AR HB1687

Allows parties to appeal Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission decisions directly to the Court of Appeals within 10 business days of notice, instead of requiring initial circuit court review.

Modifies permit appeal procedures to automatically stay permit issuance, modification, or revocation during commission appeal, unless the commission grants, modifies, or terminates a stay based on substantial prejudice to a party.

Requires the commission to render final decisions on stay applications within 30 days of receipt and establishes expedited procedures for temporary variances and interim authority appeals, with final decisions due within 30 days unless parties agree otherwise.

Reduces public notice timeframe for temporary variance and interim authority decisions from 10 days to 5 business days and clarifies that the 10-day public notice requirement does not apply to extensions of temporary variances.

Adds the owner or operator of the affected business as an original party to appeals and requires venue provisions to apply except when appeals are transferred to the Court of Appeals under the new direct appeal option.