2011 Proposed Legislative Changes to the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Program

In 2011 the Oklahoma state legislature is considering two bills of particular impact. One bill would reduce the OSRC’s state budget by 52 percent. The other bill would abrogate the Commission’s rulemaking authority and transfer administration about 190 miles away to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission of the Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture in Oklahoma City.

Proponents of the changes say that cost savings and streamlining bureaucracy would result. Critics charge that it would only cost 11 cents per capita to keep the OSRC with its wealth of specialized expertise, which is needed to safely managing the 400,000 river visitors, and without local rulemaking and safety services the tourism economy would collapse.

Unique Tourism on the Illinois River

 The Illinois River is said to be the best canoe stream in the state of Oklahoma with interesting and sometimes challenging waters. Both experienced paddlers and novices … enjoy float trips on the Illinois River as it winds by high bluffs, gravel bars and lush forests.1

There are a number of float trip outfitters along Scenic State Highway 10 North which offer canoes, kayaks and rafts. Most outfitters rent the watercraft including life jackets and paddles and shuttle guests up the river, allowing them to float back down to the outfitter. Many float trip outfitters also offer camping, cabins or motels as well as amenities such as swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts and picnic areas. Canoes offer superior maneuverability and make the float trip faster, while rafts carry more floaters and offer more stability. Outfitters … help floaters select the best watercraft for their group and skill level.2

Wildlife is abundant along the scenic Illinois River including deer, fox, bobcats and a wide variety of birds. Bald eagles inhabit the area year-round.3

The Illinois River offers excellent fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass, channel and flathead catfish, walleye, and various sunfishes. The Lower Illinois River offers year round trout fishing. The designated fishing area is a 7.75 mile stretch from Tenkiller Dam to Highway 64 bridge near Gore. Bank access and boat ramps are available throughout the area for the convenience of fishermen. Overnight camping permitted at fee areas and the Gore Landing North. Daily limits and size regulations apply for brown trout and smallmouth bass.4

One of the most remarkable and unique features constituting a draw for the area is that tourists can get a variety of outdoor experiences within a compact geographic area including the Illinois River, Lake Tenkiller, The Cherokee Nation, and Tahlequah with its artisan musical offerings and fine restaurants. Tourists nationally on average will spend four days on a regional vacation, and the area offers a compliment of activities to fill the time. Illinois River tourism is unique because of its Ozarks Bioregion characteristics which bring visitors from West, South and North.

Background to 2011 Legislative Session Illinois River Bills

Background

For over 30 years, the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission has protected and preserved the Illinois River and its tributaries while providing an atmosphere for a safe and healthy out-of-doors recreational experience for millions of visitors wanting to enjoy Oklahoma Scenic Rivers.

The Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Act was passed in 1970, on the heels of the 1968 creation of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. In 1975, the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission came into being. At the time the NWSRA was considered, rivers in the U.S. had little or no federal protections. According to OSRC Administrator Ed Fite, the law covered eight rivers instantly designated as components of the NWSRA, along with listing 27 other rivers marked to study for possible inclusion in the system of protected rivers. “The Illinois River and tributaries were not named on that list at the time, yet their possibility was discussed,” said Fite. “What is interesting is that our [country] has in excess of 10,000 rivers, with stream reaches in excess of 3.5 million miles.” During the late ‘60s, there was talk of adding the Illinois River to the list of nationally protected streams.1

[T]here were approximately 30 states that went about the business of passing some type of local- or state-level wild and scenic rivers protection acts in hopes of diverting any possible use of the NWSRA in their respective states,” said Fite. “Oklahoma was one of those states.”2

The Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission provides many services that are often taken for granted and would be greatly missed if not provided. It would be impossible to continue the level of service based upon bills that cut the budget and move decision-making out of the Illinois River Basin, for reasons set forth in this analysis.

White Paper: Survey of Illinois River Tourism Implications - Pending Legislation:

Commissioned by Save The Illinois River, Inc.  EcoLaw Institute, Inc., P.O. Box 1116, Stilwell, OK 74960.  Principal Investigator Kathy Tibbits, Esq., Kathy Tibbits Strategy and Policy Consulting;  About the author:  Kathy Tibbits has degrees in Political Science (OU, 1980) and Law (TU, 1983) with Water Law emphasis and ten years’ experience as a Strategy Team Writer and Policy Group Advisor to the Cherokee Nation. She is a member and Director for nonprofits EcoLaw Institute, Inc. and Save The Illinois River. She works as a private consultant and as an attorney, and is licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
 
Executive Summary


Ultimately, the questions are how we fund the state scenic rivers program if there is a commitment to tourism, and what the real cost would be to consolidate.

Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission was created as a state alternative to including the Illinois River in the National Wild And Scenic Rivers program, to allow commercial enterprise to develop for regional tourism of the unique stream.

