Historical Arkansas environmental information, 1971-2016

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State environmental policy
U.S. environmental policy
Endangered species policy
State endangered species
Federal land policy
Environmental terms
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The historical environmental information below applies to prior years. For more current information regarding environmental policy in Arkansas, see this article.

Land ownership

See also: Federal land policy and Federal land ownership by state

The federal government owned between 635 million and 640 million acres of land in 2012 (about 28 percent) of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Around 52 percent of federally owned acres were in 12 Western states—including Alaska, 61 percent of which was federally owned. In contrast, the federal government owned 4 percent of land in the other 38 states. Federal land policy is designed to manage minerals, oil and gas resources, timber, wildlife and fish, and other natural resources found on federal land. Land management policies are highly debated for their economic, environmental and social impacts. Additionally, the size of the federal estate and the acquisition of more federal land are major issues.[1][2]

Arkansas is located in the Southern United States. According to the Congressional Research Service, the state of Arkansas has a total acreage of 33.55 million acres. Of that total, 9.41 percent, or 3.16 million acres, belongs to the federal government. From 1990 to 2010, the federal government increased its ownership of land in Arkansas by 14,460 acres. The federal government owns between 635 million to 640 million acres nationwide, or 28 percent of the estimated 2.27 billion acres in the nation. 30.43 million acres in Arkansas are not owned by the federal government, which works out to an average of 10.28 acres per capita for the state's 2.959 million residents.[1]

The following table lists federal land ownership in Arkansas, and its neighbor, Louisiana. The chart also lists federal land ownership data for Maine, as a comparison.

Federal land ownership in Arkansas and other states, by agency[1]
State
Agency Arkansas Louisiana Maine
Acres owned Percentage owned Acres owned Percentage owned Acres owned Percentage owned
U.S. Forest Service 2,598,743 82.19% 604,373 45.43% 53,709 25.61%
U.S. National Park Service 98,320 3.11% 17,531 1.32% 66,898 31.90%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 373,051 11.80% 564,117 42.40% 65,987 31.46%
U.S. Bureau of Land Management 6,078 0.19% 16,474 1.24% 0 0.00%
U.S. Department of Defense 85,787 2.71% 127,934 9.62% 23,141 11.03%
Total federal land 3,161,979 100% 1,330,429 100% 209,735 100.00%
Source: Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data"

Land usage

Recreation

National parks in Arkansas

Arkansas has seven National Park Service units, two national forests, 12 wilderness areas, four national historic sites and one national historic trail. A study by the U.S. National Park Service found that 2.77 million visitors attended Arkansas' national parks and monuments and generated $144.3 million in visitor spending in 2013.[3]

Federal lands and Indian reservations in Arkansas by government agency (click on the image to enlarge)

State recreation lands

Arkansas' state parks are managed by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. To access a complete list of public access properties operated by the department, click here.[4]

Economic activity on federal lands

Oil and gas activity

See also: BLM oil and gas leases by state

Private mining companies, including oil and natural gas companies, can apply for leases from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to explore and produce energy on federal land. The company seeking a lease must nominate the land for oil and gas exploration to the BLM, which evaluates and approves the lease. The BLM state offices make leasing decisions based on their land use plans, which contain information on the land's resources and the potential environmental impact of oil or gas exploration. If federal lands are approved for leasing, the BLM requires an application from the company containing information on how the exploration, drilling and production will be conducted. Afterward, the BLM will produce an environmental analysis and a list of requirements before work on the land can begin. The agency also inspects the companies' drilling and producing on the leased lands.[5]

In 2013, there were 47,427 active leases covering 36.09 million acres of federal land nationwide. Of that total, 742 leases (1.56 percent of all leases), covering 490,363 acres (1.36 percent of all leased land in 2013), were in Arkansas. In 2013, out of 3,770 new drilling leases approved nationwide by the BLM for oil and gas exploration, 18 leases (0.004 percent) were in Arkansas.[6][7][8][9][10]

The table below shows how Arkansas compared to neighboring states in oil and gas permits on BLM-managed lands in 2013.

