Arkansas moves forward on water quality issues

(Little Rock, Arkansas-AP) -- The Arkansas Senate has passed a pair of bills that seek to resolve a dispute with Oklahoma over water quality standards along the border. <br><br>The bills would require

Thursday, April 3rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Little Rock, Arkansas-AP) -- The Arkansas Senate has passed a pair of bills that seek to resolve a dispute with Oklahoma over water quality standards along the border.

The bills would require poultry farms to register and certify any animal-waste or commercial fertilizer that they spread on their land. They would restrict some fertilizer applications.

Officials in Arkansas and Oklahoma have disagreed on acceptable levels of phosphorus in scenic rivers shared by the two states.

In November, Oklahoma proposed a stricter phosphorus standard to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Some in Oklahoma blame the poultry industry for polluting waters that the states share. But Arkansas says the stricter standards would harm the state's growing northwest region.

The bills have already passed the House and now go to the governor.