Debris Haulers Face Costly Permits Or Tickets
By Jerry Bohnen, NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ Oklahoma City leaders face a new worry as they race to remove tens of thousands of tons of ice storm debris from December---an executive order signed by the governor and waiving requirements for big trucks expired last week.
Now the Highway Patrol's warning the out-of-state contractors that they have to get $7,500 permits or face tickets.
"The Highway Patrol's been at some of the land fills and been issuing warning tickets to the contractors because there are certain permits they don't have," explained Jim Lewellyn, a Projects Manager with the Oklahoma City Public Works Department. "There's a permit required and they need to get that if they're going to continue to operate in the state."
Acting governor Jari Askins signed the original executive order, #2007-50 on December 10th, 2007 and waived many of the requirements on big trucks so utility companies and others could assist in the state of emergency.
While the executive order was originally aimed at out-of-state utilities, many of whom have left Oklahoma, the debris contractors remain and their work won't be finished for months. The executive order expired on January 8th, 2008 and now Lewellyn and others worry there won't be an extension. If it's not? "Then it'll be a big problem," he admitted in an interview with KTOK. "If it's not, we'll be talking to whoever we can to get it taken care of because we sure don't want our contractors to leave."
Captain Chris West with the Department of Public Safety maintains that troopers are not targeting the debris haulers. "It's not gonna be all bets are off and we're gonna out there and hammer Oklahomans." West says the concern is the safety of motorists on the roadways and troopers won't target the truckers unless they see a violation.
Now the Highway Patrol's warning the out-of-state contractors that they have to get $7,500 permits or face tickets.
"The Highway Patrol's been at some of the land fills and been issuing warning tickets to the contractors because there are certain permits they don't have," explained Jim Lewellyn, a Projects Manager with the Oklahoma City Public Works Department. "There's a permit required and they need to get that if they're going to continue to operate in the state."
Acting governor Jari Askins signed the original executive order, #2007-50 on December 10th, 2007 and waived many of the requirements on big trucks so utility companies and others could assist in the state of emergency.
While the executive order was originally aimed at out-of-state utilities, many of whom have left Oklahoma, the debris contractors remain and their work won't be finished for months. The executive order expired on January 8th, 2008 and now Lewellyn and others worry there won't be an extension. If it's not? "Then it'll be a big problem," he admitted in an interview with KTOK. "If it's not, we'll be talking to whoever we can to get it taken care of because we sure don't want our contractors to leave."
Captain Chris West with the Department of Public Safety maintains that troopers are not targeting the debris haulers. "It's not gonna be all bets are off and we're gonna out there and hammer Oklahomans." West says the concern is the safety of motorists on the roadways and troopers won't target the truckers unless they see a violation.
Labels: Ice Storm Debris Removal
posted by Mike McCarville @ 11:50 AM
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