The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality have informed Fort Smith officials that the city has qualified for an additional five years to implement sewer improvements to fulfill the requirements of its consent decree.
The agencies have also agreed to provide additional flexibility with certain interim program deadlines that will allow the city the ability to stretch out expensive system improvements over the entire remaining program implementation schedule.
Fort Smith officials signed a consent decree in 2015 with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Justice Department and the state agreeing to make an estimated $480 million in repairs and upgrades to the city’s wastewater system over the course of 12 years to clear up chronic violations of the federal Clean Water Act.
Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.