by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $53.099 million for Arkansas to implement drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. The money is from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The money will be used to support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda continues to transform communities for the better with this latest infusion of funds for critical water infrastructure projects,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement. “With $50 billion in total, the largest investment in water infrastructure in our nation’s history, EPA will enable communities across the nation to ensure safer drinking water for their residents and rebuild vital clean water infrastructure to protect public health for decades to come.”

EPA announces $53.099 million in water infrastructure grants for Arkansas

WASHINGTON - Today, Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) Western Caucus Vice-Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04), and Congressman Rick Allen (GA-12) sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan urging the agency to halt its release of updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter.

The letter reads, “It is our understanding that you are finalizing an update to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and plan to release the update imminently. We write to express our grave concerns with your agency’s proposal and urge you to halt its release.

“We joined a letter alongside 70 of our colleagues in October of 2023 urging the EPA to withdraw the costly and unnecessary proposal and review the PM2.5 NAAQS under the Clean Air Act’s regular review cycle. To date, we have not received a response to that letter.

“With nearly 700,000 comments received on the proposal in the Federal Register last year, it is clear that this will have an enormous impact on nearly every industry. Last October, over 70 manufacturing organizations sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients, outlining their concerns with the proposal, and warning of the negative economic impacts that would be caused by its implementation.

“The United States boasts some of the cleanest air in the world today according to Yale University’s Environmental Performance. As Members that represent states with robust timber industries, we know firsthand the extensive benefits that the forestry sector and forest products industry have on the environment and the economy. The forest products industry would be severely impacted by the implementation of this proposal. Nationwide, at nine micrograms, nearly 80% of the sawmill and papermill improvement projects over the last five years would have failed to meet their air permits.

“We urge you to halt the release of the finalized update and review the NAAQS under the regular five-year review schedule.”

Click here to view the full letter.