{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-69-69-4018","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 69, § 69-4018","heading":"Waterways Branch of Department of Transportation Planning","body":"Division - Creation - Powers and duties - Oklahoma Waterways\n\nAdvisory Board.\n\nA. There is hereby created within the Department of\n\nTransportation Planning Division, a Waterways Branch. The Director\n\nof the Department of Transportation shall appoint such employees\n\nnecessary to implement and effectuate the provisions of this\n\nsection. The Waterways Branch shall assume the duties and functions\n\npreviously performed by the Division of Waterways within the\n\nDepartment of Commerce. The Transportation Commission is hereby\n\nauthorized to adopt rules necessary to effectuate the operation of\n\nthe Waterways Branch.\n\nB. The Waterways Branch shall have the primary purpose and\n\nresponsibility of promoting the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River\n\nNavigation System which constitutes Oklahoma's navigable waterways.\n\nAdditionally, the Department of Transportation acting through the\n\nWaterways Branch shall have the authority to:\n\n1. Encourage commercial use of the state's navigable waterways\n\nfor the purpose of the transportation of goods;\n\n2. Assist state, federal and municipal entities in the\n\nattraction and location of waterways-related industries;\n\n3. Assist and coordinate public and private entities in and\n\nwith the development of river, port and harbor facilities;\n\n4. Aggressively pursue federal funding for construction and\n\nmaintenance projects of all necessary improvements to navigational\n\nsystems;\n\n5. Coordinate with local and state development agencies to\n\nensure a better understanding of the state's navigable waterways in\n\na manner that will result in the use and growth of the state's\n\ntransportation resources and facilities of this state;\n\n6. Study and coordinate efforts designed to promote the\n\ndevelopment of the navigable stream areas in this state for water\n\ntransportation purposes;\n\n7. Monitor and intercede on behalf of and to represent the\n\nState of Oklahoma before any agency of the United States government\n\nin matters pertaining to the application of fees, tolls or user\n\ncharges levied or contemplated to be levied against the water\n\ntransportation industry engaged in either intrastate or interstate\n\nwater commerce;\n\n8. Receive and use any federal, state or private funds,\n\ndonations and grants made available for the development, use and\n\nexpansion of river transportation resources of this state;\n\n9. Cooperate and enter into contracts with the federal\n\ngovernment or any agency thereof or agencies of other states such as\n\nmay be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, provided\n\nthat no such contract may obligate or potentially obligate any state\n\nfunds or the full faith and credit of the State of Oklahoma unless\n\nexpress legislative authorization is given therefor;\n\n10. Represent this state in the promotion of the development of\n\ncommercial water transportation in this state and to cooperate with\n\nother states, other agencies of this state or agencies of the United\n\nStates government, in any manner whatsoever, in an effort to develop\n\nthe commercial use of the waterways in this state;\n\n11. Study all executive orders and legislation, state and\n\nfederal, which may affect the commercial development of interstate\n\nor intrastate water transportation and to make recommendations\n\nconcerning any such executive orders or legislation;\n\n12. Make studies and plans for the expansion, use and growth of\n\nthe water transportation resources and facilities of this state; and\n\n13. Do and perform all other functions for and on behalf of the\n\nstate which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes\n\nof this section.\n\nC. 1. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Waterways\n\nAdvisory Board. Members of the Board shall be selected\n\nand appointed by the Director of the Department of\n\nTransportation. The Oklahoma Waterways Advisory\n\nBoard shall consist of seven (7) members qualified as\n\nfollows:\nr desirable to accomplish the purposes\n\nof this section.\n\nC. 1. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Waterways\n\nAdvisory Board. Members of the Board shall be selected\n\nand appointed by the Director of the Department of\n\nTransportation. The Oklahoma Waterways Advisory\n\nBoard shall consist of seven (7) members qualified as\n\nfollows:\n\na. two members shall be the Executive Directors of the\n\ntwo active, public ports, commonly known as the Port\n\nof Catoosa and the Port of Muskogee,\n\nb. two members shall be appointed from private port\n\noperations which have existing waterfront cargo\n\nhandling facilities and which regularly employ the use\n\nof barge transportation,\n\nc. one member shall be appointed from the public at large\n\nwho shall have professional experience and expertise\n\nin shipping, freight logistics or construction,\n\noperation, maintenance and rehabilitation of\n\ntransportation systems, and\n\nd. two members shall be appointed at large from business\n\nand/or industry associated with inland navigation.\n\n2. All members shall continue in office until replaced.\n\nMembers of the Board shall not be compensated or receive travel\n\nreimbursement. The membership shall elect a chairperson and vice-\n\nchairperson and shall meet as necessary.\n\n3. The Board shall:\n\na. serve in an advisory capacity to the Department of\n\nTransportation, the Governor's office and the\n\nLegislature in accomplishing its mission,\n\nb. assist in the development of rules, standards,\n\npolicies, procedures and directions of the Waterways\n\nBranch of the Department of Transportation regarding\n\nits duties and responsibilities authorized by this\n\nsection, and\n\nc. recommend specific public and private actions that\n\nwould enable this state to utilize its waterways to\n\npromote future growth.\n\n4. The Department of Transportation may, as funds and staff are\n\navailable, provide support and assistance to the Board.","path":["OK Code","Title 69"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os69.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"6be020b824800836e5f71ad6fea510e82745b7e7f6921596afe6a8da5879ac1f","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-69-69-4017","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-69-69-4019"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}