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ALERT

Weather Alert

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 10 PM CDT FRIDAY...

The following statement was issued by the Oklahoma Department of
Environmental Quality.

An Air Quality Alert for Ozone has been issued for Friday, August 28
for the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area due to expected high
concentrations of ozone.

Public Health Recommendations: Persons with existing heart or
respiratory ailments should reduce physical exertion and outdoor
activity.

The general public is encouraged to help alleviate the problem by
reducing vehicle miles traveled by riding the bus, carpooling, or
avoiding unnecessary trips. The public is also asked to avoid
refueling during the morning and early afternoon hours, and to avoid
the use of two cycle engines such as lawn mowers, motorcycles, weed
trimmers, and outboard engines. It is also advised to limit outdoor
burning.

To view the latest air quality map, visit airnow.gov or the AirNow
app.

For hourly updates on concentrations and possible health warnings,
telephone the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality at
405-702-4100. For more information on health effects, call the
American Lung Association of Oklahoma at 405-748-4674
Alert

Council of Bond Oversight approves $500M bond for Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, considers ongoing lawsuits

OTA Board Meeting

Gene Love, chairman of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, calls the special meeting to order on June 9. Several protesters attended the meeting, yelling, "Trade your homes for ours," at board members.

The Council of Bond Oversight approved a $500 million bond issue for the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority on Tuesday, with conditions accounting for ongoing litigation from Pike Off OTA and Cleveland County residents. 

The council voted to only approve the issuance of bonds following the “resolution or dismissal” of both lawsuits. The litigation filed by Pike Off OTA alleges that three proposed turnpike routes part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Project — the Tri-City Connector, the East-West Connector and the South Extension — are not authorized within state statute. 

The second lawsuit has over 150 plaintiffs and claims the OTA violated the Open Meeting Act, arguing that OTA did not properly notify the public of meetings and agenda items. 

The next step in OTA’s bond process is to appear before the Oklahoma Supreme Court and receive a ruling on the validity of the bonds. The council approved a condition requiring a receipt of evidence that the Supreme Court validated the bonds before any bonds could be issued. 

The conditions voted on were not included in the agenda, though they were included in a memo that council members received in their agenda packets, which members of the public can receive in accordance with the Open Records Act. OU Daily obtained this memo following the meeting. 

While the public was not allowed to speak at the meeting, residents were allowed to send comments to council members prior to the meeting. Amy Cerato, a member of Pike Off OTA, submitted a letter requesting the council “hold the OTA accountable” and call for an independent audit of the authority. 

Cerato also requested the council postpone future consideration of any credit line or bond request for at least two years and until all studies that could find “ecological, environmental, humanitarian and economic devastation” have been completed.

Following the council’s decision, Pike Off OTA’s legal representation Robert Norman said the action taken was “expected,” adding that this decision is typical of the council’s usual vote. 

The Council of Bond Oversight previously approved a $200 million line of credit from Wells Fargo for OTA under similar circumstances involving ongoing litigation, though the OTA board of directors voted to terminate this line of credit in June. 

The OTA has filed motions to dismiss in both lawsuits, though no court has ruled on either matter.

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