House committee approves bill to give Legislature oversight of watershed moratoriums; opponents warn for Buffalo River and Lake Maumelle

At a hearing of the Arkansas House Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee, lawmakers voted to give Senate Bill 290 a do-pass recommendation after several hours of testimony and questioning from farmers, conservation groups and state agency officials.

Representative Dan Bautch (District 87) introduced SB 290 as a measure to restore legislative review of moratoriums placed on permit activity in state watersheds. “We’re not trying to get rid of a moratorium. It’s just setting up a policy,” Bautch said, adding the bill would return review authority to lawmakers so they can “represent our people back home.”

Supporters of the bill argued it protects private property and agriculture from what they described as agency overreach. Mark Lambert, director of state affairs for the Arkansas Farm Bureau, said the legislation would give “elected officials a voice in the rule making process” and warned that singling out one industry in a watershed could have a chilling effect on other farm sectors. Several farmers and farm‑industry witnesses, including Travis Payne and Bob Shoffner, told the committee SB 290 would protect property rights…