Kevin Stitt also ordered a now-third investigation into the department and the decisions of its previous leadership.
Southeast Oklahoma Hydropower Project Canceled
A controversial hydropower project planned for southeast Oklahoma has been canceled for now.
The company repeatedly failed to comply with the requirements for the federal licensing process.
The endeavor from Southeast Oklahoma Power Corporation would have built a hydropower project on the Kiamichi River in Pushmataha County.
As the company developed its plans to understand how the project would impact the environment and the people of Southeast Oklahoma, federal regulators found important information missing even after repeated requests to include it.
As delays and noncompliance issues stacked up, federal officials terminated the application, saying the company had “not demonstrated the diligence needed.”
A preliminary permit for the project is still valid for the next two years.
The company could take another stab at the licensing process within that timeframe, but they’d have to start from the beginning.
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