Arkansas Natural Resources Commission/Special Called Meeting: November 12th

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has announced that the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (“ANRC”) will hold what it describes as a “Special Called Meeting” on November 12th.

The Special Called Meeting will be held at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture which is located at 1 Natural Resources Drive in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The single agenda item reads as follows:

• Formal hearing reviewing the Director’s determination on Water Plan Compliance (WPC) Case No. 2024 02 21-001.

No additional explanation of this agenda item is provided.

The ANRC has noted in relevant part on its website regarding “Water Plan Compliance”:

…the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division (NRD) is responsible for preparing and overseeing the plan, and water planning at the State level. Water Plan Compliance Certification provides a way for retail water providers to obtain the necessary compliance certification to meet the Arkansas Water Plan requirements…Water Plan compliance ensures Arkansans have access to reliable sources of water for the future through responsible water and wastewater project development…Additionally, Water Plan compliance ensures water and wastewater utilities can meet the projected demands of their new projects, while not disrupting the service boundaries of nearby utility systems.

The same introduction notes factors that the Director considers in determining whether a water or wastewater development project should be approved for compliance which include:

• Purpose of the project.
• Existing conditions.
• Benefits expected from the project.
• General nature of the project.
• Geographic area to be served by the project.
• Necessity of the project.
• Feasibility of the project.
• Estimated cost and affordability.
• Degree to which the project coordinates regional water sources.

The ANRC then undertakes a review process of a submitted application for certification.

A link to the ANRC announcement regarding the Special Called Meeting and the agenda can be found here.