Oil and gas leasing on BLM lands by state
State Active permits on BLM lands (FY 2013) Total acres under lease (FY 2013) State percentage of total permits State percentage of total acres
Arkansas 742 490,363 1.56% 1.36%
Louisiana 525 297,028 1.11% 0.82%
Oklahoma 1,284 321,757 2.71% 0.89%
Texas 683 415,181 1.44% 1.15%
New Mexico 8,348 4,819,205 17.60% 13.35%
Total United States 47,427 permits 36,092,482 acres - -
Source: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Statistics"

Payments in lieu of taxes

See also: Payments in lieu of taxes

Since local governments cannot collect taxes on federally owned property, the U.S. Department of the Interior issues payments to local governments to replace lost property tax revenue from federal land. The payments, known as "Payments in Lieu of Taxes" (PILTs), are typically used for funding services such as fire departments, police protection, school construction and roads.[11]

The table below shows PILTs for Arkansas compared to neighboring states between 2011 and 2013.

Total PILTs for Arkansas and neighboring states
State FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 State's percentage of 2013 total
Arkansas $4,923,263 $5,277,001 $5,840,895 1.45%
Louisiana $554,343 $609,979 $634,317 0.16%
Texas $4,629,597 $4,644,653 $4,803,981 1.20%
Oklahoma $2,639,362 $2,740,199 $2,794,607 0.70%
New Mexico $32,916,396 $34,805,383 $34,692,967 8.64%
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, "PILT"


Legislation and regulation

Federal laws

Clean Air Act

The federal Clean Air Act requires each state to meet federal standards for air pollution. Under the act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversees national air quality standards aimed at limiting pollutants from chemical plants, steel mills, utilities, and industrial factories. Individual states can enact stricter air standards if they choose, though each state must adhere to the EPA's minimum pollution standards. States implement federal air standards through a state implementation plan (SIP), which must be approved by the EPA.[12]

Clean Water Act

The federal Clean Water Act is meant to address and maintain the physical, chemical, and biological status of the waters of the United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates water pollution sources and provides financial assistance to states and municipalities for water quality programs.[13]

According to research done by The New York Times using annual averages from 2004 to 2007, Arkansas had 795 facilities that were regulated annually by the Clean Water Act. An average of 518.4 facilities violated the act annually from 2004 to 2007 in Arkansas, and the EPA enforced the act an average of 13.8 times a year in the state. This information, published by the Times in 2009, was the most recent information on the subject as of October 2014.[14]

The table below shows how Arkansas compared to neighboring states in The New York Times study, including the number of regulated facilities, facility violations, and the annual average of enforcement actions against regulated facilities between 2004 and 2007.

The New York Times Clean Water Act study (2004-2007)
State Number of facilities regulated Facility violations Annual average enforcement actions
Arkansas 795 518.4 13.8
Louisiana 1580.5 368.9 93.4
Oklahoma 483.3 346.3 160.7
Texas 2839 1982.6 151.6
New Mexico 126 72.2 9.8
Source: The New York Times

Endangered Species Act

The federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 provides for the identification, listing, and protection of both threatened and endangered species and their habitats. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the law was designed to prevent the extinction of vulnerable plant and animal species through the development of recovery plans and the protection of critical habitats. ESA administration and enforcement are the responsibility of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.[15][16]

Federally listed species in Arkansas

There were 36 endangered and threatened animal and plant species believed to or known to occur in Arkansas as of July 2015.

The table below lists the 31 endangered and threatened animal species believed to or known to occur in the state. When an animal species has the word "Entire" after its name, that species will be found all throughout the state.[17]

The table below lists the five endangered and threatened plant species believed to or known to occur in the state.[18]

Enforcement

See also: Enforcement at the EPA

Arkansas is part of the EPA's Region 6, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.[19]

The EPA enforces federal standards on air, water and hazardous chemicals. The EPA can engage in its own administrative action against private industries, or it can bring civil and/or criminal lawsuits against them. The goal of environmental law enforcement is usually the collection of penalties and fines for violations of laws like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. In 2013, the EPA estimated that 117.1 million pounds of pollution, which includes air pollution, water contaminants, and hazardous chemicals, were "reduced, treated or eliminated" and 61,289 cubic yards of soil and water were cleaned in Region 6. Additionally, 439 enforcement cases were initiated, and 443 enforcement cases were concluded in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2012, the EPA collected $252 million in criminal fines and civil penalties from the private sector nationwide. In fiscal year 2013, the EPA collected $1.1 billion in criminal fines and civil penalties from the private sector nationwide, primarily due to the $1 billion settlement from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill along the Gulf Coast in 2010. The EPA only publishes nationwide data and does not provide state or region-specific information on the amount of fines and penalties it collects during a fiscal year.[20][21][22][23]

