Panel to look at water proposal

The Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission at its monthly meeting Oct. 26 will consider finalizing a proposal to change water-quality standards in part of the state.

The proposal from the city of Huntsville is five years old but was amended in 2017 and received approval from the Legislature and governor in September.

Huntsville wants to increase the levels of minerals allowed in waters that the city’s wastewater plant discharges into. The city’s wastewater-discharge permit is on administrative hold — meaning it expired years ago but remains active — while the waters are out of compliance. Reducing minerals in its discharge and in the waters is cost-prohibitive, the city argues.

Minerals include chloride, total dissolved solids and sulfates.

If the proposal is approved, then allowable-mineral levels will increase for portions of Town Branch, Holman Creek and War Eagle Creek. The current proposal does not raise the limits as much as the previous proposal would have. Interested people can access more information at https://www.adeq.state. ar.us/regs/drafts/3rdParty/ reg02/13-006-R/.

The proposal was opposed by several individuals and groups. Some argued that the study of alternatives was insufficient.

The commission also will consider a petition from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to eliminate a permitting procedure for oil and gas wells that the department says is duplicative of an Oil and Gas Commission permit.