Another committee

Beautiful Buffalo

By Mike Masterson

It would be wrong not to commend Gov. Asa Hutchinson for his new plan whereby five state agencies comprising the "Beautiful Buffalo River Action Committee" will create a watershed management plan to help Arkansas secure funding for conservation projects within the environmentally fragile Buffalo National River watershed.

The "Beautiful Buffalo" and "action" parts are spot on. Wish it had been a factor four years ago.

Look, I'm for anything meaningful the governor can do to keep our precious national river in God's Country from becoming needlessly contaminated at the expense of tourism and recreation for so many thousands.

But as for yet another political committee, I've discovered a pattern over years as a journalist. When many in high elected office sense dissension and displeasure among the populace on important matters, they form a committee to file reports and hold hearings. Sure hope this latest one with such a pleasant name isn't more of the same ol' politically expedient, do-nothing dodge designed to deflect.

The committee will consist of the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and the state departments of Environmental Quality (cough), Health, Parks and Tourism, and Agriculture.

I wonder, with widespread frustration over the state wrongheadedly permitting C&H Hog Farms in this sacred watershed, why no Farm Bureau or Pork Producers on the action committee? How can that be when these special interests are so outspoken in defense of the factory and generous politically?

Reporter Emily Walkenhorst writes that Hutchinson said his Beautiful Buffalo Committee, assisted by a $107,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will retain an engineer to help analyze data and develop a plan to protect the Buffalo. I already have a foolproof plan for free. I'll discuss a few paragraphs down.

The Department of Environmental Quality's latest director, Becky Keogh, said the new committee's actions will include public meetings and input from stakeholders. Meetings and input! Wow!

Many Arkansans closely watching how the governor and this state agency deal with the potential pollution of the Buffalo from waste consider themselves the ultimate major stakeholders, as do many thousands of others across America who annually come to spend millions of dollars enjoying the Buffalo.

Hutchinson acknowledges as much when he says he's received as many comments about the Buffalo from constituents as on any other topic. "The Buffalo River is an extraordinary national river that we are blessed to have here in Arkansas," he said.

I'm also strongly assuming when Hutchinson refers to receiving comments about the Buffalo he really means comments about this swine factory the Department of Environmental Quality approved for one Newton County family to set up and operate in the worst possible environmental location in Arkansas.

Keogh reassured prospective swine factories and others this new watershed protection plan won't regulate development. Instead, it will provide a guide for development and, as Walkenhorst wrote, "a catalyst for obtaining additional grants for landowners in the watershed who want to implement protective measures."

Finally, Hutchison's memorandum says his committee will identify projects that can be achieved immediately. Toward that end, I offer a sincere suggestion for one project.

Have this potential environmental and economic catastrophe that neither Hutchinson nor Keogh created (and which Hutchinson's predecessor calls his biggest regret) immediately closed. Then relocate the factory to an environmentally appropriate location. Make the C&H owners whole financially. Then let us, as stewards of such an inspiring spiritual and physical gift, begin vigilantly protecting this beautiful asset that draws up to 1.5 million visitors a year.

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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.