Mercury and air toxics standards

See also: Mercury and air toxics standards
The EPA on mercury capture systems

The EPA enforces mercury and air toxics standards (MATS), which are national limits on mercury, chromium, nickel, arsenic and acidic gases from coal- and oil-fired power plants. Power plants are required to have certain technologies to limit these pollutants. In December 2011, the EPA issued greater restrictions on the amount of mercury and other toxic pollutants produced by power plants. As of 2014, approximately 580 power plants, including 1,400 oil- and coal-fired electric-generating units, fell under the federal rule. The EPA has claimed that power plants account for 50 percent of mercury emissions, 75 percent of acidic gases and around 20 to 60 percent of toxic metal emissions in the United States. All coal- and oil-fired power plants with a capacity of 25 megawatts or greater are subject to the standards. The EPA has claimed that the standards will "prevent up to 250 premature deaths in Arkansas while creating up to $2 billion in health benefits in 2016."[24][25][26]

In 2014, the EPA released a study examining the economic, environmental, and health impacts of the MATS standards nationwide. Other organizations have released their own analyses about the effects of the MATS standards. Below is a summary of the studies on MATS and their effects as of November 2014.

EPA study
In 2014, the EPA reported that its MATS rule would prevent roughly 11,000 premature deaths and 130,000 asthma attacks nationwide. The agency also anticipated between $37 billion and $90 billion in "improved air quality benefits" annually. For the rule's cost, the EPA estimated that annual compliance fees for coal- and oil-fired power plants would reach $9.6 billion.[27]

NERA study
A 2012 study published by NERA Economic Consulting, a global consultancy group, reported that annual compliance costs in the electricity sector would total $10 billion in 2015 and nearly $100 billion cumulatively up through 2034. The same study found that the net impact of the MATS rule in 2015 would be the income equivalent of 180,000 fewer jobs. This net impact took into account the job gains associated with the building and refitting of power plants with new technology.[28]

Superfund sites

The EPA established the Superfund program as part of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980.The Superfund program focuses on uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites nationwide. The EPA inspects waste sites and establishes cleanup plans for them. The federal government can compel the private entities responsible for a waste site to clean the site or face penalties. If the federal government cleans a waste site, it can force the responsible party to reimburse the EPA or other federal agencies for the cleanup's cost. Superfund sites include oil refineries, smelting facilities, mines and other industrial areas. As of October 2014, there were 1,322 Superfund sites nationwide. A total of 91 Superfund sites reside in Region 6, with an average of 18.2 sites per state. There were nine Superfund sites in Arkansas as of October 2014.[29][30]

Economic impact
EPA studies
The Environmental Protection Agency publishes studies to evaluate the impact and benefits of its policies. Other studies may dispute the agency's findings or state the costs of its policies.

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent federal agency, the Superfund program received an average of almost $1.2 billion annually in appropriated funds between the years 1981 and 2009, adjusted for inflation. The GAO estimated that the trust fund of the Superfund program decreased from $5 billion in 1997 to $137 million in 2009. The Superfund program received an additional $600 million in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the stimulus bill.[31]

In March 2011, the EPA claimed that the agency's Superfund program produced economic benefits nationwide. Because Superfund sites are added and removed from a prioritized list on a regular basis, the total number of Superfund sites since the program's inception in 1980 is unknown. Based on a selective study of 373 Superfund sites cleaned up since the program's inception, the EPA estimated these economic benefits include the creation of 2,240 private businesses, $32.6 billion in annual sales from new businesses, 70,144 jobs and $4.9 billion in annual employment income.[32]

Other studies were published detailing the costs associated with the Superfund program. According to the Property and Environment Research Center, a free market-oriented policy group based in Montana, the EPA spent over $35 billion on the Superfund program between 1980 and 2005.[33][34]

Environmental impact

In March 2011, the EPA claimed that the Superfund program resulted in healthier environments surrounding former waste sites. An agency study analyzed the program's health and ecological benefits and focused on former landfills, mining areas, and abandoned dumps that were cleaned up and renovated. As of January 2009, out of the approximately 500 former Superfund sites used for the study, roughly 10 percent became recreational or commercial sites. Other former Superfund sites in the study are now used as wetlands, meadows, streams, scenic trails, parks, and habitats for plants and animals.[35]


