The resolution authorizes Senator King to introduce a non-appropriation bill aimed at amending the Arkansas Data Centers Act of 2023. The proposed legislation seeks to address the environmental impacts of blockchain networks and digital asset mining, specifically focusing on their effects on water usage and the electric grid. It empowers the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to monitor water usage related to these activities and allows for intervention if excessive water consumption threatens critical groundwater supplies. Additionally, the Arkansas Public Service Commission will be tasked with overseeing the impact on the electric grid and has the authority to halt services to operations that jeopardize grid reliability.
The bill outlines the responsibilities of both commissions, including the development of rules to implement these monitoring and regulatory measures. It establishes a timeline for the adoption of these rules, requiring them to be filed with the Secretary of State by January 1, 2025, or as soon as practicable thereafter if prior approvals are pending. The resolution emphasizes the need for oversight to ensure that blockchain and digital asset mining activities do not adversely affect Arkansas's natural resources and infrastructure.