Legislative Forum Summary

The Tulsa City Council convened the annual Legislative Forum to engage with Tulsa-area Legislators ahead of Oklahoma’s Legislative Session. The following is a summary of the discussion, recommendations and next steps: 

BIOSOLIDS LEGISLATION – FISCAL IMPACT ON WASTEWATER UTILITIES 

The City of Tulsa’s Water & Sewer Department has evaluated the financial impact of a potential statewide ban on the land application of sludge and biosolids. Land application is currently the most common and cost-effective method for managing biosolids. It has been used for decades and involves spreading the biosolids on the soil surface or injecting the biosolids into the soil. 

Each day, Tulsa facilities process, treat and safely discharge into local streams and rivers an average of 55 million gallons of wastewater. During treatment, solids are removed from the wastewater and then further processed into nutrient-rich by-products called “biosolids.” 

Tulsa produces approximately 20 million pounds of biosolids each year. State regulations currently require that this material be beneficially reused or disposed of in a landfill or incinerated. Tulsa chooses beneficial reuse, which reduces landfill use, lowers costs for customers and provides valuable resources to local ranchers. 

Impacts of Proposed Legislation: 

• Loss of composting at Haikey Creek wastewater basin and a USDA fertilizer grant of $9.6MM 

• Additional $50MM in dewatering capital project at Northside wastewater basin 

• Over $100MM in capital costs for incineration at each plant 

• Additional $5MM in annual operating costs for landfill disposal (could add more for electrical costs) 

• Increased cleanout costs for septic tank owners 

Recommendations: 

• Conduct more testing of biosolids, acreage and uptake 

• Adopt a science-based approach to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) similar to Michigan’s approach 

• Target PFAS discharge rather than penalizing all residents 

• Provide a more realistic timeframe for capital improvements 

• Allow composting alternatives, such as Class A biosolids 

Interim Studies: 

• Wednesday, September 3, at 3:00 PM in Room 230: 25-37 – Human Biosolids Disposal; Author: Senator Randy Grellner 

• Tuesday, October 28 in Room 206: 25-010 – Soil Nutrient Management Related to the Use of Biosolids Land Application; Authors: Representatives Kenton Patzkowsky & Rick West 

• Tuesday, October 28 in Room 206: 25-085 – Land Application of Biosolids; Author: Representative Jim Shaw 

View the presentation here

STATE BUILDING CODE RECOMMENDATIONS 

The City of Tulsa, like cities around the country, is faced with a severe housing shortage. There are many obstacles to building new homes. The forum featured a presentation focusing on International Building Code reform, specifically comparing the International Residential Code (IRC) and International Building Code (IBC). 

From 2000 to 2021, Tulsa permitted an average of 830 housing units per year. To meet demand over the next decade, we need to increase this by 55% to 1,290. 

There is a mismatch between household size and housing stock: 

• 69% of households consist of 1–2 people 

• Yet, 60% of housing stock is made up of detached single-family homes. 

In addition to the mismatch between housing preferences and available housing options, requirements under the IBC can significantly increase both time and cost for developers and/or builders. For example, under the IBC, 13D sprinkler systems required for townhouses typically add over $10,000 per unit locally. 

Recommendations: 

• Amend the state the state-mandated requirement for sprinklers in townhouse structures by providing for equivalent, more cost-effective safety measures 

• Allow small-scale multifamily buildings (up to 8 units, 3 stories) to be regulated under the IRC instead of the more complex International Building Code (IBC) 

Interim Study: 

• Thursday, October 9, at 9:00 AM in Room 5S2: 25-091 – Impact of building code revisions to encourage the development of workforce housing; Author: Representative Suzanne Schreiber 

Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission (OUBCC): 

• Both recommendations are under consideration at the OUBCC 

View the presentation here

GRAFFITI ABATEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY 

Tulsa is experiencing a widespread and escalating graffiti problem affecting public, private and state-owned properties, including critical ODOT infrastructure like highway signage. This issue undermines community beautification efforts, public safety and the city’s image. Graffiti on green and white directional signs distracts drivers and obscures important information, leading to missed exits and increased accident risk. Damaged signs often require full replacement, costing thousands and necessitating lane closures. 

ODOT and Tulsa have limited crews for graffiti abatement. In the FY26 budget, Tulsa has obtained grants and allocated $100,000 to expand its efforts. A joint MOU is underway to allow collaboration between city and state crews. Additional strategies include installing deterrents under bridges, expanding mural programs, and increasing penalties for defacing traffic signs. 

Recommendations: 

• Earmark funds specifically for graffiti abatement, mirroring Tulsa’s recent budget action 

• Enhanced enforcement resources and evaluation of penalties to protect public assets 

View the presentation here