The funding of the OU National Weather Center was at the core of controversy at TuesdayÕs Norman City Council Meeting.

During the miscellaneous discussion period, Ed Kessler, former director of the National Severe Storms Laboratory for 20 years and current vice-chair of Common Cause Oklahoma said there has been misinformation about what will result from taking current funds from the Petroleum Storage Tank Release Environmental Cleanup Indemnity Fund for the future weather center.

The Environmental Protection Agency wrote a letter to Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode on March 21 supporting KesslerÕs concerns about the funds being diverted from the underground storage cleanup program.

OU President David L. Boren believes that $19 million in federal matching funds would have been lost, if State Senator Cal HobsonÕs proposal had not passed, he said in a statement Wednesday. Hobson was the author of House Bill 2536, which allows funds to be taken from the Petroleum Storage Tank Release Environmental Cleanup Indemnity Fund. The fund is allocated to assist in cleaning up the 3,200 confirmed leaking underground storage tank sites in Oklahoma. The citizens of Oklahoma provide funding for the program via one-cent per gallon assessment.

During the meeting, Kessler explained three points about how the underground storage tank cleanup program will suffer as a result of the diversion of funds, and how there needs to be full disclosure about the funding process before it begins July 1.

ÒIt is highly inappropriate to divert funds from the program to remediate ground water pollution in order to build the weather center,Ó Kessler said. ÒA strong community of environmentally concerned scientists cannot be funded from a foundation of enhanced pollution.Ó

Secondly, he said that meteorologists and administrators were deceived by an unsigned inaccurate document titled Fact Sheet on OU-OSU Research Bill which accompanied House Bill 2536. Kessler said the document gave misleading information about the program to remediate groundwater pollution from leaking underground tanks.

Kessler also said a Virginia company offered to fund the weather center and that in return, it would receive anticipated rents. This would validate the use of lease-revenue bonds as a means for obtaining required matching funds. He said this proposal was turned down.

If these three points are true, he said, Òhave the politically empowered gone so far as to fund the Weather Center at the cost to enhanced pollution of groundwater even when non-polluting alternatives were readily available?Ó ÒDo you think the scientist, technicians, and administrators who will populate the new building would find this acceptable? And if true,Ó he said. ÒWhat kind of people do you think we are?" ÒThe present situation is a major disgrace,Ó Kessler said. ÒThe situation needs to be clarified with full disclosure of the background and it needs to be set right.Ó

Boren, said he approves of the use of the Petroleum Storage Tank Release Environmental Cleanup Indemnity Fund for the future weather center and disagrees with KesslerÕs and WilliamÕs claims.

ÒWhile I have great respect for my friend, Mr. Ed Kessler, I respectfully disagree with him on this issue,Ó Boren said. ÒIt would have been tragic for us to have lost the $19 million in federal matching funds which have taken over four years to obtain. The funds would have been lost if the Hobson proposal had not passed.Ó Ê ÒThis is one of the greatest opportunities ever given to our state,Ó Boren said. ÒIt allows us to build a research facility which will be literally the best in the world in its area of expertise. The Weather Center will not only help save lives, it is a major breakthrough in changing the state's economy to create high tech jobs.Ó Ê Boren said it is understandable that those in the bureaucracy who have a self interest in a particular program and those private companies who profit from the state contracts might not be enthusiastic about changes in the program.

However, Boren said, he had detailed discussions with Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode about the proposal and she understands that the integrity of the Underground Storage Cleanup Program will be protected and that the program will remain at the Corporation Commission. Ê ÒIn addition, the total amount of dollars available to the program will be increased by several million dollars by extending the life of the program for three years,Ó Boren said.

ÒThe latest bill keeps faith with the promise to extend it for two more years. Environmentalists certainly should favor extending the life of this program.Ó

Boren also said that to his knowledge, the OU received no other offers of grants to pay for this building.

ÓIn my opinion, it would have been one of the biggest mistakes in our state's history to allow this opportunity to slip through our fingers.Ó