Two bills in the 2011 Session would impact the tourism economy of the Illinois River Watershed. HB 1514 would reduce services or increase cost to manage the river for tourism. The proposed Governor’s Budget would cut funding 51.9%, yet OSRC is already diversified so just a third of its budget comes from the state. Just $349,239 would prevent the budget from adversely impacting the virtuous cycle of tourism revenues that would spiral downward if the existing skilled services are not provided.

Maintaining economic staisis for Illinois River Watershed tourism will take both actions:

1. Choosing Not To Consolidate and Centralize the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission.

2. Adequately funding $349,239 of the $700,000 by changing the Governor’s budget.

If the agency is consolidated, costs will be higher because locals are providing a wealth of services at only management cost. The skills performed will require new added state agency functions beyond the mission scope of OCC. The operational costs will be much higher and communications will be more difficult. Key services such as swiftwater rescue will be compromised. Tourism will decline when safety programs are dispersed.


If funding is inadequate, the existing leveraged and diversified funding from other grants, private gifts and public sources which are available to the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission will not be adequate to meet minimum expectations for tourism. As tourism declines, the state would face additional NE Oklahoma income tax and sales tax diminutions, and local governments would have reduced sales and property taxes.

Confetti Snowflakes at Zion Quilt Top

Snow days are great because one can leave aside the list of things needing to be done and concentrate all the energy and attention needed to quilt something.  Here I've made up a bunch of confetti snowflakes.  They are not sewn together... just laid out for a view.  As this quilt develops I will add more pics. 

It takes a lot of discipline to overcome our sense of regularity, I've learned.  Often I want to square off the misshapen corners and 'fix' bad lines almost by instinct.  Here I worked at not letting myself come up with something too regular.  It is a habit shared by every quilter who has made utility quilts and want nothing to go to waste.  For these shapes it does take a bit more fabric, as you'll be trimming away the excess to get an 8 inch square.

These squares were foundation pieced on regular copy paper.  Fold over a sheet, and cut off the part at the bottom to square it up.  Or to put it another way, cut paper into 8 inch squares and put a stack by your machine, then foundation piece from the middle to the outside.  Here I cut odd shaped pieces of fabric that I had hand-dyed, for the middles.  Add, framing around the edge and use black as your outermost color sometimes.  To give away the ending... I used black sashing to expand the top size and will post it after some more work.

So, having never used copy paper--- or rather so much of it, I was faced with a lazy quilter's dilemma.  How do I peel off all of those backings?  I tried spritzing with water and peeling with my fingernail, but that was a slow go.  So I tossed the whole top in the dryer with some wet heavy towels and that got about half of the backings off.  I threw those away, then tried washing in the washer.  Hooboy.  Don't try that.  I ended up with lint galore on the front of all this black sashing and blocks.  I'm finishing the top borders now, and will want to put it back in for another try in the washer before I spend a lot of energy batting and backing and quilting something that may always look fuzzified.

A series of fun potholders

Recently, I made up a bunch of fun, funky potholders to list on Island Retreat, my etsy site.  You can see the whole collection if you click on the Island Retreat Etsy thumbnails on the sidebar.  They're just joyous little mindless artsy pieces with insulbrite sewn between the layers or foundation-pieced on insulbrite, for kitchen chores.  I use them to take cookies out of the oven, or as a drip pad in front of the coffeepot, because you can toss them in the washer and have a fresh one every day.  This one has pyramids made from prairie points, and Oklahoma in the sky.  Check an earlier blog if you would like to learn how to make prairie points.  They are easy and fun.

Informal Velvet Quilt Piece

Who knows where I got this raggedy piece of velvet quilt.  I only remember that it was sort of grimey and I wondered if I could restore it to usefulness.  I took the risk of throwing it into the washer and the back shredded into threads, so I ripped that off, and along with it came the thin edge on one side.  When it was fresh and clean, I just stored it for years.  Today, its is unlikely to find this sort of cotton velvet which is heavy but not backed with an upholstery texture.  Most velvets have some synthetic content now.  I'd guess it is from 1970 or before-- back then the synthetics were not as likely to be blended and not as likely to be nylon.

See how the triangles were constructed?  Peach and gold were sewn together on one side, and then a line was sewn linking together two such squares.  That way, no one had to actually turn that sharp corner and try to line up the pieces.  For a long time, I was scared of triangles because of the problem of making points, until I discovered that.  (Now, I'm just scared of making triangles because I warp things when I sew on the bias. )

So I am guessing that originally, this had 6 triangle panels, and then it was bordered with various colored velvet scraps of odd lengths.  The common factor is that all the velvet scraps were cut at, ie about 6 inch widths.

Its just a nice old piece of a velvet quilt, waiting to some day be batted and backed as a shabby Anthropology-style throw.  Then perhaps, I'd eventually come along and embroider it lavishly as I sit beneath it on cold winter nights.