Clean Line transmission project

The Plains and Eastern Clean Line is a 700-mile proposed transmission line that would carry 3,500 megawatts of electricity generated by future wind farms from Oklahoma and Texas to Arkansas, among other states. The plan was developed by Clean Line Energy, a Houston-based energy company and is expected to cost $2 billion. Clean Line Energy began in 2009 to transmit wind-generated electricity from high-wind areas to areas where demand for electricity is high. In August 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave approval for Clean Line Energy to begin negotiating power rates and agreements for its proposed transmission line. The decision allowed the company to begin choosing applicants for the project and picking prices for its service if the project is ultimately approved. In December 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a 3,700-page environmental impact statement for the project after conducting roughly 18 months of meetings with state, local and federal officials along with affected citizens. The department accepted public comments on the report until March 19, 2015. Public meetings occurred in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee towns prior to March 2015. The Energy Department's report highlighted the potential impact on agriculture, health and safety issues involving electrical and magnetic fields and the impact on private land ownership. The report also found that, if approved, the project could create an average of 965 jobs over a 36-42 month period during its construction, with peak employment of 1,700 workers during that period. After construction, the project was estimated to create 72 to 87 full-time jobs.[36][37][38]

Carbon emissions

See also: Climate change, Greenhouse gas and Greenhouse gas emissions by state

In 2011, Arkansas ranked 29th in CO2 emissions. Arkansas' carbon emissions have risen since 1990, from 51 million metric tons of CO2 in 1990 to 67 million metric tons of CO2 in 2011. The majority of Arkansas' emissions came from the electric power sector (51.3 percent) while 28.8 percent of the state's emissions came from the transportation sector. The industrial, commercial and residential sectors accounted for the remainder.[39]

Carbon dioxide emissions in Arkansas (in million metric tons). Data was compiled by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Carbon dioxide emissions in Arkansas by sector

Pollution from energy use

Pollution from energy use includes three common air pollutants: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. These and other pollutants are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which are federal standards limiting pollutants that can harm human health in significant concentrations. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is also regulated by the EPA, but it is excluded here since it is not one of the pollutants originally regulated under the Clean Air Act for its harm to human health.

Industries and motor vehicles emit carbon monoxide directly when they use energy. Nitrogen dioxide forms from the emissions of automobiles, power plants and other sources. Ground level ozone (also known as tropospheric ozone) is not emitted but is the product of chemical reactions between nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic chemicals. The EPA tracks these and other pollutants from monitoring sites across the United States. The data below shows nationwide and regional trends for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone between 2000 and 2014. States with consistent climates and weather patterns were grouped together by the EPA to make up each region.[40][41]

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced from combustion processes, e.g., when gasoline reacts rapidly with oxygen and releases exhaust; the majority of national CO emissions come from mobile sources like automobiles. CO can reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and at very high levels can cause death. CO concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm). Since 1994, federal law prohibits CO concentrations from exceeding 9 ppm during an eight-hour period more than once per year.[42][43]

The chart below compares the annual average concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in the Southern and Southwestern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. Carbon monoxide concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm). States with consistent climates and weather patterns were grouped together by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which collects these data, to make up each region. Each line represents the annual average of all the data collected from pollution monitoring sites in each region. In the South, there were 18 monitoring sites throughout six states. In the Southwest, there were 24 monitoring sites throughout four states. In 2000, the average concentration of carbon monoxide was 3.84 ppm in the South, compared to 4.05 ppm in the Southwest. In 2014, the average concentration of carbon monoxide was 1.28 ppm in the South, a decrease of 66.6 percent from 2000, compared to 1.63 ppm in the Southwest, a decrease of 59.9 percent from 2000.[44]

South-Southwest regional comparison.png

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of a group of gasses known as nitrogen oxides (NOx). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) measures NO2 as a representative for the larger group of nitrogen oxides. NO2 forms from the emissions of cars, buses, trucks, power plants, and off-road equipment. It helps form ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution, and has been linked to respiratory problems. Since 1971, federal law prohibits NO2 concentrations from exceeding a daily one-hour average of 100 parts per billion (ppb) and an annual average of 53 parts per billion (ppb).[43][45][43]

The chart below compares the annual one-hour average concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the Southern and Southwestern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. In the South, there were 34 monitoring sites throughout six states, compared to 10 monitoring sites throughout four states in the Southwest. In 2000, the one-hour daily average concentration of NO2 was 50.24 ppb in the South, compared to 71.5 ppb in the Southwest. In 2014, the one-hour daily average concentration of NO2 was 36.77 ppb in the South, a decrease of 26.8 percent since 2000, compared to 49.35 ppb in the Southwest, a decrease of 30.9 percent since 2000.[46]

