OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe says a deal has been reached between two federal agencies that will allow local firefighters to continue receiving surplus military equipment.
Oklahoma's senior U.S. senator issued a statement Wednesday praising the agreement reached between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense.
Oklahoma forestry officials say rural fire departments across the state would be devastated if the agencies had moved forward with a plan to stop providing thousands of surplus military vehicles and equipment to local departments over concerns about vehicle emissions.
Inhofe said the two agencies reached a deal Wednesday to an exemption for the program on the grounds that the vehicles' titles remain under DOD after being repurposed in order to ensure the vehicles are eventually destroyed.
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