State Lawmaker Calls For Oklahoma Drought Relief

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A southern Oklahoma lawmaker is challenging the state to match a $6.5-million federal grant for drought relief. <br/><br/>Representative Terry Hyman of Leon says the state can afford

Saturday, October 7th 2006, 5:39 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A southern Oklahoma lawmaker is challenging the state to match a $6.5-million federal grant for drought relief.

Representative Terry Hyman of Leon says the state can afford to help struggling cattlemen thanks to surplus oil and gas revenue. Hyman says the state has more than $80-million in surplus revenue.

The federal grant came from the US Department of Agriculture. Oklahoma was the only state where all counties met the federal definition for drought assistance.

But state Department of Agriculture projections indicate the grant money could amount to as little as about 50 cents per head of cattle.

The statewide drought started about a year ago. Climatologists say it's the worst drought in a half-century.