South-Southwest regional comparison.png

Ground-level ozone

Ground-level ozone is created by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in sunlight. Major sources of NOx and VOCs include industrial facilities, electric utilities, automobiles, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents. Ground-level ozone can produce health problems for children, the elderly, and asthmatics. Since 2008, federal law has prohibited ozone concentrations from exceeding a daily eight-hour average of 75 parts per billion (ppb). Beginning in 2025, federal law will prohibit ground-level ozone concentrations from exceeding a daily eight-hour average of 70 ppb.[43][47]

The chart below compares the daily eight-hour average concentration of ground-level ozone in the Southern and Southwestern regions of the United States between 2000 and 2014. In the chart below, ozone concentrations are measured in parts per million (ppm), which can be converted to parts per billion (ppb). In the South, there were 110 monitoring sites throughout six states, compared to 63 monitoring sites throughout four states in the Southeast. In 2000, the daily eight-hour average concentration of ozone was 0.0873 ppm, or 87.3 ppb in the South, compared to 0.0773 ppm, or 77.3 ppb in the Southwest. In 2014, the daily eight-hour average concentration of ozone was 0.0661 ppm, or 66.1 ppb in the South, a decrease of 24.2 percent since 2000, compared to 0.0692 ppm, or 69.2 ppb in the Southwest, a decrease of 10.5 percent since 2000.[48]

South-Southwest regional comparison.png


State laws

AR Environment Logo.gif

Arkansas' environmental laws and regulations are compiled and published in the Arkansas Code. Most of Arkansas' environmental laws are found in Title 8, although other environment-related laws can be found in other sections of the Arkansas code. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality also publishes more specific regulations covering specific environmental issues, which can be found here[49]

Enforcement

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality is composed of four major divisions:

  1. Air
  2. Hazardous waste
  3. Solid waste management
  4. Water

The department is responsible for cleanups, compliance and enforcement, education, technical assistance, monitoring and data analysis, permitting, planning, policy development and pollution control.[50]

Below are brief descriptions of each major division.

  • The Air Division is responsible for maintaining air quality in the state. The division issues permits for major industrial sources of air pollution, performs inspections of these permitted facilities, monitors air quality throughout the state and conducts laboratory work to determine air pollutant levels.[51]
  • The Hazardous Waste Division is responsible for issuing permits, conducting inspections of facilities that use or dispose of hazardous wastes, enforces state standards on waste management, and investigates the release of hazardous wastes at contaminated sites.[52]
  • The Solid Waste Management Division is responsible for overseeing the handling, processing, recycling and disposing of solid wastes. The division engages in permitting and monitoring solid waste facilities and also provides grants and loans for the construction of waste management facilities like landfills.[53]
  • The Water Division is responsible for developing water quality standards for waterways, surface waters and groundwater sources. The division issues permits for industrial and municipal sources that deal with wastewater and stormwater and monitors these facilities for compliance. The division also monitors water networks throughout the state and publishes a report every two years.[54]

Historical budget information

The table below shows the total expenditures on the environment and natural resources in Arkansas and in neighboring states.

Total state natural resource expenditures by state
State Departments/Divisions FY 2013 FY 2012 FY 2011
Arkansas Environmental Quality $50,832,828 $49,816,569 $53,947,685
Louisiana Environmental Quality $123,424,785 $127,106,901 $133,898,870
Oklahoma Environmental Quality; Water Resources $13,057,644 $13,134,153 $13,825,424
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality $340,636,918 $351,391,149 $472,774,096
New Mexico Environment; Natural Resources $69,594,000 $79,682,500 $74,085,200
Sources: Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Louisiana Division of Administration, Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services, Texas Legislative Budget Board, Office of the Governor of New Mexico

Major groups

Below is a list of environmental advocacy organizations in Arkansas.[55]

Ballot measures

Voting on the Environment
Environment.jpg
Ballot Measures
By state
By year
Not on ballot


Below is a list of ballot measures relating to environmental issues in Arkansas.

Natural resources

Ballotpedia staff have tracked no ballot measures relating to natural resources in Arkansas.

