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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1588 By: Hardin of the House
and
Woods of the Senate
An Act relating to the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission; creating the Spring Creek Watershed Study
Act; establishing legislative intent; directing
Conservation Commission to undertake certain water
quality plan; requiring report; providing for
cooperation with certain third parties; authorizing
the acceptance of certain funds; creating the Spring
Creek Watershed Study Cash Fund Revolving Fund;
establishing fund pur pose; providing source of funds;
providing for codification; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statut es as Section 3-7-111 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Spring
Creek Watershed Study Act”.
B. The Legislature finds that:
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1. Increasing pressure from a griculture and residential
development as well as stream bank erosion and other activities ha ve
led to declining water quality levels in the Northeast Oklahoma
watershed known as Spring Creek located in Cherokee, Delaware, and
Mayes counties near Kansas, O klahoma, resulting in increased concern
by the residents of the Spring Creek area and citizens of Oklahoma
as a whole as to the continued health of the watershed. The once
pristine stream is a prime example of how many similar high quality
Ozark waterbodies that draw millions of visitors to the area each
year, support water supplies for growing u rban centers in Oklahoma,
and provide habitat for important wildlife and fisheries resources
are threatened without cooperative, voluntary protective action by
local communities and other stakeholders;
2. Improved voluntary land management practices including soil
conservation practices, riparian restoration and protection,
reforestation, streambank livestock exclusion, and other methods of
stewardship have great p otential to improve and protect the quality
of water in the Spring Creek watershed while impr oving the
ecological health of the area; and
3. It is in the interest of the citizens of this state as a
whole and the residents of the Spring Creek watershed tha t the
Oklahoma Conservation Commission, in partnership with other local,
state, and federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations ,
undertake a comprehensive water quality study of Spring Creek to
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determine the best course of action to protect and impr ove the
health of the aquatic habitat in the watershed.
C. It is the intent of the Legislatu re that the findings of
this study will be used to direct implementation of voluntary,
incentive-based conservation practices by the Commission in
partnership with other local, state, and federal agencies and
subject to availability of resources, in the Spring Creek watershed
to protect and improve the aquatic habitat and water quality in the
area.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to b e codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -7-112 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. 1. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission shall undertake a
comprehensive watershed -based water quality plan desig ned to improve
and protect the water quality and aquatic habitat in the Spring
Creek watershed through the utilization of voluntary, incentive -
based programs.
2. On or before June 1, 202 6, the Commission shall publish an
electronic report of the findings. The Commission may, from time to
time, update such findings as conditions change and pertin ent
information becomes available.
B. The Commission may contract and cooperate with the Natural
Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of
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Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct
activities provided for in this section.
C. The Commission may apply for and accept grants, gifts, or
other sources of public and private funds to carry out the purposes
of the Spring Creek Watershed Study Act.
SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to b e codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -7-113 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to be designated the
“Spring Creek Watershed Study Cash Fund Revolving Fund”. The fund
shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations,
and shall consist of all monies received by the Commission from
appropriations by the Legislature to the fund, an d any money
received as gifts, grants, or other contributions from public or
private sources provided for the purpose of implementing the Spring
Creek Watershed Study Act. All monies accruing to the credit of the
fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the
Commission for the purpose provided for in this act. Expenditures
from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State
Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the
Director of the Office of Management an d Enterprise Services for
approval and payment.
SECTION 4. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
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Passed the House of Representatives t he 4th day of March, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate