In a move to bolster the integrity of the groundwater permit process, the Oklahoma Senate has pushed through Senate Bill 133, which aims to upgrade the state's approach to managing its water resources. According to the Oklahoma State Senate's official release, the author of the legislation, Sen. George Burns, R-Pollard, sees the bill as a vehicle for greater accountability and a step towards avoiding misuse of the state's groundwater reserves.
The specifics of Senate Bill 133 require that all persons applying for a groundwater permit to include a piece of documentation that's become standard in many arenas of identification – a valid, unexpired driver's license from Oklahoma or a U.S. passport. This particular provision has been articulated as a safeguard, one meant to "prevent fraudulent applications and ensure groundwater resources are managed responsibly," Sen. Burns remarked, as detailed by the release.
There has been an increasing wave of concern about the potential for the exploitation of Oklahoma's natural resources, especially amidst reports of dubious permit applications. The passage of this bill appears to be in direct response to said concerns, establishing a barrier aimed at those who may wish to manipulate a system fundamental to the health and wealth of the land and its people.
Oklahoma's legislature is not standing idly by, but rather toeing the line of federal documentation standards with Senate Bill 133. In doing so, it strengthens the hands of those charged with the stewardship of the state's aquifers, lakes, and irrigation channels.