Environment

Water

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term "Arkansas+Environmental+Policy"

Arkansas Environmental News Feed

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data," accessed September 15, 2014
  2. ↑ U.S. Congressional Research Service, "Federal Lands and Natural Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 113th Congress," December 8, 2014
  3. ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "2013 National Park Visitor Spending Effects Report," accessed October 14, 2014
  4. ↑ Arkansas State Parks, "Park Finder," accessed December 18, 2014
  5. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Lease Sales," accessed October 20, 2014
  6. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Number of Acres Leased During the Fiscal Year," accessed October 20, 2014
  7. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Total Number of Leases in Effect," accessed October 20, 2014
  8. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Summary of Onshore Oil and Gas Statistics," accessed October 20, 2014
  9. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Number of Drilling Permits Approved by Fiscal Year on Federal Lands," accessed October 20, 2014
  10. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "Total Number of Acres Under Lease As of the Last Day of the Fiscal Year," accessed October 22, 2014
  11. ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "PILT," accessed October 4, 2014
  12. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Understanding the Clean Air Act," accessed September 12, 2014
  13. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Clean Water Act (CWA) Overview," accessed September 19, 2014
  14. ↑ The New York Times, "Clean Water Act Violations: The Enforcement Record," September 13, 2009
  15. ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Improving ESA Implementation," accessed May 15, 2015
  16. ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "ESA Overview," accessed October 1, 2014
  17. ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Endangered and threatened species in Arkansas," accessed July 6, 2015
  18. ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Endangered and threatened species in Arkansas," accessed July 6, 2015
  19. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EPA Region 6 (South Central)," accessed November 13, 2014
  20. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Annual EPA Enforcement Results Highlight Focus on Major Environmental Violations," February 7, 2014
  21. ↑ Environmental Protection Agency, "Accomplishments by EPA Region (2013)," May 12, 2014
  22. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Enforcement Annual Results for Fiscal Year 2012," accessed October 1, 2014
  23. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EPA Enforcement in 2012 Protects Communities From Harmful Pollution," December 17, 2012
  24. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Basic Information on Mercury and Air Toxics Standards," accessed January 5, 2015
  25. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Cleaner Power Plants," accessed January 5, 2015
  26. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in Utah," accessed September 9, 2014
  27. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Benefits and Costs of Cleaning Up Toxic Air Pollution from Power Plants," accessed October 9, 2014
  28. ↑ NERA Economic Consulting, "An Economic Impact Analysis of EPA's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Rule," March 1, 2012
  29. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "What is Superfund?" accessed September 9, 2014
  30. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "National Priorities List (NPL) of Superfund Sites," accessed October 7, 2014
  31. ↑ U.S. Government Accountability Office, "EPA's Estimated Costs to Remediate Existing Sites Exceed Current Funding Levels, and More Sites Are Expected to Be Added to the National Priorities List," accessed October 7, 2014
  32. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Estimate of National Economic Impacts of Superfund Sites," accessed September 12, 2014
  33. ↑ Property and Environment Research Center, "Superfund Follies, Part II," accessed October 7, 2014
  34. ↑ Property and Environment Research Center, "Superfund: The Shortcut That Failed (1996)," accessed October 7, 2014
  35. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Beneficial Effects of the Superfund Program," accessed September 12, 2014
  36. ↑ News OK, "Federal officials release draft report on Plains and Eastern Clean Line transmission project," December 12, 2014
  37. ↑ Times Free Press, "FERC approves Clean Line to transmit wind power from Oklahoma to Tennessee," August 20th, 2014
  38. ↑ North American Wind Power, "DOE Releases Draft EIS For 3.5 GW Wind Transmission Project," December 15, 2014
  39. ↑ U.S. Energy Information Administration, "State Profiles and Energy Estimates," accessed October 13, 2014
  40. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Air Trends," accessed October 30, 2015
  41. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Basic Information - Ozone," accessed January 1, 2016
  42. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Carbon Monoxide," accessed October 26, 2015
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)," accessed October 26, 2015
  44. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Regional Trends in CO Levels," accessed October 23, 2015
  45. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Nitrogen dioxide," accessed October 26, 2015
  46. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Regional Trends in Nitrogen Dioxide Levels," accessed October 23, 2015
  47. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ground Level Ozone," accessed October 26, 2015
  48. ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Regional Trends in Ozone Levels ," accessed October 26, 2015
  49. ↑ Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, "Arkansas Environmental Laws," accessed December 18, 2014
  50. ↑ Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, "ADEQ: Who We Are and What We Do," accessed December 18, 2014
  51. ↑ Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, "Air Division," accessed December 18, 2014
  52. ↑ Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, "Hazardous Waste Division," accessed December 18, 2014
  53. ↑ Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, "Solid Waste Management Division," accessed December 18, 2014
  54. ↑ Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, "Water Division," accessed December 18, 2014
  55. ↑ Eco-USA.net, "Arkansas Environmental Organizations," accessed December 9, 2014
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