The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment and Department of Agriculture (collectively “DEQ”) issued an October 22nd Joint Press Release noting that a virtual meeting has been scheduled for the Illinois River Watershed Steering Committee (“Committee”).
The meeting will be held on November 9th at 1:00 p.m. virtually via Zoom.
The Illinois River Watershed (“Watershed”) has been described as a trans-boundary watershed situated in the Ozark Plateaus. Its headwaters originate in Northwest Arkansas, and the Watershed includes three of the designated Oklahoma Scenic Rivers.
The Watershed Steering Committee was established through a Memorandum Agreement between the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment, the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Division of Environmental Quality, and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Division in November 2019. A copy of the Memorandum Agreement can be found here.
Article II, Section 7, of the Memorandum Agreement provided that the two states would establish a Steering Committee that would:
. . . oversee the implementation of this Agreement, including the MAW and the WIP Advisory Workgroup. The Steering Committee will meet at least on an annual basis to summarize progress in achieving the commitments set forth in this Agreement . . .
The October 22nd DEQ Joint Press Release identifies as items on the agenda:
- Various topics relating to the Watershed
- Presentations from environmental agencies in Oklahoma, Arkansas and the Cherokee Nation
The virtual meeting will be open to the public and comments accepted.
A copy of the news release with contact information can be downloaded here and the Memorandum Agreement here.
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