States: Lawsuit Making It Harder To Work Together On Water Quality
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) _ Officials in Arkansas and Oklahoma say they're having trouble developing plans to protect the Illinois River watershed because of a pending lawsuit over water quality. <br/><br/>The
Monday, May 21st 2007, 8:27 am
By: News On 6
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) _ Officials in Arkansas and Oklahoma say they're having trouble developing plans to protect the Illinois River watershed because of a pending lawsuit over water quality.
The states in 2003 promised the Environmental Protection Agency they will work together on a management plan for the watershed.
But officials say a lawsuit filed in 2005 by Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson leaves them to develop individual plans at least for the time being.
The lawsuit accuses eight poultry companies of polluting the Illinois River watershed in eastern Oklahoma.
Earl Smith with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission says the lawsuit tends to limit discussions between the states.