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Oklahoma environmental agencies announce collaboration with Arkansas to address Illinois River water quality
State environmental agencies in Oklahoma and Arkansas on Wednesday announced the completion of an agreement to address water quality concerns in the Illinois River.
The agreement — signed by Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment Michael Teague, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission — “charts a path forward on science-based regulatory actions and permitting, and that jointly commits the parties to collaborative efforts in developing a watershed improvement plan,” according to a news release.
The deal also includes a commitment to making data about water quality improvements more readily available, the release said.
“(Arkansas) Governor Asa Hutchinson and I have worked together on many issues, and I’m proud that our agencies have taken on this challenge and developed such a collaborative solution,” Gov. Mary Fallin said in a statement. “Recognizing the value of our water resources, we should all be working together to improve the beauty and quality of the Illinois River.”