Chickasaw Nation Investments Improve Quality of Life
Water infrastructure throughout rural Oklahoma is in critical need of improvements, with many water treatment systems feeling the effects of aging infrastructure dating back to the 1960s. The Chickasaw Nation recognizes water is vital for growth and quality of life, so it has partnered with state and local communities to make much-needed repairs, utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Water sustainability is a priority for this and future generations.
The Chickasaws understand that water is essential to life. They also understand that working together is the only way to make life better for everybody.
Dr. Tim Faltyn
President,
Murray State College
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Whether it’s the Citizen Potawatomi Nation building a new plant or the Choctaw Nation working with local communities to improve water quality, tribes know that collaboration is the only way to bring clean, safe water to all Oklahomans. Without reliable and sustainable access to water, health is jeopardized and economic progress stalls. With tribal investment, generations to come will have access to the water they need.
When it comes to water, we’re all in it together, we all benefit from it. It drives the economy, it drives health and safety.
Chuck Hoskin, Jr.
Principal Chief,
Cherokee Nation
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Tribes Driving Transportation Improvements
“They’re Willing to Help”
As Chickasaw Nation has grown, they’ve helped the communities around them with new roads and bridges.
Strong, modern infrastructure is an essential part of healthy economies. Without it, commerce becomes inefficient, quality of life deteriorates, and ultimately, jobs and opportunities go elsewhere. But maintaining necessary infrastructure is extremely expensive and government budgets strain to find the resources amidst competing demands for other essentials like education and health care. This is why the Native American tribes are such important partners for the state of Oklahoma to meet its infrastructure needs.
In transportation, Oklahoma tribes are first in the nation in the U.S. Department of Transportation contributions to local roads. Twenty-seven thousand miles, over $200 million contributed to local roads and bridges. This is money that would have to come from taxes and from taxpayers, instead it comes from the tribes and their generosity.
Judge Robert Henry
President,
Oklahoma City University (2010-2018)
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“It’s a Domino Effect”
Partnering with Tribal Nations
“The brick and mortar is what you see,” says former Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Gary Ridley. “But what you don’t see is the things that are getting taken care of, bad things that never happened.”
The impact of tribal investment is nearly impossible to overstate. “Unlike other corporations that come and go based upon the incentives they have, we’re not going anywhere,” said Cherokee Nation Businesses VP of Government Relations Kim Teehee. “So we invest greatly in infrastructure, on road development, and ensuring the road safety of not just our citizens, but all of Oklahomans.”
In his role as Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), Gary Ridley learned first-hand what a difference the tribes make. “It’s a domino effect,” he said. “When you’re able to have a partner that comes to the table with finances, with money to help fix a problem, it enables you to fix not only that problem, but now you have the funds to be able to go fix another problem.”
Broadband and internet access is today and tomorrow’s highway, replacing the asphalt and concrete highways of today. Building a broadband system is necessary.
Geoffrey Standing Bear
Principal Chief,
Osage Nation
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Pottawatomie County Water
One local tribe supplies water to all of the residences and businesses in its county.
Together, the tribes and the state are paving a strong and promising future for Oklahoma’s economy through their productive, mutually beneficial partnership.
“It’s not very often that a government, whether it’s city government, county government, or state government, comes to you with a problem and, oh, by the way, brings some financial assistance in order for you to help solve the problem. Usually it’s just the problem,” said Ridley. “But the tribal governments, it’s how can we help?”
The Chickasaw Nation established a community sustainability program that works to provide sustainable water supplies to every community within Chickasaw Nation.
Kris Patton
Director of Natural Resources
Chickasaw Nation
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Chickasaws understand that water is essential to life. They also understand that working together is the only way to make life better for everybody.
Dr. Tim Faltyn
President
Murray State College
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They understand that it’s not just the members of their local government or their tribe that they’re helping, they understand that it’s all of Oklahoma.
Gary Ridley
Secretary
Oklahoma Dept. of Transportation (2009-2017)
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When I think about all that they do, they do that voluntarily. They do it for the better good of their community and for the state of Oklahoma.
