HB 1922 Summary

• Establishes the "Public Surface Water Supply Protection Act" as a new subchapter in Arkansas Code Title 8, Chapter 10 to protect water resources and support economic development in Arkansas.

• Defines key terms including "petroleum" (crude oil, gasoline, or nonvaporous petroleum products in pipelines), "public surface water supply" (bodies of water and watersheds used by public water providers), and "water course" (rivers, streams, bayous, coves, or canals).

• Encourages petroleum pipeline owners and operators to install automatic cut-off valves capable of detecting petroleum loss and cutting off flow on both sides of water courses that discharge into public surface water supplies.

• Encourages pipeline owners to provide annual training to critical staff for pipeline operators, public water providers, and emergency response personnel on spill prevention and response.

• Encourages creation of detailed risk mitigation and response plans that include quarterly inspections, early notification systems, containment berms, product information, training requirements, and capital improvements such as valve installation and removal of aboveground pipeline crossings.