EPA Awards State Of Arkansas More Than $1.4M To Support Environmental Programs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the state of Arkansas $1,410,226 to support environmental programs. Three separate grants will go toward protecting and improving water bodies, implementing air-pollution control programs, and enforcing drinking water standards.

“States know best how to run their environmental programs to get results for their residents,” said Regional Administrator Anne Idsal. “EPA is proud to support Arkansas’ state agencies in protecting public health and the environment.”

ADEQ received a grant of $821,775 for programs to protect and improve surface- and groundwater. The programs will help prevent pollution from harming healthy waterbodies and improve water quality in waterbodies already affected by pollution. The grant will fund monitoring, standard-setting, establishing improvement plans for polluted waterways, and enforcement and compliance.

ADEQ’s air-pollution control program received a grant of $321,351 for maintaining and improving air quality. The funds will go toward regulating stationary pollution sources, updating mobile-source regulations, improving emissions data for modeling simulations, and operating an air monitoring network.

The Arkansas Department of Health’s grant of $267,100 will go toward implementing a public water system supervision program to enforce national drinking water regulations and the Safe Drinking Water Act. The funds will be used for developing state drinking water regulations; maintaining an inventory of, managing information on and providing technical assistance to public drinking water systems; and enforcing drinking water regulations.

“ADEQ appreciates the continued support of EPA in carrying out our mission of effectively and efficiently protecting, enhancing, and restoring Arkansas’s environment by advancing air, water, land, and energy solutions,” said Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Director Becky Keogh. “These grants are a key source of funding for our implementation of our federally delegated programs and represent in a tangible way our shared commitment to cooperative federalism.”

“This is great news for Arkansas. These grants from the EPA affirm and will complement the ongoing good work at the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health. I appreciate this administration’s focus on providing state’s with more flexibility and authority as we continue to improve air and water quality in our state,” said Governor Asa Hutchinson (R-AR).

“These funds will allow Arkansas to continue its commitment to protecting and improving the air we breathe and the water we drink. Investing in our state’s air and water quality will help ensure future generation will have access to clean and safe natural resources that make Arkansas such a unique and special place to live,” said U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR).

“I want to extend my congratulations to the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality on being awarded these funds from the EPA. It’s imperative that we protect our Natural State, and I am grateful for the continued work being done across Arkansas to improve our air and water quality,” said U.S. Congressman French Hill (AR-02).

“These awards to agencies in Arkansas provide our state with the opportunity to protect its citizens. Cooperation between federal and state agencies is essential if we are to protect our environment and our people without unnecessary overreach,” said U.S. Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-O4).

Every year, EPA awards more than $4B in funding for grants and other assistance agreements. From small non-profit organizations to large state governments, EPA works to help many visionary organizations achieve their environmental goals. With countless success stories over the years, EPA grants remain a chief tool to protect human health and the environment.

For more about EPA’s work in Arkansas, visit https://www.epa.gov/ar.

Activities in EPA Region 6, visit http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.htm.