Why Do We Need to Save the Buffalo River, Again?

The "Save the Buffalo - Again" campaign was necessary because, in 2012, an industrial scale hog facility was built on the banks of Big Creek, just 5 miles upstream from the Buffalo National River. Government oversight of this development was deeply flawed and threatened to destroy the fragile ecosystem of our nation's first National River. However, in June 2019, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced a $6.2 million buyout and closure of the facility and requested a permanent ban on any future swine permits in the watershed. Read further for how this saga unfolded.

Big News! 

After over six years of efforts by BRWA and others, we are excited to share that on June 13, 2019 Governor Hutchinson Announced Closure of C&H and support for a Permanent Moratorium! Read the news here. Read the Settlement Agreement here.

On January 6, 2020 the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism announced that C&H had completed their closure requirements and operations had officially ended 

But...

ADEQ must  now empty and dispose of the contents of the waste ponds by mid-April

And...

A permanent moratorium to provide permanent protection to the Buffalo against any future CAFOs has yet to be finalized.

The public comment period regarding the moratorium ended on January 22, 2020. Read BRWA's comments here.  Read expert analysis supporting our comments  here and here.