The Arkansas Senate recently passed Senate Bill 290, sponsored by Sen. Blake Johnson, R-Corning, which will impose additional regulations on state agencies seeking to implement or maintain permit moratoriums on farming operations in watersheds and other bodies of water. The bill will maintain existing moratoriums on the Buffalo National River and Lake Maumelle watersheds while giving the Arkansas Legislature a say in the process. An amendment was made to the bill exempting current moratoriums protecting the Buffalo River and Lake Maumelle watersheds, addressing concerns raised by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Governor Sanders signed the bill into law on Wednesday afternoon.
Mike Wickline, a reporter who covers state politics, has been reporting on the Arkansas Legislature for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since 2000. Similarly, Josh Snyder, another reporter covering state politics, has been with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since 2018. The passage of Senate Bill 290 represents a significant development in environmental regulations in Arkansas, ensuring that farming operations in critical watersheds are subject to stricter oversight by the state legislature. This new law signals the government’s commitment to protecting the state’s natural resources while balancing the needs of farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
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