October 6, 2022
By News Director Jared Atha
According to a press release from the Oklahoma State Legislature, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board will get $100 million to support the needs of smaller water systems and to restore high-needs dams. Tribal governments plan to match another $57 million and use those funds for water projects on tribal lands. And the state has set another $130.5 million for future water projects.
But the legislature also approved funding for seven specific water infrastructure projects. One of the American Rescue Plan Act’s stated goals is to reinvigorate the American economy, and that theme is clear among the selected water projects.
Nearly all of the water projects are to support commercial ventures that promise profits Oklahomans might not see for decades. They include a new port and industrial park east of Tulsa, a re-invigoration to Oklahoma’s only spaceport in Burns Flat and support for tourism at Lake Murray. All these economic development projects require improvements to aging water and sewer infrastructure.
Burns Flat is home to one of only 14 FAA-licensed spaceports in the United States. According to the Oklahoma Air and Space Port’s website, it’s the only one whose spaceflight corridor isn’t in restricted airspace or a military zone.
However, aerospace companies who have considered partnering with the spaceport have raised questions about its capacity to serve their needs for water and internet.
While discussing this project on the Senate floor, Sen. Lonnie Paxton of Tuttle said that the spaceport’s future depends on updates to its aging wastewater system.
The Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority requested $30 million in ARPA funds for improvements to the water and internet infrastructure for Burns Flat and its spaceport. The legislature voted to approve $4.25 million.
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