Regional Water Nutrient Group Possible Under New State Law

Thanks to a new state law, a regional water compliance association based in Northwest Arkansas is in the works, and when it’s formed and functioning as planned, could help improve the Illinois River Watershed.

Heath Ward, a member of the Nutrient Water Quality Trading Advisory Panel and executive director of Springdale Water Utilities, said Act 335, which went into effect in July, opens the door for nutrient trading and credits.

Under nutrient trading, public and private entities work together to create a network of programs throughout the watershed, not just at the point of discharge from a plant, to reduce the amount of phosphorous and nitrogen in the water.

Trading and credits are much more affordable, and thus more flexible, than the old system of permits and penalties. For example, the cost per pound to remove phosphorus through stream bank restoration on private property might be much less than the cost per pound to remove it through improvements at a wastewater plant.

“Permit limits are not the answer, and most people know that now,” Ward said. “Perhaps we can do something proactive.”

Probable members of a regional compliance association would include Tyson Foods Inc., Cargill, George’s Inc., the four biggest cities in Northwest Arkansas, and Beaver Water District. The entities would pay into the system to create a “bank” that could then be used to fund programs.

Talk of the new regional compliance association comes as the six-member Joint Study Committee, composed of representatives from Arkansas and Oklahoma, tries to determine an appropriate phosphorous level flowing into Oklahoma from Arkansas.

Other members of the statewide nutrient trading panel include Larry Lloyd of Beaver Water District, Delia Haak of the Illinois River Watershed Alliance, Jimmy Mardis and Jamie Burr, both of Tyson Foods, Evan Teague of Little Rock, and Rick Rodenroth of Fouke.