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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 1910 By: Alonso-Sandoval
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
An Act relating to environment and natural resources;
providing a short title; providing f or the
establishment and administration of the Urban
Agriculture Cost Share Program; providing for purpose
of program; providing funding source; providing for
promulgation of program guidelines once funding is
available; requiring conservation districts to enter
into contracts for eligible projects detailing
responsibilities; defining terms; providing
considerations for program guidelines; requiring
applicants to submit certain information, forms , and
reports; providing that persons may apply to a
conservation district for cost share funds for
eligible urban agriculture initiatives; providing
requirements to receive a reimbursement; providing
for approval and denial of applications; requiring
the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to prepare and
post certain statistical data; requiring
dissemination of data to certain state cabinet
secretaries; providing for liability of state;
amending 27A O.S. 2021, Section 3 -2-110, which
relates to Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Infrastructure Revolving Fund; expanding pur pose of
fund to include funding the Urban Agriculture Cost
Share Program; providing for codification; and
providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-601 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Urban
Agriculture Cost Share Program".
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-602 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is hereby authorized to
establish and administer an Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program as
funds become available. The Cost Share Program shall provide monies
to eligible persons.
B. The purpose of the Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program is
to promote sustainable urban agricul tural practices, improve food
security, and enhance green spaces in Oklahoma's urban areas.
C. The Oklahoma Conservation Commission Infrastructure
Revolving Fund shall provide funding for the Urban Agriculture Cost
Share Program. When sufficient funds ar e available in the Oklahoma
Conservation Commission Infrastructure Revolving Fund, the
Commission shall develop and disseminate the program guidelines to
the conservation districts containing urban areas. The guidelines
shall detail incentives to eligible persons for initiating and
continuing urban agriculture initiatives.
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D. To implement the program, the Commission shall require
conservation districts to enter into contracts for eligible projects
on eligible land detailing the eligible person's responsib ilities.
E. For purposes of the Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program:
1. "Eligible person" means any individual, partnership,
corporation, or legally recognized Indian tribe which shall include
land held in trust, estate, or trust who as an owner, lessee ,
tenant, or operator participates in the care or management of land
within a conservation district;
2. "Eligible land" means land that is within five (5) miles of
an urban area that is:
a. privately owned land within the state,
b. land owned by the state or a political subdivision of
the state, or
c. lands temporarily owned by the United States or a
corporation wholly owned by it, which were not
acquired or reserved for conservation purposes,
including lands administered by the Farm Service
Agency, the U.S. Department of Defense, or by any
other government agency ;
3. "Eligible projects" means urban agriculture projects that
include, but are not limited to:
a. establishing or expanding community gardens in urban
neighborhoods,
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b. rooftop and vertical farmi ng,
c. installing greenhouses, high tunnels, or hoop houses
for food production,
d. installing rainwater harvesting systems and efficient
irrigation for urban farming,
e. enhancing soil health through composting and nutrient
management in urban areas,
f. establishing urban apiaries,
g. planting urban pollinator gardens,
h. building livestock infrastructure such as chicken
coops or goat enclosures,
i. developing and implementing education programs on
urban farming practices,
j. creating, operating, and maint aining an urban food
waste composting program,
k. urban marketing initiatives for Oklahoma farms to sell
in urban areas, and
l. other projects that accomplish the objectives and
purpose of this Cost Share Program ; and
4. "Urban Area" means the areas in Ok lahoma which have been
defined by the United States Census Bureau as urban areas based on
certain criteria and utilizing data from the most recent Federal
Decennial Census.
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SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3-3-603 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
When developing the guidelines for an Urban Agriculture Cost
Share Program, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission shall consider:
1. Prioritizing projects in geographic areas where residents
have low levels of access to retail outlets selling healthy and
affordable food;
2. Building on existing urban agriculture projects to continue
to grow community engagement;
3. Reviewing approved cost-share methods available through
USDA-NRCS to promote urban agriculture, improve urban food security,
and enhance green spaces in urban areas; and
4. Evaluating if other federal, state, or Oklahoma tribal
programs can be enhanced by the inclusion of practices in the
Commission's Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program.
SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-604 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The Conservation Commission shall require applicants to
submit information, forms and reports as necessary to properly and
efficiently administer the Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program.
B. Persons may apply to a conservation distr ict for cost share
funds for eligible urban agriculture initiatives in the State of
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Oklahoma, in accordance with the Cost Share Program year guidelines
prepared yearly by the Commission. To be eligible for reimbursement
for an urban agriculture cost share project, an eligible person
shall:
1. Develop and file for review and approval with the
conservation district a project plan that details the urban
agriculture project plans, location of project, materials needed,
expected expenditure, length of time exp ected to complete project
construction, monitoring or operation plan if applicable, and
expected community benefit of project; and
2. Enter into a contract with a conservation district detailing
the responsibilities of the eligible person for the initial Cost
Share Program year as well as any potential continuing
responsibilities that are required to operate and maintain the
project, if applicable.
C. Applications for funds shall be approved or denied by the
conservation district in accordance with promul gated criteria
prepared by the Commission.
SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3 -3-605 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Upon the conclusion of each Cost Share Program year, the
Oklahoma Conservation Commission shall prepare and post on the
agency website the statistical data for number and type of urban
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agriculture projects, funds expended, and urban community impacts by
urban area of the cost share practices for that program year. This
same information shall also be shared with the state cabinet
Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy and Environment.
SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3-3-606 of Title 27A, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Nothing in this act or in the contract executed pursuant to
Section 4 of this act shall be interpreted or construed to
constitute a financial or general obligation of the state. No state
revenue shall be used to guarantee or pay for any damages to
property or injury to persons as a result of the provisions of this
act or the contract.
SECTION 7. AMENDATORY 27A O.S. 2021, Section 3-2-110, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 3-2-110. A. There is hereby created in the State
Treasury a revolving fund for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission
to be designated the "Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Infrastructure Revolving Fund".
B. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal
year limitations, and shall consist of all monies received by the
Oklahoma Conservation Commission from the apportionment of gross
production tax revenues as prescribed by Section 1004 of Title 68 of
the Oklahoma Statutes.
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C. All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby
appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the Oklahoma
Conservation Commission for the purpose of the rehabilitation of
watershed dams and, for the Conservation Cost Share Program , the
Urban Agriculture Cost Share Program, and the Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program.
D. Expenditures from said fund shall be made upon warrants
issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as presc ribed by
law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services for approval and payment.
E. No more than thirty percent (30%) of the monies in the fund
shall be used for the payment of administrative expenses, salary or
any other continuing obligation of the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission; provided, however, such monies shall not be used for
salary increases for employees.
SECTION 8. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
60-1-13187 JBH 03/05/25