Federal road grants, wastewater permitting spurred on decision to join
Amove by the City of Newcastle to fully join the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) is expected to help the City in future projects.
Newcastle has been active with the regional planning group through its 911 and transportation committees. Council members Mike Fullerton and Marci White are the City’s representatives. As the City has agreed to fully join ACOG, Mayor Karl Nail is the City’s representative on their Board of Directors.
Nail said, “We are in the room with every major metro community, and it’s good for the future of the City and for future opportunities for the City of Newcastle.”
Newcastle’s City Council made the decision to join ACOG during the November 10, 2025, Council meeting. They agreed to pay one-half year’s dues, based on the City’s population.
Although ACOG has four major services areas, such as 911 and public safety, community and economic development, transportation planning services, and water resources, Newcastle had been facing some federal funding challenges and an issue with water discharge permitting review.
Nail said what pressed the City to seek full membership and a place on the Board of Directors was the seeking of Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality approval on a wastewater permit.
Part of the process the City is undergoing for the proposed wastewater facility on State Highway 9 includes permittting through ODEQ. Nail said the reviewing authority for the ODEQ permits were turned over to ACOG.
“We went to ACOG for them to review it, but we needed to be a full member of ACOG,” Nail said. “We needed to do this anyway, but this kind of forced us to become a full member.”
He said long term, it will be a good opportunity for the City, especially in grant funding.
Nail said the City has also had difficulty in obtaining federal funding on various projects. Some of this funding comes through ACOG, and the City is working on a process to utilize these services.
Nail added that ACOG membership should help Newcastle procure additional road grants in the future, because a lot of federal money comes through ACOG.
According to information from ACOG, the group services a population of about 1.3 million people with a gross domestic product of $190.1 million. The collaboration of communities and governments is expected to help address regional issues, solve mutual problems of member government entities, promote efficient government services, and to improve the lives of those who reside in Central Oklahoma.
ACOG’s Board of Directors meets monthly at their headquarters on Lincoln Boulevard near the State Capitol.
McClain County also utilizes the services of ACOG by having membership on the 911 and transportation committees.
McClain County is represented on ACOG by Commissioner Wilson Lyles.
