News Releases from Region 06

EPA Awards $651,709 to Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality

EPA and Arkansas partner to prevent water pollution

DALLAS – (June 2, 2017) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awards a water quality grant to assist the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) in administering the state's water quality and ground water programs.

“Providing funds directly to Arkansas is an excellent example of EPA partnering with states to help address their unique and critical environmental challenges,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “EPA is making investments like this grant to help empower states who know best how to protect resources, and grow their economy while solving real environmental problems in local communities.”

“ADEQ is pleased to see EPA’s support and investment in a true partnership, recognizing and respecting the state’s competency and ability to implement and streamline effective programs consistent with law in meaningful ways for Arkansas citizens,” said Becky Keogh, Director of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.

The funding for this project aims to prevent, reduce, and eliminate water pollution through monitoring, standard-setting, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)development, permitting, surface and ground water enforcement and compliance activities, program management and other water quality related activities.

These pollution control programs support the goals of the Clean Water Act to protect rivers, lakes, bays, wetlands, and coastal waters. Streams and wetlands benefit communities by trapping floodwaters, recharging groundwater supplies, removing pollution and providing habitats for fish and wildlife. Families and farms located downstream understand the importance of healthy headwaters upstream. One in three Americans get their drinking water from public systems that rely on seasonal and rain-dependent streams.

The Clean Water Act provides funding to water pollution control programs to build and sustain effective water quality programs that ensure the health of our nation’s water bodies. The funds are awarded under section 106 of the Clean Water Act. EPA provides this financial assistance to build and sustain effective water quality programs that ensure the health of our nation’s water bodies.

The objective of the Clean Water Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters. Programs under the act support monitoring, assessment, protection, and prevention of polluted runoff in waterways.

To learn more about ADEQ visit: https://www.adeq.state.ar.us/

To learn more about ADEQ’s water quality program visit: https://www.adeq.state.ar.us/water/