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1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly A Bill
3 Fiscal Session, 2024 HOUSE BILL 1079
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5 By: Representatives Unger, Lundstrum
6 By: Senator C. Penzo
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR GROUNDWATER
10 SAMPLING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
11 - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WHICH SHALL BE
12 SUPPLEMENTAL AND IN ADDITION TO THOSE FUNDS
13 APPROPRIATED BY ACT 570 OF 2023; AND FOR OTHER
14 PURPOSES.
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16 Subtitle
17 AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND
18 ENVIRONMENT - DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL
19 QUALITY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION.
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22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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24 SECTION 1. APPROPRIATION - GROUNDWATER SAMPLING. There is hereby
25 appropriated, to the Department of Energy and Environment, to be payable from
26 the Hazardous Substance Remedial Action Trust Fund, for contractual services
27 with the University of Arkansas Department of Geosciences to sample
28 groundwater in Tontitown, Arkansas and the surrounding Boone Formation,
29 conduct research, and publish findings, in order to gauge the impact of the
30 Eco-Vista Landfill, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, the following:
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32 ITEM FISCAL YEAR
33 NO. 2023-2024
34 (01) CONTRACTUAL SERVICES $1,046,553
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36 SECTION 2. SPECIAL LANGUAGE. NOT TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ARKANSAS
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1 CODE NOR PUBLISHED SEPARATELY AS SPECIAL, LOCAL AND TEMPORARY LAW.
2 GROUNDWATER SAMPLING. The Department of Energy and Environment – Division of
3 Environmental Quality shall budget, allocate, and expend one million forty
4 six thousand five hundred fifty three dollars ($1,046,553), from the
5 Hazardous Substance Remedial Action Trust Fund, to contract with the
6 University of Arkansas Department of Geosciences to sample groundwater in
7 Tontitown, Arkansas and the surrounding Boone Formation, conduct research,
8 and publish findings, in order to gauge the impact of the Eco-Vista landfill.
9 The department shall enter into the contract by September 1, 2024. The
10 contract shall require a report on research conducted and findings from said
11 research, to be completed by October 1, 2026. The report shall be submitted
12 to Legislative Council by October 31, 2026.
13 The provisions of this section shall be in affect only from July 1,
14 2023 through September 1, 2024.
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16 SECTION 3. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS. Disbursement of funds
17 authorized by this act shall be limited to the appropriation for such agency
18 and funds made available by law for the support of such appropriations; and
19 the restrictions of the State Procurement Law, the General Accounting and
20 Budgetary Procedures Law, the Revenue Stabilization Law, the Regular Salary
21 Procedures and Restrictions Act, or their successors, and other fiscal
22 control laws of this State, where applicable, and regulations promulgated by
23 the Department of Finance and Administration, as authorized by law, shall be
24 strictly complied with in disbursement of said funds.
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26 SECTION 4. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the General
27 Assembly that any funds disbursed under the authority of the appropriations
28 contained in this act shall be in compliance with the stated reasons for
29 which this act was adopted, as evidenced by the Agency Requests, Executive
30 Recommendations and Legislative Recommendations contained in the budget
31 manuals prepared by the Department of Finance and Administration, letters, or
32 summarized oral testimony in the official minutes of the Arkansas Legislative
33 Council or Joint Budget Committee which relate to its passage and adoption.
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35 SECTION 5. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the General
36 Assembly, that funds provided by the General Assembly for the operations of
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1 the Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality
2 are, due to unforeseen circumstances, insufficient for the Department of
3 Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality to continue to
4 provide essential governmental services; that the provisions of this act will
5 provide the necessary monies for the Department of Energy and Environment -
6 Division of Environmental Quality to continue such services; and that a delay
7 in the effective date of this Act could work irreparable harm upon the proper
8 administration and provision of essential governmental programs. Therefore,
9 an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act being necessary for the
10 immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety shall be in
11 full force and effect from and after the date of its passage and approval.
12 If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, it shall
13 become effective on the expiration of the period of time during which the
14 Governor may veto the bill. If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the
15 veto is overridden, it shall become effective on the date the last house
16 overrides the veto.
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