A bill that was once opposed by conservationists and Gov. Sarah Sanders has passed the Arkansas House of Representatives thanks to a compromise amendment. Senate Bill 290, which would make it harder for state regulators to place a moratorium on farming permits in watersheds in Arkansas, passed with an exception for the Buffalo National River and Lake Maumelle. The bill, originally without these exceptions, was amended after a compromise was reached with the governor to grandfather in protections for these specific areas. The amended bill still has to clear the Senate on the last day of the session.
The bill has been a point of contention between farm industry groups, who see it as protecting their right to farm, and environmentalist groups, who opposed it. The compromise reached with the governor’s office aims to preserve protections for the iconic Buffalo River while giving legislators more say in future farming permit moratoriums proposed by the state government.
The fight over industrial farming in the Buffalo watershed has been ongoing since a moratorium was put in place in 2014 after a hog farm obtained a permit through a regulatory loophole. The amended bill aims to strike a balance between protecting the environment and allowing for farming activities to continue.
The final bill will now go to the Senate for approval, marking a significant step in the ongoing debate over farming permits in Arkansas watersheds.
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