TOPEKA – Worsening drought conditions for most of Kansas led Governor Sam Brownback to issue a transportation order and update the Drought Declaration for Kansas counties today. Drought declarations by the Governor now affect 80 of 105 counties.
“Continued dry and hot conditions have led to a Drought Emergency declaration for a total of 17 counties,” Governor Brownback said. “Below normal precipitation patterns continue in more than 75 percent of Kansas counties which are not only depleting available soil moisture, but have resulted in the decline of stream flow conditions.”
The updated drought declaration (Executive Order 11-29) upgrades two south-central counties to Emergency, moves 18 to Warning in the south east and adds three counties to the Watch category. This action was recommended by Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
“These recommendations are based on the water resource conditions including soil moisture and needs for current and future crops” said Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. “In addition the outlook for future conditions is also considered.”
This declaration shall remain in effect for the identified counties until rescinded or superseded by a subsequent order revising the drought stage status of the affected counties. Effective immediately:
This authorizes and directs all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor to implement the appropriate watch or warning level-drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.
The Governor also signed Executive Order 11-28 to grant conditional and temporary relief from state motor carrier rules and regulations for those hauling hay to livestock in drought stricken areas in Kansas as well as in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. The order also:
This temporarily suspends the registration and fuel tax permits as enforced by the Kansas Department of Revenue for the subject motor carriers, temporarily suspends the licensing, certification and permitting rules and regulations as required by the Kansas Corporation Commission are for the subject motor carriers, waives the requirement for participating motor carriers to obtain an over-dimensional permit from the Kansas Department of Transportation, allows participating motor carriers to travel during nighttime hours if the over-dimensional load is marked with clearance lights and/or escort vehicles are used, and limits load size to no more than 12-feet in width and no more than 14 feet, six inches in height.
Qualified motor carriers must continue to follow all federal and state regulations and laws regarding the operation of commercial vehicle and the transportation of hazardous materials. The transportation order is effective for 30 days.
Those in our area where there have been drought stage declarations include Reno, Barber, Clark, Comanche, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Kiowa, Pratt, Sedgwick, Seward and Stafford counties.
Those under a drought warning in our area include Barton, Butler, Chase, Marion, McPherson, Pawnee, and Rice counties.