Every two years, Arkansas submits a listof impaired streams, rivers and lakes to EPA for cleanup. This year Department of Interior National Park Service agents submitted several tributaries to the Buffalo National River as candidates for that list, one stream adjacent to a new industrial hog breeding operation. But the federal request failed to qualify, according to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.

In response to requests received from the public, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has extended the public comment period for the agency’s proposed 2016 Impaired Waterbodies List (commonly called the 303(d) List). The ADEQ will now accept written or electronic mail comments until 4:30 p.m. (Central Time) March 16, 2016. Written comments on the proposal should be sent to: Jim Wise, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Water Division, 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72118. E-mail comments should be sent to: ImpairedWaterbodies_Comments@adeq.state.ar.us