Citizens Focus Committe
Marine Sanitation Success for Arkansas and Lake Ouachita
The Lake Ouachita Citizen Focus Committee (LOCFC), established in June 2001
as a Federal Lakes Demonstration Program initiative, has provided great service
to the Corps of Engineers management team at Lake Ouachita. Recently, at the
84th Arkansas General Legislative Assembly, they succeeded in making waves
for clean water in Arkansas for generations to come.
Waters in the Natural State needed protection. The previous law on the books
enforcing marine sanitation devices (toilet facilities on boats) in Arkansas,
Act 1101, was repealed by the 83rd Legislature in June 2001. This prohibited
the taking of fees and inspection of vessels with marine sanitation devices
by the Department of Health. This action eliminated the only effective method
of monitoring discharge of marine sewage into Arkansas lakes.
In August 2001, the Lake Ouachita Citizens Focus Committee formed a Marine
Sanitation Subcommittee to conduct research on this matter. The subcommittee
studied the history of marine regulation and collected information about the
problem that included a survey of the approaches other states were using to
prevent lake pollution. The subcommittee’s report formed the basis of
a LOCFC letter to Governor Mike Huckabee expressing concern about the lack
of adequate pollution control for our treasured Arkansas lakes.
Working with the Governor’s Natural and Cultural Resource Liaison office
and the legislatively established Marine Sanitation Advisory Committee, the
LOCFC served as a catalyst for the introduction of House Bill 2525. They anxiously
followed progress of the bill, speaking at subcommittee hearings, and checking
the web site for the Arkansas Legislative Session, monitoring when the bill
would be brought up for a vote.
Their efforts were rewarded with the passage of Act 1774, which became effective
April 2003. The act establishes an effective method of protecting Arkansas
lakes from the discharge of marine sewage and provides appropriations for enforcement.
It again makes the Arkansas Department of Health responsible for enforcing
marine sanitation laws on Arkansas lakes. In order to finance active enforcement,
boat registration fees, based on boat length, were modestly increased with
specified percentages going into a newly created Marine Sanitation Fund through
the Department of Finance and Administration. Initially, three inspectors will
be added to the Department of Health’s staff for this function. Funds
in excess of the amount needed for enforcement can be used to provide grants
to marinas to upgrade and/or expand marine sewage pump-out facilities and provide
educational literature to users of Arkansas lakes. This legislation will greatly
benefit both the Vicksburg and Little Rock District Corps of Engineers.
The relationship between the Lake Ouachita Citizen Focus Committee and the
Corps of Engineers is truly indicative of the synergy that can make good things
happen. The Corps and our customers can together advance General Flowers’ Environmental
Operating Principles, a win-win situation for all of us.
