The Buffalo River Still Needs You in 2020

BRWA wishes all of our faithful supporters a Happy New Year!

We are thankful that after a 6 year battle the C&H debacle is finally coming to a close. However, the river still needs your help to make a moratorium on hog CAFOs a permanent reality.

Permanent Moratorium

On June 13, Governor Hutchinson ordered that steps be taken to enact a permanent moratorium on issuance of any new swine CAFO permits in the Buffalo watershed. That process required revisions of ADEQ Regulations 5 and 6. A 30-day comment period ended on September 23, with over 400 public comments in support of a moratorium and only 2 opposed (Farm Bureau and Pork Producers Assoc.).

However,
on October 25, the APC&E Commission reopened a 90-day comment period to allow for comments on the BCRET Final Report https://bigcreekresearch.org/project_reports/default.aspx which BCRET now admits contains errors requiring revision. While BCRET downplays its 5-year findings, BRWA and others find abundant evidence showing detrimental impact by C&H in only 5 years of operation.

We encourage all supporters to submit comments here http://water.adeq.commentinput.com/?id=6pAef in support of a permanent moratorium before January 22, 2020. BRWA preliminary comments can be found here: https://buffaloriveralliance.org/resources/Documents/Moratorium%20Key%20points%20long%20version.pdf .

Our more extensive comments will be posted before the deadline. See Events below and watch for our mid-January newsletter for more updates.

If you are in the Central AR area and would like to sponsor a Letter Writing Event to support the Moratorium before the January 22 deadline, please let us know and we will do what we can to help. Contact us at buffalowatershed@gmail.com

C&H Update

C&H is reportedly finalizing their part of the settlement agreement https://buffaloriverwatershedalliance12.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/closure.pdf which includes removal of all animals and cleanout of the buildings. C&H must also dismiss all court appeals and on December 20, C&H and BRWA filed Joint Motions for Dismissal of the Arkansas Supreme Court appeal.

Once C&H vacates the premises ADEQ will begin the process of disposing of all waste and removal of the storage ponds. ADEQ has not yet announced the final Closure Plan but has proposed to remove all waste from the watershed. BRWA will notify supporters when details are released.

Buffalo River Conservation Committee

The BRCC was formed in October, 2019 to replace the Beautiful Buffalo River Action Committee https://www.aad.arkansas.gov/Websites/aad/files/Content/6094984/BRCC_Background_and_FAQs.pdf and was tasked by the Governor with identifying and implementing projects within the Buffalo River watershed which will protect and enhance the Buffalo. Public meetings were held in Jasper and Marshall to inform the public and begin the process of stakeholder engagement. Committees of local land and business owners will be formed to prioritize projects which qualify for $2 million in funds for implementation. BRWA is engaged in this process and will update supporters as this worthy effort develops.

Coming Events

December 29 5-8 PM
Holidaze Pop-Up Bar
18 Spring Street ( just off the Fayetteville Square)
Fayetteville

Put Pen to Paper Help Make the Moratorium Permanent for the Buffalo River

Sponsored by Ozark River Stewards and White River Waterkeeper
Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/events/697338314128441/

January 22, 4:30 pm
End of public comment period for permanent moratorium
https://buffaloriveralliance.org/event-3622240
Submit your comments here: http://water.adeq.commentinput.com/?id=6pAef

Please go to DONATE NOW to contribute and become a part of our campaign.

If you would rather send a check, please make it payable to “Buffalo River Watershed Alliance” and mail to:

Buffalo River Watershed Alliance
Box 101
Jasper, AR 72641.

Thank you for your continued support.

Buffalo River Watershed Alliance
buffalowatershed@gmail.com