WASHINGTON, D.C. (KFSM) — Arkansas lawmakers John Boozman, Tom Cotton, and Congressman Steve Womack are inquiring with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the state receiving federal assistance for extinguishing a fire at a former stump dump site in Bella Vista.
The trio sent a letter to EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler requesting additional information on how the federal government can be of assistance to putting out the fire near Trafalgar Road in Bella Vista.
The letter reads:
“As we continue to learn more about the situation, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the state of Arkansas will require federal assistance to address the issue. We understand the law provides for a particular threshold of scientific data to trigger the EPA’s assistance on these types of environmental projects. It is the delegation’s intention to learn specifically what can be done at the federal level when the threshold is met so we can readily partner with the EPA to ensure funds and resources are swiftly dispatched to the state.”
“Arkansas’s congressional delegation along with the local and state officials acknowledge and appreciate this assistance as well as the technical assistance provided by the EPA Region 6 Office in Dallas, Texas. We look forward to continuing to work with EPA to help the state of Arkansas best address the Trafalgar Road fire.”
The letter urges the EPA to provide precise scientific data needed to trigger the EPA’s emergency response, provide all options from which the state may receive financial assistance and an air monitoring system that receives continuous information over an extended period of time for reliable and up-to-date data, according to a press release from U.S. Senator John Boozman.
Read the full letter here.
